Rebranding: Striking the Right Balance for Your Small Business Marketing and Branding

Rebranding is sort of like a haircut – do it right and you might feel like you stepped straight off the cover of GQ. If your stylist gets a little overzealous with the scissors though, you’re looking like the Pope wearing a funny hat until it grows back. Jaguar and Walmart both recently delivered us a few lessons in rebranding: one in going too far, the other in not going far enough. Even though they’re household names with multibillion-dollar budgets, these lessons apply to small businesses too. This week we’ll break down their approaches, where they went wrong, and how you can find the sweet spot for your small business branding and marketing.

Jaguar: The Luxury Car Brand That Forgot to Include Cars

Jaguar’s recent rebranding effort screamed ambition - or maybe it just screamed. With a totally redesigned logo and a tagline like “Copy Nothing,” the iconic carmaker rolled out a flashy campaign featuring high-fashion models in bold colors. Guess what wasn’t initially included in their campaign. Well, the subtitle probably gave it away, but it’s cars. They forgot to include cars. The thing Jaguar does. Make it make sense.

Old (top) VS New (bottom)

Jaguar’s prime directive was clear: reposition the brand as a luxury, electric vehicle force to be reckoned with while targeting a younger, wealthier demographic. But when they rolled it out, almost everyone was dumbfounded. You couldn’t help but wonder why they thought styling everyone like a rejected Zoolander extra and skipping out on the car part was a good idea was a good idea. Seriously, is that Will Ferrell in that picture up there?

Where they went wrong: Distancing itself from its classic image to the point of being unrecognizable alienated long-time fans. They threw everything they were known for down the pishadoo. Look, when your marketing confuses your audience or completely disconnects from your product, it’s not rebranding - you’re rebelling against your own brand and shooting yourself in the foot while you’re at it.

How to avoid it: Keep your small business's product or service at the forefront of your brand. Even while you’re evolving, customers should still be able to see what you’re offering and how it meets their needs.

Walmart: The Logo That Whispered Instead of Shouted

On the flip side of the coin, we have Walmart. In January 2025, they unveiled their first logo update in twenty-some years. The tweaks were, to put it mildly, subtle. A slightly updated font, different tones of the same color palette they’ve always used, and it looks like someone put their logo in bold type. And that’s... pretty much it.

One of these things is (almost) just like the other...

We can play that too. But we're not. ;)

Where they went wrong: Walmart played it too safe. This resulted in failing to generate any sort of buzz, give anyone a single reason to care, and seemingly has no reason for even happening. When a rebrand doesn’t feel like a transformation, it’s nothing short of a wasted opportunity.

How to avoid it: Give people a reason to notice, create some excitement over the update. For small businesses, this could mean actually redesigning your logo, a refreshed tagline, and/or a clear shift in tone and messaging. In short; make sure your audience can actually identify what’s new.

How to Nail Your Small Business Rebrand

If you’re thinking about a rebrand, you don’t need a billion-dollar budget, especially if you’re just changing a font and making your logo slightly larger. We’ll do that for you for free. Some good thought, strategy, and know-how should do the trick. Here’s how your small business can avoid the pitfalls of Jaguar and Walmart while making your brand shine:

1. Know Why

   Before you change anything, why are you doing it? Attracting a new audience, modernizing your image, shifting your product lines/services? A clear “why” will guide decisions and keep you focused.
   

2. Involve Your Audience

   Neither Jaguar or Walmart seemed to consider their audiences very much. Jaguar basically said, “forget their expectations” and Walmart said, “we’ll unveil and hopefully someone will notice.” Learn from their mistakes. Show sneak peeks, conduct surveys, ask for feedback. You want to build excitement and ensure your changes align with customer expectations.
   

3. Build on What Works

   Your existing brand already has elements that resonate with your audience - a logo, a color scheme, or even your tone of voice. Jaguar abandoned too much of its identity, while Walmart kept almost everything. Find a balance. Figure out what is working and use that as the foundation for your new look.
   

4. Let ‘Em Know

   Rebranding isn’t just a visual update; it’s a little bit of story time. Share the journey behind your rebrand. Whether it’s a social media post, an email campaign, or a launch event, make sure your audience understands why the change matters and what it means to them.
   

5. Test Before You Launch

   Run your rebrand by a small focus group or trusted colleagues. Multiple times as it progresses. Not just through “yes men” either. Sometimes what looks great in a mockup falls flat when the rubber hits the road. Testing keeps you ahead of potential issues before going public.
   

6. Stay Consistent

   Once you launch your rebrand, the changes have to be reflected across all platforms consistently; your website, social media, signage, employee uniforms (if that’s a thing for you), packaging, letterheads, E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. Inconsistency will confuse your audience and dilute your message.
   

Final Thoughts on Small Business Branding and Marketing

Rebranding is a delicate dance. Go too far, like Jaguar, and your audience will think you lost your marbles. Don’t go far enough, like Walmart, and you risk irrelevance. The key is striking the perfect balance, whether you’re a small business or mega corp, and honoring your roots while embracing evolution.

If you’re thinking about a new logo, a change in voice, or evolving your small business and its brand, we’re totally here to help. At TAWC Multimedia, we’ll make your next move your best move.

Ready to take your brand to the next level? Hit us up today, and let’s be successful together.