Recently I spotted a headline in the Press & Journal which captured my attention: Turkey wants to be known as ‘Turkiye’.
At first I thought – surely not the country – but after reading the article this was indeed the case. My initial reaction was that is crazy for a country to want to change their name, but the more I thought about it, I realised this is simply a rebrand.
Google ‘Turkey’ and you’ll find an abundance of different hits, including Christmas turkey! The article highlighted how the country doesn’t want to be associated with the bird, and its many negative connotations such as a film that goes down badly with audiences.
I have to admit I have recently seen the adverts to visit Turkey with the slogan ‘Made in Turkiye’ and I am totally here for it. It feels more authentic, as Turkiye (pronounced tur-key-YAY) is how its spelt and pronounced in Turkish. But I’m not sure if I said I was away to tur-key-YAY for the summer holidays, people would know what I was on about. So, have they managed to get it right, and will it be successful in changing perceptions?
I’m intrigued to know if you were already aware of Turkey wanting to change their name – what was your initial reaction? Often people resist change, and hate a rebrand, but by the following week many have completely forgotten what the old brand looked like.
For those who are familiar with the PESTLE (Political, Economic, Social, Technology, Legal and Environmental) analysis, these factors are what companies should take into account when considering a rebrand. It’s crucial to ensure your brand reflects your company, especially if you’re strategizing, moving into a new market, adjusting your position in existing markets or have ambitions to globalise your brand.
But when is it time to rebrand and how do you get it right?
We often collaborate with the team at FORM Digital, on rebrand projects for businesses. We kick things off by developing the important foundational pieces of the brand: the vision, values, target personas and messaging, often in a brand workshop environment. We then pass the baton to FORM Digital to create the visual identity of the brand.
Some questions to help determine whether a rebrand would benefit your business:
- Does your brand still reflect your company story, values and position?
- Has your target market changed or expanded and if so, does your existing identity resonate with them? Could a rebrand be an opportunity to connect or reconnect?
- Can you clearly identify the aspects of your existing branding that are and aren’t working?
- What are you trying to tell your target market? Is your messaging clear about who you are, what you offer and the experience they can expect from you?
- Have you recently merged with another company or acquired a company? The combination of two companies often requires a rebrand to ensure the brand reflects the company change. Often the reason for a merger, is to expand services so is your brand still reflecting your new service offering?
- How will you transition from your existing identity to your new identity? Once you’ve gone through the rebranding process, committing both time and finances to it, make sure the rollout of it is smooth but impactful. Successful communication to all your stakeholders is crucial.
There you go that’s our thoughts, top tips and questions on rebranding.
Give us a Tur-key-YAY!