When it comes to implementing a full-scale rebrand, the process of converting branded assets represents a major piece of the project work — and accounts for a great deal of the complexity, too. Certain asset categories, such as signage and fleet, are especially intricate. For large national and global brands, simply taking inventory of the existing assets in these categories is a challenge. That’s just the first step in ensuring that your broader strategic goals for the rebrand are reflected in the choices you make for different assets within each category.
For example, signage represents one of the most significant, costly and sprawling asset categories for the average organization. After all, signs are a highly visible expression of any brand. Besides that, many organizations own a dizzying number of signs with various purposes across multiple locations.
In order to successfully rebrand signage, organizations must inventory the existing portfolio of signs and determine how to proceed with the rebranded signage moving forward. Are the signs still in the best place? Are they visible enough? Do they support seamless wayfinding? Are they crafted in a way that represents the new brand strategy? What about the logistics of installing new signs?
At BrandActive, we help our clients navigate the most complex asset categories — namely, signage, fleet, and branded environments — with fully customized asset recommendation books. These recommendation books provide detailed suggestions for how to convert and maintain major asset categories in a way that represents the brand consistently and effectively over the long term..
What is an asset recommendation book for rebranding?
A BrandActive asset recommendation book is a catalog of a firm’s existing assets customized to the specifics of each location and accompanied by suggestions for how to transition those assets to the new brand identity.
We begin work on recommendation books after the initial scope and assess phase of the rebranding is complete, including scenario modeling and budgeting. By that time, we have an understanding of our clients’ rebranding goals and big-picture budget. This initial information enables us to put together strategically sound and cost-conscious recommendations for each asset type.
The information contained within each recommendation book depends on the asset category. To better understand how our recommendation books work, let’s take a closer look at the signage recommendation books.
We produce a standalone signage recommendation book for each of an organization’s individual locations. Each book starts with a map of the location. All of the signage on the location is geolocated on the map for easy reference. This includes signs that are already in existence as well as new signs that will be added as part of the rebrand. The recommendation book then takes a closer look at each individual sign. Each sign’s location is photographed (including existing and proposed locations).
Next, we meticulously document each sign’s specs. What is the sign made of, and what are its dimensions? Is the sign illuminated? What are the logistics to replace or retrofit the sign (health and safety, equipment, timing)? Each sign’s detailed page includes as many specifics as possible, so all the pertinent information lives in one place.
Finally, the signage recommendation books contain in-depth suggestions for how to convert each existing sign as well as recommendations for where and how to add new ones. This includes a digital rendering of the new sign in situ, as well as specs for the new sign and information about the location itself. For example, the recommendation book will describe the area around the sign and flag any special considerations, such as permitting, regulations, and accessibility. For example, a sign installed in a mixed residential neighborhood may not be permitted for illumination.
While brand governance guidelines and signage concepts are good resources, they don’t provide all the nitty-gritty details needed to actually make asset-by-asset decisions. Recommendation books fill that gap and provide a comprehensive reference for organizations to work with.
How asset recommendation books help with your rebrand
Our clients report that our asset recommendation books are a critically important resource in their rebranding efforts. Recommendation books help you implement your rebrand more successfully by:
- Removing the burden of inventorying extensive branded asset holdings. When you partner with BrandActive to produce your asset recommendation books, you reduce the burden on your own team. Instead of painstakingly documenting your firm’s extensive branded asset holdings, your team is free to focus on more pressing rebranding tasks — as well as their day-to-day responsibilities.
- Providing strategically sound recommendations for how to convert your branded assets. BrandActive takes the time to fully understand your firm’s strategic goals. Then we bring more than two decades of experience and a wealth of rebrand implementation data to bear on the question of how best to convert your branded assets.
- Bringing your organization into alignment around a plan of action. You can use our asset recommendation books to bring your organization into alignment about how to convert your signage, fleet, and branded environments. The finalized recommendation books can act as a “source of truth” guiding your team in unison toward the finish line. These are produced in both digital and hard copy formats—and the hard copy books are used of part of the application for permits.
- Supporting the RFP process. Our asset recommendation books contain all the details necessary to collect realistic quotes from vendors. With all the relevant information already aggregated in one place, your vendors’ quotes are more accurate and can be meaningfully compared with one another.
- Becoming a valuable resource moving forward. Even after your rebrand is complete, the asset recommendation books remain valuable documents to keep on file – along with a full accounting of each and every sign at each and every location – as a record of your firm’s branded asset holdings. This becomes especially useful should you ever need to rebrand again. In addition, we also enter all key data into one tool or document (typically either Smartsheet or Excel) which is ideal for several purposes. For example, the facilities team uses signage book data to drive the preventative maintenance schedule.
Asset recommendation books are a crucial resource in the rebranding process. They allow your organization to make informed and fiscally responsible decisions as you work to successfully convert major branded assets to a new identity. Want to learn more about how BrandActive helps clients implement their rebrands? We’d love to talk.
