Supporting an industry in crisis: Lessons from rebranding during a pandemic
Failure to plan is a plan to fail, argues Simon Le Grand, director of marketing and product management at Lightspeed.
Undertaking a full-company rebrand can be a difficult process at the best of times, with the well-established risks of losing recognition, customer retention and brand loyalty. Yet, during a pandemic, when marketers and brands are forced to completely rethink how they engage with customers, it can be even more challenging. Here are some ways to overcome those challenges to ensure a seamless rebrand during a pandemic.
Outline a comprehensive plan
Planning is most likely at the top of every marketer’s to-do list during a rebranding process, but it is equally important to stay agile when the industry it operates in is changing faster than ever. Despite returning to some semblance of normality in Australia, the pandemic is continuing to redefine many things we have come to take for granted. This means that it’s important for the plan to remain flexible to account for changing focuses and shifting timelines on rebranding deliverables.
Another core component of this plan should be setting clear KPIs and measures of success, and tracking these closely through every stage of the project. These might include metrics like branded search volume, direct traffic, and the percentage split in paid and organic traffic.
