Brand Autopsies: why most rebrands fail before the new logo lands
A rebrand that does not start with a confession is not a rebrand. It is a cover-up. A field guide to telling the difference.
The diagnosis
Most rebrands fail for the same reason: they start with the deliverable instead of the truth. New logo, new palette, new tagline — all polished, all hollow. The audience can feel the difference between a brand that has changed and a brand that has been redecorated.
The autopsy
Before we touch a visual, we do a brand autopsy. What did the old brand actually promise? Where did it lie? Who did it embarrass? What were the founders too tired to say out loud? Those are the questions that produce a rebrand that sticks.
The honest answer
If a rebrand cannot survive a conversation that starts with "what was actually broken?", it will not survive the market either. Honest answers are the only foundation we have ever seen hold.