When Should You Rebrand

Insights | Article

Rebranding isn’t about changing your logo. It’s about remembering who you are — and realigning your identity with where you’re going next.

By John Murinye

A rebrand can be cosmetic. But the ones that last — the ones that move people and markets — are driven by shared beliefs and unshakeable principles. Not trends. Not noise. Not profit.

So, when is it the right time to rebrand?

Before we answer that, we need to return to the source: What is a brand, really?

Think of the caveman era. Carvings on stone weren’t designed to sell anything. They were records of a shared life: values, dangers, survival, ritual, meaning. These carvings were early brand expressions — not in the commercial sense, but in the cultural one. They said: This is Who we are.

Think of activists today. They don’t rally around a font or a colour. They rally around belief. #BlackLivesMatter, Extinction Rebellion, Fridays for Future — these are modern brands powered not by perception but by purpose. People don’t join a logo. They join a cause.

Think of Rudo the farmer. She marks her cattle with a brand, yes — but Mary doesn’t choose to buy from her just because of that mark. She buys because Rudo is a Caregiver. She treats her animals well, gives back to her community, and leads with integrity. The mark on the cow is not the brand — it’s a symbol of what Mary already knows: Rudo stands for something.

This is the heart of real branding: shared identity.

And when that identity becomes misaligned, diluted, or forgotten — that’s when a rebrand becomes necessary.

A brand isn’t just how you’re seen — it’s ‘Who’ you are. The shared beliefs, principles, and values that bring people together and drive everything you say, make, and do.

Rebrand vs Refresh

Brand Refresh

Updates to visual identity
Surface-level evolution
Driven by modernisation
Often cosmetic

Full Rebrand

Realignment of core identity
Deep foundational shift
Driven by misalignment or growth
Always strategic

A refresh is about relevance.
A rebrand is about returning to truth — or reimagining it for who you’re becoming.

Top 5 Reasons You May Need to Rebrand

1. You’ve Lost Sight of Who You Are

When growth is prioritised over identity, businesses drift. You start chasing trends, new markets, fast wins — and forget why you started in the first place.

Steve Jobs returned to Apple not with new technology, but with old conviction: focus, simplicity, integrity.

Econet, in 2016, rebranded to return to its core — ensuring technology reached even the most remote communities.

Rebranding, in this case, wasn’t about change. It was about remembering.

2. You Were Never Clear to Begin With

Not all misalignment happens over time. Sometimes the brand was never rooted in principle from the start. You launched fast, hustled hard, and built something — but never stopped to define who you are, why you exist, and what you stand for.

In a market like Zimbabwe, this is common. Many brands chase income before clarity. The result? A business that grows quickly — but not deeply.

If you can’t define who you are, no one else will either.

Zarura worked with Discovery Gospel Choir to help them reaffirm their purpose. The result wasn’t just a clearer message — it was a reawakened movement.

3. Your Strategy Has Evolved — But Your Brand Hasn’t

As the world changes, your business will evolve. You might enter new markets, launch new products, form new partnerships, or expand your audience.

But if your brand still speaks from your past — you’ll be misunderstood in the present.

A rebrand helps you bring your identity into alignment with your ambition.

What should evolve:

Your architecture
Your positioning
Your storytelling

What should remain constant:

Your principles
Your beliefs
Your Who

4. Your Visual Language No Longer Serves You

A logo is not a brand — but it is a symbol of belief. If your visual identity feels dated, disjointed, or disconnected, it may be time to evolve.

Sometimes the original design was driven by trends. Or built without experience. Or simply outgrown.

If your visuals don’t reflect your maturity, your values won’t be heard.

This doesn’t always require a full rebrand. A brand refresh may be enough to reframe your story in a more relevant and timeless way.

We partnered closely with Bible Society Ireland — alongside Dr. Julie McKinley, General Secretary — to reimagine the brand: honouring over two centuries of legacy while shaping a bold, living presence for the future.

5. You’ve Lost Trust — and Need to Rebuild

Reputation is slow to build and quick to burn. If your organisation has become associated with harm, dishonesty, or neglect — it may be time to reset.

But be careful:

You can’t rebrand your way out of a moral crisis. You can only reform.

A rebrand in this context must follow deep change. It must be accompanied by new leadership, new behaviour, and new systems. The visuals may change — but the actions must change first.

When NOT to Rebrand

Don’t rebrand just because:

You’re bored
A competitor did it
Sales are low
You want to “feel fresh”
You’re reacting emotionally

Instead, rebrand when:

You’ve outgrown your positioning
You’ve forgotten your identity
You’re entering a new era
You want to align your organisation around a shared “Who”

Key Takeaway

A brand isn’t built on perception. It’s built on principles.
It isn’t a logo. It’s a language of belief.
It doesn’t just look good. It means something.

Rebranding, when done right, is a return to essence. A renewal of truth. A strategic act of remembering — and reimagining — who you are.

But don’t start with colours or copy.
Start with a question:

Who are we?
And are we still showing up that way — in every part of our business?