I always wondered if Brand Re-launch is only about changing the look and reinventing the brand elements. But it is not merely about modifying the look, it is also something more than that. As a naïve consumer, I think we notice the following things most during a brand re-launch
- New design
- Colorful packaging
- New tag line (sometimes)
- New brand ambassador
- Advertisements / the PR exercise of the brand
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But this is not all. There are a lot many exercises besides these activities to further the brand image while a re-launch is on the way.
The personal experience and information gathered from working with various brands would suffice to say that brand re-launch is much more than creative changes or consumer promos like Discounts or lucrative “Buy-One-Get-One” offers. It involves the changes in the distribution cycle as a whole, which involves decision-making changes at all levels like supply, agency work, designing, packaging, printing, media coverage and others. An example would help to understand things better. 
Suppose, an established brand XYZ is suffering because of the sudden influx of brands in the same category and also the increasing expenditure incurred to remain competitive. Considering these factors, and also that the investment on the product will be controlled and limited as it has already reached its maturity stage, the marketing and brand team of XYZ decide upon a re-launch. XYZ will then follow these steps to complete the re-launch procedure. |
Decision making by Marketing and Brand Team
In this stage, the Marketing and Brand Team take decisions on a variety of matters like whether there will be a variation in product or it would be a new product under the same brand or the brand would extend its product line, there by extending the brand or introduce a sub-brand.
Brand Planning and Budget
Next level involves planning in terms of budgets, expenditures, activation dates, seasonal offers, agency, deadlines etc. It actually calls for finalizing decisions on the intermediary level. Once the intermediaries are conciliated, the purchase teams and packaging teams are informed on the same
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Designing and Production
Now that things are settled and the teams are ready with the deadlines, the ad agencies take up on the designing. It is usually a long process as approvals are needed from all concerned teams. This is not an easy thing to achieve though. Different teams are usually at loggerheads to arrive at a single mutual decision as each team vies for attention and maximum importance.
The artwork process begins after finalization of the design. The production procedure starts when the files are ready for printing process and packaging which needs a minimum of 2 to 3 months time. Though this is not a place to go deep into the technicalities of it, it suffices to say that printing and packaging is actually an interesting process. Once things are done at the artworks department, the materials are finally sent to the manufacturing factories (for packaging artworks) or to the outdoor media agencies if the brand has decided to go for a whole new look and marketing / communication strategy as well.
These are the basic procedures followed for Brand Re-launch which obviously is much more than the marketing journals and the management books make it to be.
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