The Difference Between Brand Evolution and Revolution

Sector-specific challenges, market trends, and customer expectations change – constantly. And you must too, to remain relevant, reactive to needs, and ahead of the curve (and your competition).

With the new year fast approaching, now is the optimum time to review your marketing strategy, reevaluate your brand, and revise your ideas. But understanding the extent of your brand refresh can be tough. Are you looking to evolve existing elements of your brand identity, or push boundaries to totally reinvent your business – and how do you know what your business needs?

Let’s explore the difference between brand evolution and revolution, and how you know when to apply each to maximise your opportunity.

Questions to Ask

Before you jump in head-first, understand why you want to make any changes to your brand identity. It shouldn’t just be a vanity project, but a strategic next step in striving towards your commercial objectives.

• What’s prompted this desire for change?

Establish your motivations. Is it because engagement rates are lower than usual, a competitor is outperforming you, or your brand no longer accurately represents your business?

• What are you hoping it will achieve?

There’s no point making changes if you don’t have an end-goal in sight.

• Who are my customers?

Naturally, things change. Including who you’re targeting. Understand your core audience(s), and determine their mindset, their wants, and their needs.

Evolution

A strategic evolution is a topline fine-tuning of your brand, logo and messaging.

It displays your commitment to continuous improvement to strengthen connections with customers, better align with their preferences, and stay up to date with emerging trends.

Often driven by market research, user feedback, and the overall corporate landscape, it could consist of designing a new logo, appealing to an additional target audience, or enhancing your brand values.

But with statistics showing that a cohesive and recognisable brand identity can result in a 23% revenue increase, thanks to its ability to build trust, loyalty, and reputation, it’s imperative that any evolution retains – and builds upon – the core of your company.

Take McDonald’s, for example. Since 1955, their branding (especially their logo) has significantly evolved – but their iconic golden arches have remained a staple.

Revolution

On the other hand, a brand revolution is much more radical. It is innovative. It pushes boundaries. It enters realms not yet embarked upon.

Intended to breathe new life into your business, signify a new chapter, or kickstart an exciting expansion, it can have a staggering impact on elevating your brand.

But it isn’t a decision to be made lightly.

It can be incredibly costly in terms of time and money so the value must be worth it. And some people will always be reluctant to change – in both your team and your customers. Be sure that your advancements align with them (as well as the direction your business is heading) and that you communicate the entire journey.

For over 90 years, LEGO has been a firm favourite with both children and adults worldwide.  Following the success of their classic brick, they revolutionised their business to keep pace with the digital sphere, remain relevant in the new Century, and further engage with their audience. As a result, they branched into cinema with the release of ‘The Lego Movie’ in 2014, launched a multi-functional enterprise online platform and introduced 11 dedicated LEGOLAND sites globally.

What’s Best for My Business?

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach here. Only you know your business best and so it must be a strategic and measured decision to level up. And not one made just for the sake of it.

Regardless of the approach you take, remember to retain the essence of your brand and not dilute your illustrious history. After all, that’s the foundation of your reputation and what started it all.

We know that making any changes to your brand identity can feel incredibly daunting and overwhelming. But we’re here to help – if you’re eager to evolve your business, then get in touch.