Start with where you want to go.
You might be reaching a new audience, expanding into retail, or bringing a broader product range to market. Get clear on what that next stage asks of your brand. What should people understand, recognize, and feel when they encounter it? That direction helps you decide whether a thoughtful refresh or a more fundamental rebrand makes sense.
Use category data and consumer insight together.
Category data helps put your brand in context. Consumer conversations bring the people behind the purchases into view. Look at the shelf, your packaging, buyer feedback, and the questions customers ask. Together, those insights can reveal what people already value and where there is room to make the brand clearer, more relevant, or easier to choose.
Decide what to keep, sharpen, and change.
We use “refresh” for work that strengthens an existing foundation, and “rebrand” for a more fundamental change in positioning or identity. The useful question is what the business needs. Identify the assets people already recognize, the parts that need clarification, and the changes required to support the next stage. Build on what people already value while making room for what comes next.
Turn the decision into a working brief.
Connect the consumer, the proposition, the product range, the visual identity, and the packaging requirements in one brief. Agree on who decides, how concepts will be reviewed, and what needs to be ready for rollout. The goal is a shared direction your team can confidently bring to life.