November 2, 2021

7 Signs that it's time to Rebrand

Sketch Collective named 2022 Local Business AWARDS Finalist

TOP CONSUMER TRENDS FOR 2022

2022's MOST INNOVATIVE BOUTIQUE FULL-SERVICE MARKETING AGENCY - SYDNEY

Tone of Voice (TOV) sits at the core of all verbal and written brand communications. It's essentially how your brand sounds when it opens its mouth in the market. Is it stern and professional or fun and playful? Does it use a lot of technical terms or is it relaxed and casual incorporating slang or terms of endearment?

Without a doubt, having a strong TOV is essential to unforgettable marketing.  

A great TOV resonates with the target audience and builds your brand equity.  It shows that you know, see and understand them. What makes them tick, what they care about and what they need. It can build trust and comfort ultimately leading to your brand being front of mind.

When should your TOV be determined? The answer is day 0! Ideally even before you have a name or a logo! There are many exercises to help narrow down your perfect TOV. Some brands opt to start with their brand archetype and personify their brand into a character. Otherwise may have a strong, bold, outgoing founder and their brand will bring that person to life. However, it's never too late to pivot your brand TOV. If you have found that your brand voice is flat and forgettable you can slowly start weaving a new one into a mature brand over time. 

Remember: You can't play it safe here. You must pick a lane. You can't be all things to all people. It must be memorable and unique to your brand. So how does your brand sound? 

Brands that nail it: 
Supportive: Go-To. You can't help but feel that witty founder Zoe Foster - Blake is your best friend/ beauty guru without judgement. This voice followed through with a playful young mum feel for brand extension Grow-To and the caring older sister for Bro-To.
Credit: Go-To
Playful: Scratch. This fast growing newcomer to the DTC pet food market delivers non nonsense facts with personality
Credit: Scratch Australia
Aggressive: Bikes for badasses. Harley Davidson has ensured their marketing oozes attitude and American cool since day one.
Credit: Harley Davidson
Casual: Swimwear startup Budgie Smugglers effortless fresh aussie Marketing that is family focused with a strong cultural radar. Particular shout out for their sensitivity around “hallmark holidays” such as allowing email subscribers to selectively opt out of Fathers Day emails if it caused them grief. So simple but so amazing. Well done guys!
Credit: Budgy Smuggler
LUXlife Magazine have announced their 2022 Leaders in Luxury Awards programme, and Sketch Collective have been recognised with the title:

2022's Most Innovative Boutique Full-Service Marketing Agency - Sydney

2022's Leaders in Luxury Awards have been designed to recognise the companies and individuals who are excelling within the ever-growing industry of luxury products and services - those who are illustrating the specialised expertise and innovative approach that keeps Sketch Collective at the forefront of its field.Their dedicated team of in-house researchers have handpicked each participant - ranging from the very best concierge firms, luxury hotels and resorts, the most innovative tour companies, real estate professionals and more. This proven approach ensures that they award on merit, and not popularity, and recognise only the very best in the business.We thank LUXLife Magazine for their recognition and look forward to a big 2022!
We often get asked what the key indicators are that a brand has lost its “oompf”.  

The answer isn't black & white. It's different for every business and it's not a decision to make lightly. 
So, wondering if it's time for your brand? Luckily we are here to help guide you!  Based on our experience these are the 7 signs are that the clock is up and it's the perfect moment to take your brand to the next level: 

1. You've seen a drop in revenue - an unexplained gradual decline can be caused by many things including a change in market fit, price sensitivity or consumer confidence, reduced traffic. The list goes on. However, your brand identity may have run its course and you need a little spring clean to peak your target markets interest again. 

2. Your brand isn't as good as your product/ service-  We often see this when a founder has designed their logo themselves to save costs but their product is extraordinary and they can't understand why it's not selling. The problem here is that your audience don't trust your product because it does not match the quality of your logo so they keep walking. Alternatively you may just have outgrown it - see #7!

3. Your audience isn't clear - your brand identity may be awesome but it might send the wrong message and attract the wrong audience. We've all experienced it - you see a logo and you have no idea what they do OR even worse you think they offer something that they definitely don't! 

4. You don't stand out - Your competitors are snazzy! You should be too! Don't risk fading into the distance. Stand out and make a statement. If you can't join them, then beat them.


5. Your team don't buy it
- If your own team aren't pumped for your brand this may be a strong indicator that they have lost faith and enthusiasm in it. They are your front line advocates. They should be so proud and excited to yell your brand name from the rooftops and tell everyone where they work. If not, this will inevitably affect your sales. 

6. You've got a reputation problem - Perhaps something bad went down and you can't shake the reputation of it. It happens. In this instance a change is as good as a PR holiday. Reskin and have a fresh start!

7. You've grown a lot - Frankly you may have just outgrown your skin. Potentially it's not professional or polished enough to reflect how far you've come or perhaps it doesn't encompass everything that you now offer. 

It can be hard to know when to take the plunge and you'll likely have a combination of excited and frustrated emotions.  However, hopefully the tips above provide some clarity when trying to decide if it’s time for your brand to go through a serious change.
Yeah, it's time to rebrand your business? We can help! Contact us today to learn more about what we can do for you.

This week we took a moment to look back at the year that was and to look into our crystal ball for 2022 to predict some trends that we expect to see. 

Health on my Terms
After a rough 2 years globally there is a growing consumer desire for services, products and store experiences that contribute to better physical and mental wellbeing.  Particularly those that place the power back in the patient's hand. Examples include: apps like Calm and Headspace as an alternative or accompaniment to therapy. Genetic and health marker testing companies such as Circle offer users access to easy to understand actionable data on their DNA and over 500+ reports related to their health from the comfort of their home without their GPs blessing. Not to mention, over the counter rapid COVID test kits that will likely be in every home by the end of 2022. 

Gen Z purchasing power 
If you can believe it, the babies of the 90’s and early 00’s are now starting to have babies of their own! This Gen Z consumer power is unlike that of the Millennial consumer. Even though they won't peak in their influence for another 7-10 years they have significant influence on what the older generations buy. They care about CSR, sustainability, brand values but at the same time they are interested in unique, braggable, luxury, boutique shopping experiences over everyday mall shopping. If no one saw you buy it did it even happen? Definitely a fascinating space to watch! 

The death and rebirth (?) of the influencer 
Consumers are wising up to ingenuine influencers. Authenticity reigns supreme. Your target market can spot a like minded consumer but they can spot a forced endorsement even quicker! That's not to say that there isn't still a place in the marketing mix for influencers but brands are working with influencers now in a more considered way and they are now educated on the value, expectations and deliverables that go into a successful campaign.  

It's all about the conversation 
Marketing teams are coming to the realisation they are no longer the sole orchestrator of their dialogue. They are purely one other voice in it. As a result, teams must be nimble, on the pulse and willing to be a part of the conversation. It's certainly a challenging change of days gone by where the narrative could be carefully crafted and controlled from HQ. Instead of viewing this as a risk or a deviation from the plan, great teams embrace spontaneity and their brand community.  Preferring to encourage the chat rather than control it.


DTC like a VIP
With the continued growth of DTC (Direct to Consumer), the expectation of a level of service that mimics an in store experience has risen particularly during the last year.  This includes immediate online replies, live in stock data and increased power for customer service teams to go above and beyond. Many businesses have also grown frustrated with the fact that they have been reliant on shipping partners to ensure a good CX, to the point that many have created their own fleets to ensure they can control the entire journey from cart to doorstep.We've also seen a rise in more digital face to face shopping - evident in the rise of 1 on 1 video personal shoppers used by the likes of Mecca Cosmetica. Allowing customers at home to have expert eyes and ears in the store for them for a small fee. 

Hands off in store
Research suggests more and more everyday retailers are rolling out self checkout units. Progressive Grocer noted self checkout installations had increased by 25% in 2020. Aldi Australia launched their systems in June 2021 to mixed reviews. Whilst the offering allows for low contact transactions many fear its ruining local job creation and putting too much of an onus on the consumer to “work for their purchase”.
  
Cart Simplification
With rolling lockdowns and plenty of time spent at home consumers have been relying on e-commerce for their everyday needs (such as toilet paper!) more than ever before. They now expect simplified ecommerce carts. When executed well, this means less steps which equals less abandonment. A win win for everyone!

Staying Connected 
We've been apart for so long and as such we are craving human connection, interactions and to create and evoke memories.The challenge will be going into 2022 - what and how do we transition back to face to face? Major corporate events, festivals, expos will need to make this call. Will expect to see more.
1. Online Gaming - Worldwide gamer spending on in-game content increased by 12 percent year-over-year (Statista 2021)
2. Online Sentimental Gifting - with increased shipping delays, travel restrictions and concerns around the health safety of immuno-compromised friends and family a sharp increase in easy digital gifts that are still thoughtful, unique and sentimental is expected. Items such as Peleoton memberships, Masterclass subscriptions and Storyworth 12 month books have seen a ton of success in this space.

Food Tourism at Home
With those hesitant to mingle in 2022, COVID companies such as top restaurant delivery service Providoor will continue to see success in offering the ability to fine dine in the safety of their home. Who doesn't want to eat truffles in their slippers?

What else have you seen gaining momentum for 2022?

Thank you to all of our clients and customers for voting for us in the 2022 Local Business Awards- Sydney City. We have been announced as finalists in the 2022 New Business Category. Finalists were selected based on the number of nominations they received from the public. Winners will be announced at the prestigious Local Business Awards presentation evening on July 11th, 2022 at the Shangri-La Hotel.

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