Five Tips to Make Your Brand Launch a Success
A collaboration post with the pr pros at hodges
Your brand is the visual and written essence of your identity. It tells your story, conveys your values, and connects you with your audience. Much like a chef plates a dish with care because people eat with their eyes first, your brand needs a strategic rollout to capture attention and drive engagement. You’ve invested in a new brand—now, make sure you get the return on that investment with a thoughtful and well-executed launch.
Campfire & Co. teamed up with The Hodges Partnership to help evolve the 20 year-old brand into something more modern, but with a nod to its historical baseball roots. After a month-long rollout campaign, here are five tips we have for other organizations who may also be embarking on a brand rollout journey.
Tip #1
Tease the Change Before the Reveal
Build anticipation by offering glimpses of what’s to come. RichmondBizSense covered The Hodges Partnership’s move before it was finalized, generating buzz ahead of time. While there wasn’t an extensive teaser campaign, Hodges hinted at big things ahead and encouraged people to subscribe to their newsletter. Select clients and friends got sneak peeks along the way (and for two weeks, all of Scott’s Addition who looked up to see its name illuminated in a new typeface), which allowed the teams to gather valuable feedback and refine before the big reveal.
Tip #2
Share the ‘Why’ Behind the Change
A rebrand isn’t just about a new logo or color scheme—it’s about evolution. Use your existing thought leadership platforms to tell the story of why this change matters. Engage leadership to write blog posts and share on social media, adding credibility and authenticity to the message. Keep storytelling concise and compelling. But, keep in mind: personal stories resonate. Stay true to your voice and share the experience your organization took.
Tip #3
Promote the Story on Your Channels
Make sure your audience sees and engages with your new brand. High-quality visuals and photography are essential. While it may feel like you’re over-communicating, remember that not everyone sees every post. Leverage LinkedIn by tagging internal team members and external partners who contributed to the rebrand. Use video-based platforms to create a standout Reel. Push the update through your email newsletter and blog to maximize reach. It’s going to feel like you’re being braggadocious, but thank the algorithm. Not every post is hitting every follower!
Tip #4
Have a Plan and Keep It Going
In the case of Hodges’ rollout, they executed a two-week flight of organic content, supplemented by a small paid campaign, which extended the brand relaunch conversation to 30 days. The website relaunch was a pivotal moment, with updates to avatars, banner images, and social profiles all coordinated for launch morning. A mix of organic and paid content ensured sustained visibility beyond the initial announcement. Have a clear cut plan before you go live. It will save your team a lot of headache and undue stress.
Tip #5
Call in the Troops
A brand launch is a team effort. Encourage teams to share the news by doing collaborator posts (like this very one!) and tagging key contributors. Excitement is contagious—when employees and stakeholders are engaged, they’ll naturally amplify the message. While some will share organically, others may need a little nudge. Make it easy for them by providing ready-to-share content and clear calls to action.
Finally, Own the Rollout
A rebrand is a labor of love. Not everyone will love every element, and that’s OK. The key is to channel excitement and energy into the rollout so that it reflects the effort and passion behind the transformation.
You’ve invested time, budget and resources into evolving your brand—don’t just announce it, celebrate it!
Own the moment, embrace the change and give your new brand the launch it deserves. (And if you need help telling that story, the Hodgers are ready to lend a hand!)
