Rebranding a restaurant is often thought to be easy. But it is actually a lot of work, especially if a total overhaul is what you are gunning for. Before you fully rebrand your restaurant business, you need to assess the reasons behind it. Is it because your sales are dipping over the past few months? Is it because your restaurant is losing its touch, especially when it comes to being relatable to newer and younger markets? Or is it because your business has been associated with something negative? These are the questions that you need to ask first to ensure that your rebranding efforts will be worth it.
When you are firm with your decision and you are confident that rebranding will save your business, the next few steps should be all about strategy and painstaking execution. Remember that you are introducing a new identity, and you do not have a second chance to create a good first impression. If you are looking for some ways to make this much easier, here are some of the things that you need to take note of:
Working with the right strategists and brand specialists
Rebranding is not easy work to begin with, and you might want to work with people who specialize in it. In this case, a branding or advertising agency is the perfect team to work with. They can come up with a brand architecture, which is based on customer insights and the image that you want to project. You will also need a copywriter who will think of a new name and tagline and an art director who will create the visual identity of the brand. A creative director is also needed so that the entire launch campaign will have a consistent direction.
Build a brand bible or style guide
Consistency is a buzzword in the branding side of business. This means that your logo, tagline, and visual identity all look the same across different materials. They should not be also violated by other design elements. And since you are working with a creative team, you can already ask them to create a brand bible or style guide for your restaurant. This will include the rules of using your visual identity and the violations that future designers and art directors should avoid.
Do some tests
Before you launch your final look, you would want to make sure that your old and new restaurant customers will find the new branding relatable. In this regard, you can come up with a test or survey. You can show them studies of your new look, and you can ask them which of them suits them best. Come up with a tally, and take their choices into account.
Give your restaurant a new look
The rebranding of the restaurant will not stop at the logo and marketing materials. Your restaurant should also have a new look. An interior designer can help you come up with a new design that is consistent with your branding elements. Everything from chairs to commercial lighting from Tampa, Florida should be in line with your new logo.
Rebranding a restaurant is all about giving your business a fresh look and appeal, something that your new generation of target audience can relate to. This is often a lot of work. But if you have the right team and a practical strategy, the process should be efficient and the results fruitful.
