Trends come and go, but the legends never die, right? How can this ideology impact your brand, though? We often see big companies go through several logos and brand changes throughout their life – queue Instagram, Snapchat, Urban Outfitters, and all the rest, but that doesn’t mean every business must follow current trends.
Whether you’re looking for a good old-fashioned rebrand in hopes to boost business or you’re still in the works of creating yours, you must ask yourself: are we trendy or are we timeless? Here are some things to consider!
What is brand identity?
Whether you decide to keep up with current trends depends widely on your business and who your target audience is. Hubspot informs readers that a brand is made up of “a name, tagline, logo or symbol, design, brand voice, and more.” Brand identity is a way to convey the personality and values of your company to your target audience! It’s more than just the elements you put together so that people can recognize your company.
What makes a brand trendy?
There are a few things to look at when deciding what a trendy brand is and if you meet the criteria. According to Logo Works, these include:
- Target audience (Gen-Z and Millennials vs Baby Boomers and Gen-X)
- The tone you want to convey to your target audience (upscale/chic vs “laid back,”)
- How long you think this trend will serve its purpose (6 months vs 6 years)
If you consider your brand to be attractive to a younger audience looking for a business that makes them feel comfortable, then you may want to consider branding or rebranding that follows current trends.
While rebranding can help bring in new business and breath new life into an outdated website or logo design, there are risks with rebranding, too. These include a potential loss of customers, spending too much time and money keeping up with what’s popular, and appearing inconsistent to your key demographic. So, it’s important to ensure the end product is not only something that will help you stand out against the competition but that it will serve your needs for longer than a few months to avoid another rebrand!
What makes a brand timeless?
If you find that the above explanation of a trendy brand doesn’t sound like you, then it might be time to consider exploring the subtle art of timelessness. Elegant, chic, and professional brands don’t want to confuse their target audience by appearing to market strictly to a younger or less serious population. Forbes lists some advice for curating a timeless brand:
- Ensure that your brand exemplifies the values of your company
- Maintain consistency over time, but find new ways to create an innovative look
- Understand that the evolution of your company can happen organically, but a strong narrative will ensure timelessness (ignore trends/fads and pressure from outside sources)
- Figure out what distinguishes you – ask yourself “what would our customers miss about us if we weren’t here tomorrow”
- Focus on a lasting message you want your brand to convey more than the product itself
- Find a way to design your brand/logo in a way that’s creative and memorable while remaining simple
While a trendy brand is no better or worse than a timeless brand, it’s important you choose a style that’s right for your specific organization and key demographic. Your brand is what your target audience sees immediately when they visit your site or your business for the first time and it’s what they’re going to remember you by. It must send the right message, whether you’re trendy or timeless!