Rebranding isn’t just about a new logo or fresh colour palette. It’s about trust. It’s about values. The strongest brands grow from having an inspiring vision and operating with clear values that influence everything a business says and does.When set up and run in this way, your brand becomes the nucleus of your sales and marketing, delivering awareness, consideration, preference, and ultimately customers.
Key to this is creating a brand that feels (and is!) authentic to both your customers, brokers and your employees. It’s also a brilliant opportunity for you to redefine what your business stands for.
In the past year, we’ve seen a number of high profile lenders unveil fresh rebrands, some have been met with more enthusiasm than others. And whilst it’s true that you can’t please all of the people all of the time, there are some key points that are essential to getting it right.
Brand strategy
Behind every brand refresh is a brand strategy.
This should tell you exactly how to structure your current brands to support your future growth plans. Once this is done the key is to articulate your clear point of difference in a way that’s meaningful to both internal teams and external audiences. This will help you carve out a clear positioning in the market and help you become widely known.
Swapping out your logo won’t cut it
Let’s be clear - swapping out your logo won’t make your brand stand out.
Customers today expect more. They want brands that reflect their own values, whether it’s sustainability, inclusivity, or innovation. They want brands they can trust.
A rebranding exercise needs a genuine backstory. It must be approached with purpose and thought. Some of the most recent rebrands that have taken place, including Nottingham Building Society, Nationwide and The West Brom Building Society, have all accompanied their rebrand launches with an explanation as to ‘why’ – the purpose and thought behind it.
Whether it’s a need to reflect the ‘financial diversity’ of the population (Nottingham Building Society), avoiding the ‘sea of sameness’ of traditional banks but also differentiating from fintechs (Nationwide), or a return to strong local ‘communal’ identity with the re-introduction of ‘building society’ into the brand (The West Brom), all three lenders had a purpose to connect them to their customers.
The role of purpose
Purpose isn’t a buzzword. It’s the foundation of an authentic brand. It’s what sets you apart.
To succeed, your rebrand must reflect what you truly stand for. Are you committed to sustainability? Do you prioritise financial inclusivity? Whatever it is, your brand must communicate these values clearly and consistently.
Here’s the key… purpose builds trust. Customers and brokers want to know that your promises match your actions. Whether you’re championing affordable mortgages for those with complex finances or supporting first time buyers onto the property ladder, your purpose must be more than marketing. It has to be real.
A rebrand is about the whole customer experience
Think beyond visuals. A rebrand touches everything. A true rebrand is not just what your business looks like - it’s how it feels.
- Customer experience. Every customer (current and future) interaction matters, from your website to your support centre. Make sure they reflect the same values.
- Digital transformation. According to Finder, 86% of UK adults use a form of online banking or remote banking, which is around 46 million people. Digital is where your brand lives today, so your app, online banking, and digital communications must also align with your new identity. The same must be said for your intermediary portals too.
- Employee ambassadors. Your team is your greatest asset. If they don’t believe in your brand, your customers won’t either. So, get your employees involved too. What are their thoughts? What kind of workplace culture do you have? How are you going to reflect this through your brand?
Consistency is key to building trust
Trust is delicate. To protect it, your rebrand must be consistent across all channels.
Every ad, social post, and customer interaction should reinforce the same message. This creates a brand that’s easy to recognise and impossible to ignore. Consistency builds familiarity, and familiarity builds trust. Do what you’re doing again, and again, and again. You want to put your brand into their brains!
How do you measure success?
A rebrand is a big investment, so measuring its success is essential. Here’s how…
- Customer feedback. Are customers engaging with your new messaging?
- Market share growth. Are you reaching new audiences? Have you seen an impact on initial enquiries? How are your sales leads looking? Are you retaining existing clients? Building a purposeful and distinctive brand will help you stay top of mind across your sector and crucially grow market share.
- Sentiment analysis. What are people, the media, social media, your peers saying about your brand?
Measuring success isn’t just about numbers. It’s about how people feel when they think of your brand
Rebranding requires investment
To take your business to the next level you will need to be more distinctive and recognisable.
Invest in the creative work to develop a visual identity to form something unique and ownable. Getting outside support can also help with figuring out what your vision is. Creative and marketing agencies which specialise in brand building can provide you with all kinds of guidance, from hosting an initial ideas session to running the whole project and helping with measuring your success. If you want to make the most of your budget, an outside creative expert could get you the best return on your investment and save you time and resources.
Rebranding done right
A rebrand isn’t just a marketing project - it’s a statement. It says, “This is who we are. This is what we stand for.”
Done right, a rebrand builds trust, reinforces your values, and makes you stand out from others in your sector. It’s not about being trendy or ‘woke’. It’s about being authentic and purposeful. Otherwise, customers and employees will see right through you. You could decide to embrace heritage or go with something completely different and revolutionary. What’s most important is that your reasons for doing so are genuine.
Ultimately, if you stay true to your purpose, you will create a powerful, engaging rebrand that stands the test of time.
