Redesigning Your Product Labels Without Losing Loyal Customers
Branding comes in a kind of lifecycle. Even the best product label design will not be the best forever. As your customers grow and change, as your market changes, brands need to keep up by changing with them. Examples abound: just look at how Pepsi has changed their logo over the years to stay in competition with Coca-Cola.
But there are also countless examples of rebranding gone wrong. It’s a slippery slope between invigorating interest in your brand and alienating loyal customers. So getting the tone of your redesign right is incredibly important. Of course, product label design only one part of this equation. You also need to think about new offerings and a new company image. What is changing, exactly, and how is this communicated?
Here are a few tips and questions to consider when thinking about a product label redesign.
1. Ask yourself: Is it necessary?
Although it may be exciting to change your product label design, too much change can make you unrecognizable to your customers. It’s important to identify exactly why you’re changing things up. Is it because your customers are getting older? Is it because there is new competition in town? Are you refining your image to increase market share? Whatever it is, make sure that you intentions are in line with the new design. Often, small changes are best, unless you’re ready for a grand statement.
2. Be authentic.
As we hinted above, there is usually very little reason to completely change your brand identity. Trust is a huge issue in brand loyalty, and if you change everything, your customers will start to question what is behind the changes. Think of it as a friend: if everyday this person changes their style and demeanor you’ll start to wonder why he or she is doing so. It comes off like an identity crisis. But sometimes an authentic change actually makes you feel closer to the person in question.
3. Can you meet new expectations?
If you change your image, are you changing anything else? Look at a rebranding as a great opportunity to fix any problems that your business may be having. Have you had some negative feedback online? Do you see room for improvement anywhere? If so, jump on the opportunity. You’ll thank yourself for it in the long-run.
4. Can you crowdsource it?
Crowdsourcing a redesign is a great way to create buzz around your new design. It’s a great way to engage with your community. And it can be really fun! Of course, you’ve got to get the word out. If you only get a few submissions you might be left with a pretty lousy design.
5. Don’t squander the opportunity.
Be sure that you’re organized and strategic about this huge opportunity. Don’t rush the rollout. Plan how you will inform people, how you’ll get the most visibility for your new look. Throw a pizza party? Hire a PR team? Give something away? Whatever it is, look at the opportunity as a moment of great potential – the potential to communicate more fully what you stand for.
We encourage you to consider if the time is right for a rebranding campaign. If so, contact us and we’ll get started on your brand new, compelling custom product labels to reflect the new you.
