Can Your Brand Recover from a Bad Rebranding? Lessons from 10 Indian Companies

Can Your Brand Recover from a Bad Rebranding? Lessons from 10 Indian Companies

Rebranding is a strategic decision that businesses make to give their brand a fresh image, appeal to a new target audience, or differentiate themselves from the competition. However, rebranding also comes with its share of risks, especially if the approach is wrong. In this article, we will explore the concept of rebranding, discuss the lessons learned from ten prominent Indian companies that encountered bad rebranding, and also touch upon ways to recover if your brand falls prey to this issue.

The Importance of Rebranding

Rebranding is about revamping a brand's image, identity, or offerings to meet the evolving needs of the market, Target audience or business goals. It could involve a visual rebrand, name change, or a shift in brand messaging. Rebranding should be a thoughtful and well-executed process that resonates with the audience and cements a meaningful brand-consumer connection. At Cpluz, with years of experience in delivering top-notch logo design, graphic design, web design, and other services, we understand that rebranding is more than just a simple makeover - it's about aligning your brand strategy with the moments that matter most to your target audience.

10 Indian Companies that Encountered Bad Rebranding

1. Virgin Mobile India

2. Nokia Mobile India

Post the rise of smartphones, Nokia, once a household name in mobile phones, couldn't regain its initial success with rebranded devices, such as the Nokia X series that ran on Android. Changing user preferences and a poor perception of quality resulted in a decline in sales and ultimately, a decrease in the overall brand value.

1. Citibank India

A major overhaul of the Citibank India website in 2004 sparked outrage among customers who were accustomed to the old layout. In contrast to Citi's expectations, the rebranding resulted in less engagement, increased confusion, leading to customer dissatisfaction.

1. Bajaj Auto (Bajaj Discover)

In 2011, Bajaj Auto decided to rebrand their Discover motorcycle as the Bajaj Discover without any major changes other than taking off their name which resulted in lower sales and diminished customer trust. The brand's image somewhat recovered in the following years with quality improvements and new model releases.

1. India's State-run Bank, PNB's rebranding of 'PNB MetLife'

Punjab National Bank (PNB) partnered with MetLife for the life insurance business. However, the lack of brand visibility caused a negative impact on the brand in the country. Over the years, PNB MetLife has made an effort to recover from this, through targeted marketing campaigns and a clearer brand identity.

1. Airtel's 'Wyz

D'Tel' Rebrand

As a marketing gimmick, Bharti Airtel rebranded one of its services, D'Tel, to operate under the Airtel umbrella with a Wyz brand. The decision didn't resonate with the Indian audience.

1. ITC's Sunfeast Digestive biscuits rebranding as Lakmé's Nutrilite biscuits

ITC Foods, a major player in the Indian edibles market, tried to rebrand Sunfeast Digestive biscuits and make it appear nutty, henceforth known as Nutrilite biscuits. However, after a series of attempts to regain prominence as Lakmé Nutrilite, the biscuits were ultimately withdrawn from the market.

1. PepsiCo India's 'Lehar' failure

PepsiCo India launched its rebranded version, 'Lehar' to target the market segment looking for a healthier beverage option. Sadly, the brand struggled to gain recognition amidst the competition from other established brands and the beverages market in India switched its focus towards organized retail.

1. Ferns N Petals' (FNP) global rebranding

Ferns N Petals after an incredible success rate announced a global rebranding strategy that fell flat. In the Indian context, where traditions, and strong emotions are attached to gifts, a global rebranding seemed out of sync with the local consumers' preferences.

1. The Great Indian Restaurant Association's rebranding attempt

The association attempted a rebranding to just 'Restaurant Association of India', which fell flat as restaurant associations in India are known to resist any plan that dilutes their regional connection, Voice or belonging.

How to Recover Your Brand Image Post a Bad Rebranding

Recovering from a poorly executed rebranding involves redefining your brand's objectives, assessing what worked well and where to improve, Regaining customer trust and effectively communicating with your audience. A few key strategies to recover from a bad rebranding are-

Bolster your brand storytelling

Great brands resonate with their audience through stories that create a deep emotional connection. Ensure your rebranding efforts centred around compelling brand stories or narratives that appeal to your target audience.

Re-establish a clear brand identity

A strong brand identity is an essential asset for any business. Establish a consistent visual identity, messaging, and tone of voice that is closely aligned with your brand's mission and values. At Cpluz, we believe in crafting enduring brand identities that not only appeal to consumers but also foster meaningful connections.

Maintain transparent communication

Regular communication with your customers, team members and partners fosters trust, which is vital for recovery from any branding mishaps. Keep your audience updated about the lessons learned from the bad rebranding attempts and how you are improving the experience.

Run targeted marketing campaigns

A well-constructed, data-driven marketing strategy can go a long way in rebuilding the brand's image, Target your audience demographics, leverage social media and employ wit to reinject the lost momentum back into the brand. Partnering with influencers, creating compelling content and piggybacking successful campaigns can be on point strategies to improve the brand story.

Conclusion

Bad rebranding has targeted several major brands in India, which puts to question the advisability of such drastic measures without thorough consideration. Learning from successful and unsuccessful rebranding attempts is essential for brands to safeguard themselves. By taking measured approaches to rebranding and leveraging the appropriate design strategies, brands can safeguard themselves against falling prey to the perils associated with a neglected rebranding process. It is our belief at Cpluz that ingraining a customer-centric approach into design elements can diminish the risks, emphasizing the importance of meaningful brand connections. For any brand crisis or professional design solutions, you can reach out to cpuz at info@cpluz.com or visit cpluz.com.

Contact Cpluz at info@cpluz.com or visit cpluz.com for professional design and hosting solutions.