Start before the brief

Rebrands are expensive and slow, and many solve the wrong problem. Before anyone draws anything, I ask a client to answer three questions in writing.

• What has changed about the business that the current identity cannot express?

• Who is confused today, and how do you know?

• What would you keep if you could keep only one thing?

Reading the answers

If the first answer is vague, you probably need better marketing rather than a new logo. If the second has no evidence, go and talk to some customers. The third is often the most useful, because it shows what the company already owns.