Refresh an Established Brand the Argos Way

The start of a new decade may prompt you to think about whether your business brand needs a refresh. That's certainly what Argos decided.

The multi-channel mixed-merchandise retailer launched its latest catalogue with new branding on January 23, after a lengthy consultation process with its design partner Brand Union and its customers.

CEO Simon Bailey of Brand Union, a WPP company, explained that it had been a decade since the last brand refresh and the new decade was an obvious opportunity to look again at the retailer's look and feel.

Gone is the bold serif font for a softer and more rounded typeface. The link between the A and the S has been broken, but the underline remains to form a friendly smile.

The addition of the company's website in its brand is a nod to the increasing importance the online channel has gained over the decade to the company's bottom line.
Bailey said the brand refresh is supposed to represent the retailer's commitment to offering value to as wide a customer base as it can, without sacrificing quality.

Here's his advice on how to refresh an already strong existing brand:

• Do a refresh for good business reasons, not because you feel like it. The refresh has to reflect real change within the business.
• Involve your customers very closely, but use their views to inform on your decision - don't ask them to pick a winner. Your customers are media literate and expect to be involved but only you have the helicopter view to make the big decision.
• Make sure that whatever changes you make, existing customers' brand loyalties aren't affected by the refresh. Small, but significant changes are better than a radical redesign.
• Approach the refresh pragmatically. It may be too expensive and too disruptive to change everything, from catalogues and promotional material to fleet and premises portfolios, all in one go. Be prepared to do the refresh in stages.
• Concentrate on the quick wins first. Prioritise what is easiest, cheapest and most important to refresh first.
• Consequently, your refresh may have to co-exist with the old branding for some length of time. That means it will have to fit alongside it without jarring too much with the customer. Another reason small changes are better than a radical redesign.
• Engage the whole company in the refresh process. It should be a signal for the future direction of the company, so employees need to understand what the brand refresh represents.