Analysing 5 Rebrand Successes - Why Did They Work? — UNBXD

It’s no secret that consumers aren’t always particularly receptive to change. However, not only is change sometimes a good thing, it’s sometimes necessary to a brand’s future success. Whether it’s because they needed to get away from a tainted public image or were at risk of being left behind by their competitors, the following brands were lucky enough to get their rebrands right. In this blog, we’ll be exploring the reasons as to why.

The Co-op dropping the ‘erative’

The Co-op has been a British high street staple for longer than many of us have been alive. However, until its rebrand in 2016, the company was always officially called ‘The co-operative’, at odds with how most of the country referred to it.

In a move that showcased the power of simplicity, The Co-Op successfully rebranded by dropping the 'erative’ and embracing the name by which it was most known. The change not only modernised the brand but also made it more approachable for a wider audience.

The Co-op's decision to focus on the essence of cooperation rather than the technicality of being a co-operative was a masterstroke. As well as the simplified name, they introduced a new cloverleaf logo with a lighter hue of the brand’s existing blue. This also helped with the PR disaster they were facing from the Co-operative’s bank division, which had become embroiled in scandal amidst huge losses in revenue. The rebrand totally reinvented the Co-op’s image, and for the better.

Starbucks’ strategic siren simplicity

Over the last 50 years, the Starbucks logo has undergone immense simplification. Despite that, the previous iterations of the siren on a green background have always been recognisably Starbucks. Their most recent rebranding is a case study in how simplification can lead to success.

In 2011, the coffee giant streamlined its iconic siren logo, removing the text and letting the image do the talking. This strategic move not only modernised the brand but also enhanced its recognition, making the logo more versatile across various platforms and products.

The McRebrand - McDonald’s response to a supersized PR disaster

Twenty years ago, the world was starting to become more aware of the rising global obesity rates. TV shows like The Biggest Loser were gaining in popularity and in 2004, an independent American film called Super Size Me set McDonald’s on the necessary journey towards being a little more health-conscious.

McDonald's, long synonymous with fast food, is still far from a nutritious option. However, for the global brand, this was an issue of image. And McDonald’s did indeed successfully pivot towards a healthier image by introducing things like salads and fruit bags in their iconic Happy Meals, as well as the McCafé which expanded the brand into the realm of coffee chains. The rebranding not only catered to a growing health-conscious market but also demonstrated McDonald's commitment to evolving with changing consumer preferences.

Apple’s computer-less future

Apple is one of the most famous brands on the planet, so it’s hard to believe it was once sat on the sidelines of the grand technology industry back in the 90s. The classic bitten-apple logo has been around since the 70s, but in 1998 it was time for the sun to set on Apple’s rainbow colour scheme. Instead, the same logo was reintroduced this time in a simple black colour scheme.

A few years later, Apple began to toy with the metallic finish that accompanied the brand’s logo throughout the 00s. But even now, the black apple is used on Apple’s website, whilst the silver version takes pride of place on Apple products.

There was one more big change, however: in 2007, Steve Jobs announced that Apple would be dropping the ‘Computer’ from their name. This came after the immense success that was the iPod, and allowed Apple to cement itself as a top player in the wider industry, with products such as the iPhone and iPad making their way into the market alongside Apple’s Mac computers.

Into The Metaverse - Facebook’s 2021 transformation

Mark Zuckerberg’s ambitious decision to rebrand Facebook as Meta in 2021 reflected the company’s pivot towards the metaverse, a virtual reality space. The largest social media platform in the world, Facebook, is still Facebook: Meta is simply the new name of the parent company which was also previously known as Facebook. This is the same company which owns Instagram and Whatsapp.

This move has allowed Meta to position itself as a leader in the emerging technology landscape without losing the already successful Facebook brand. As CEO Mark Zuckerberg explained, the brand “is so tightly linked to one product that it can’t possibly represent everything that we’re doing today, let alone in the future.” However, instead of changing the entire platform of Facebook based around these future goals, Meta is existing alongside it - which is certainly keeping Facebook users much happier.

As we dissect the success stories behind these five rebrands, it becomes evident that the art of transformation is both a science and an intuition. The Co-op's embrace of simplicity, Starbucks' strategic logo refinement, McDonald's pivot towards health consciousness, Apple's iconic evolution, and Meta's plunge into the metaverse all underscore the significance of staying relevant, authentic, and responsive to shifting market dynamics.

These case studies illuminate the multifaceted nature of rebranding – a tool not merely for cosmetic changes but a strategic manoeuvre to align with evolving consumer expectations, industry trends, and corporate visions. In the relentless pursuit of progress, these brands have proven that the right rebrand, executed with precision, can catapult a business into new realms of success while preserving the essence that made it iconic in the first place.