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When and How to Refresh Your Brand Design

Name: Noramble
Price range: $

One question that comes up a lot when it comes to brand strategy is: when should you refresh your brand? The answer? There isn't one. There’s no timeline to tell you when you should have a refresh. But one thing’s for sure: you’ll know when your brand starts to feel like it needs a change. And when that happens, this article will show you how to fix it.

Standing out is the goal obviously – but how you get there is where most brands trip up. We had a client say, “We want to be the flamingo in the room.” Our reply? “What if the room is full of flamingos?” Suddenly, everyone’s squawking and pink and fabulous – but indistinguishable. Our advice? Be a penguin. Because if you’re a penguin in a sea of flamingos, you’ll steal the show by just waddling in.

Even the strongest brand design can get stale if the market evolves and your look doesn’t. In this guide, we’ll break down the signs your brand might be outdated, the difference between a refresh and a full rebrand, and how to evolve your identity without becoming unrecognisable.

8 min read

07 July 2025

Signs Your Brand Identity Is Outdated

1. Your Visuals Scream 2010

If your logo looks like it belongs on a MySpace page or your colour palette feels a little beige (not intentionally), it might be time. Trends evolve, and so should your visuals. A dated look can make your brand feel irrelevant, even if your offering is anything but.

2. Inconsistent Branding Across Platforms

Your Instagram looks fresh, your LinkedIn looks corporate, and your packaging still hasn’t moved on from Comic Sans. Sound familiar? Inconsistent presentation across platforms confuses customers and waters down your brand recognition. There has to be consistency across all platforms or you aren’t creating a brand that’s memorable.

3. Your Audience Has Changed

If your audience has aged, shifted, or diversified, your brand needs to keep up. Messaging, tone, and even your look should align with who you’re actually speaking to now – not who you were speaking to five years ago.

4. Your Business Has Evolved

Launched new products? Shifted values? Entered a new market? If your brand hasn’t kept pace with your business growth, you're basically showing up to a black-tie event in flip-flops. Not a good look.

5. Engagement Is Down

If clicks, follows, or sales are dropping and you’ve already ruled out other culprits, your brand might be the problem. If it no longer resonates or feels trustworthy, people will simply scroll past.

Brand Refresh vs Full Rebrand

What’s the Difference?

Think of a brand refresh like updating your wardrobe. Same person, just a better look. A full rebrand? That’s a name change, new hair colour, and maybe even moving cities. It’s a whole personality change. The scope, cost, and risk differ significantly.

Aspect	Brand Refresh	Full Rebrand
Scope	Visual and messaging tweaks	Complete overhaul
Timeline	2-3 months	6-12+ months
Cost	Lower (£3k-10k+)	Higher (£10k-£50k+)
Purpose	Stay relevant, modernise	Reposition in market, redefine or establish identity

A refresh might mean a new logo, a redefined colour palette, or updated messaging that aligns with today's trends. A rebrand could mean renaming your company, shifting your positioning entirely, or targeting a new market altogether. It looks different for every brand. Whatever it is, the last thing you want to do is set yourself up for failure. That’s why you should be working with brand designers like Noramble to help bring your new vision to life.

If your business foundation is solid and your audience is still showing up, a refresh is probably all you need. If you've outgrown your original purpose or are facing a serious perception issue, a full rebrand might be the answer you’re looking for. Take a look at the before and after for our client SXOLLIE. Sometimes the WHOLE thing doesn't need to change, just elements.

Tips for Evolving Your Brand Design Without Losing Recognition

1. Conduct a Brand Audit

Take a good, honest look at what you’re working with. What still works for you and resonates with people? What’s outdated? What’s causing confusion? This helps you figure out what to keep, tweak, or ditch.

2. Engage Your People

Your employees, your customers, your community – ask them how they see your brand. Their insights will help you avoid designing in a vacuum and create a more authentic evolution. You’d be surprised what you can uncover just by listening.

The truth is, most brands are too close to themselves to see the cracks. When you're knee-deep in your own messaging, design, and internal goals, it’s easy to miss what’s not landing externally. That’s where a fresh set of eyes – like a brand design agency – can really help. We’re not here to flatter. We’re here to point out what’s working, what’s not, and why. A little honesty goes a long way when you're evolving your identity.

3. Retain What Works

If your audience already connects with your colour palette, logo, or tone of voice – take our advice here … don’t bin it. That recognition is brand equity, and it’s hard-earned. The last thing you want is to hit refresh so hard that people don’t recognise you anymore.

Instead, build on what’s working. Keep the elements that feel familiar and trusted, and use them as anchors while you evolve the rest. The best brand refreshes feel like a glow-up.

4. Revise Your Guidelines

Once changes are made, make sure everyone (yes, this includes everyone – from your web developer to your barista) knows how to use the new branding consistently. Update your style guides to reflect your new visual identity and tone.

5. Communicate the Change

Whether you go full penguin or just get a new haircut, tell your audience why. Transparency builds trust and loyalty and it avoids confusion when your brand suddenly looks different.

Refreshing your brand is all about making intentional updates that reflect where you are now and where you’re going.

By recognising the signs and choosing the right level of change into your brand strategy, you can breathe new life into your brand without losing what made it great in the first place.

Ready to take that next step for your brand? Get in touch with Noramble and discover how we can help you evolve your brand with impact. We’ll show you how to be a penguin in a world full of flamingos.