Track the right KPIs to measure (and maximize) the impact of rebrand implementation

Getting to the finish line of rebrand implementation is, in itself, a measure of success. And it’s obviously worth celebrating having completed the heavy lift of converting all your branded assets to your new identity.

However, if you only think of success in terms of your rebrand’s final outcome, you’ll miss out on valuable opportunities to increase its impact. Instead, apply high levels of rigor and analysis to the whole process of brand change. Doing so can produce a host of bottom-line enhancing benefits such as significant cost savings, greater operational efficiency, comprehensive asset conversion, more robust employee engagement, and a faster time to market.

So how can you develop a rock-solid implementation plan, roll it out, and track the KPIs that indicate you’re making good progress? It’s easier said than done — but it’s made much simpler with an expert partner at your side. Here’s how to get started.

Tie your implementation plan and its KPIs to your rebrand’s strategic goals

When it comes to rolling out a new brand, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. The choices you make — and the KPIs that spell success — should all ladder up to your overarching goals for the rebrand.

Here are a few examples.

Speed to market

Do you want to make a splash with your audience and increase your brand’s value in the market? If so, every day your brand hasn’t made it to market comes with an opportunity cost. Your implementation plan should therefore center around an impactful launch and a speedy branded asset conversion strategy. Your KPIs should focus on reaching key milestones by specific deadlines.

Budget

Is your organization concerned about the price tag associated with rebranding? That’s common. BrandActive can lead you through advanced forecasting and scenario modeling exercises to explore cost efficiencies and trade-offs.. Then, by making use of your organization’s OpEx and CapEx policies, you can significantly reduce the impact on your bottom line. Budget-related KPIs should track your rebrand-related spending as well as the cost savings and efficiencies you gain as a result of the implementation process.

Employee engagement

Fostering employee excitement and buy-in is fundamental to your rebrand’s success. As your internal stakeholders are responsible for delivering your brand promise to your audience, developing employee engagement strategies will be paramount to a successful rollout. KPIs in this category could be based on how employees respond to satisfaction and brand awareness surveys.

Customize your KPI approach

To reach your organization’s specific goals, you need an implementation plan and KPIs that are customized to your needs. BrandActive can help you develop that plan, execute it, and stay accountable for meeting each success marker along the way.

Assess KPIs related to implementing your rebrand internally

Most of the nitty-gritty work of brand change happens internally. Therefore, before you can evaluate your rebrand’s external market success, you need to measure the internal impact of implementation.

Consider internal KPIs like:

• Your branded asset conversion rate. How many legacy materials are you still using? How many assets are fully transitioned? Are you on track to reach your conversion goal? Conducting an internal audit of the legacy assets still in circulation at various intervals (e.g., 12, 18, and 24 months post-launch) is helpful. One way to make this process fun for your team is by gamifying it. Offer rewards and incentives for employees to find and submit any assets that still bear the legacy brand.
• The number of branded assets you’ve rationalized/reduced. Have you been able to cut down on the number of branded assets in your purview through the implementation process? Are there old assets you’ve culled? Calculate the impact of these reductions on your bottom line, both in terms of money and time.
• Brand consistency. Are employees and vendors following your updated brand guidelines? Are your brand’s colors, shapes, gradients, and other design elements accurately applied to signs, fleet vehicles, and workwear? How often do assets need to be re-created and re-produced due to brand inconsistency? Track these percentages.
• Brand adoption. Are employees accessing your BMS (brand management system) or DAM (digital asset management) to find resources like templates, artwork, logos, taglines, and brand-approved photography? Do these systems’ user metrics show that employees are downloading resources and creating new materials at a level that indicates strong adoption?

These are just a few of the potential KPIs you can put in place to measure your implementation’s internal efficacy. But again, be sure to track the factors that directly support your rebrand’s overarching goals.

Evaluate external measures of your rebrand’s market impact

It’s important to measure audience awareness as your implementation progresses. You likely track these KPIs already. Use your benchmarks to compare your pre-rebrand performance with what you’re seeing during and after implementation.

Pay attention to things like:

• Organic traffic
• Google search queries and page rankings
• Social media activity
• Sales/revenue
• Paid media impressions and conversions

Pay particular attention to search behavior during and after your rebrand, especially if you’re changing your organization’s name. When people search specifically for your new brand name, it’s a good indicator that awareness is on the rise. By contrast, if you see that most searches are still related to your previous name, you’ll know to focus on awareness campaigns to improve that metric.

Implementation KPIs are a crucial measure of your rebrand’s overall success

As a marketing leader, you know that tracking the success of your marketing efforts is an integral part of advancing your organization’s objectives. You wouldn’t launch a lead generation campaign without measuring its performance. And you shouldn’t embark on your rebrand implementation without thoughtfully considering how to assess its impact.

The challenge is that most marketers have never led something as transformational as a rebrand before, which makes it difficult to know which KPIs truly matter. You don’t have to figure it out by yourself. BrandActive can help you consider every salient detail and create a plan that will get your business where you need it to go. Let’s talk.