Principles of corporate rebranding

Abstract

PurposeThe paper aims to highlight the importance of corporate rebranding in branding practice, which is neglected in theoretical treatment, so an extended theory is to be developed.Design/methodology/approachFrom the literature, the existing state of the theory of corporate rebranding is articulated. That theory is extended by the development of six principles and by case research. The principles are illustrated in the case of a Canadian leather goods retailer which has implemented a major corporate rebranding strategy. The paper demonstrates the value of organisational single case studies as a precursor to further research.FindingsThe single case enables a more in‐depth analysis of how branding principles were applied to corporate rebranding. All six principles were supported, indicating the need for maintaining core values and cultivating the brand, linking the existing brand with the revised brand, targeting new segments, getting stakeholder “buy‐in”, achieving alignment of brand elements and the importance of promotion in awareness building.Originality/valueAlthough corporate rebranding is often used narrowly in practice as renaming, this paper redresses the limited attempts to build theory in this area of marketing. It attempts to build a more sophisticated and substantial theory of corporate rebranding.

Rebranding a federation: Insights from the UK co-operative movement

“…(Muzellec and Lambkin 2006). This point is reiterated by Merrilees and Miller (2008) who note that while there is always pressure to ensure the contemporary relevance of the brand, all its previous values should not be abandoned if a rebranding exercise is undertaken. They maintain that such values are important in reaffirming the legacy and establishing the legitimacy of the new brand to customers.…”

“…Some changes may be so slight that they are not appreciated or acknowledged by certain stakeholders. In contrast, 'revolutionary' rebranding represents a more radical change in the company's positioning and may be more akin to the process identified by Merrilees and Miller (2008). It may involve the creation of a new company name, new corporate brand vision or new brand values (see also Hatch and Schultz, 2003).…”

“…A number of commentators maintain that the area of corporate rebranding remains well documented in the trade journals (Muzellec and Lambkin, 2006), but relatively under researched as an academic subject (Gotsi and Andriopoulos, 2007;Merrilees and Miller, 2008;Palmer 2004). Plewa et al (2011) argue that those studies that have been undertaken remain fragmentary and exploratory in nature.…”

“…Some such as Merrilees and Miller (2008) define corporate rebranding as '..the disjunction or change between an initially formulated corporate brand and a new formulation.' (p. 538).…”

“…In order to realign an organisation's new strategic vision, close cooperation is required between a variety of departments and functions. Senior individuals may be tasked with managing the expectations of the multiple stakeholders affected and as a consequence, need to be much more sensitive to the wide spectrum of attitudes that may exist (Hankinson 2009;Merrilees and Miller 2008). This in turn may require a broader, more holistic communications strategy as traditional marketing methods cannot be relied upon to engender such fundamental change (Gotsi and Andriopoulos, 2007;Walter 2010).…”