When was the last time you took a hard look at your brand? For firms offering alternative investments, rebranding often takes a back seat to day-to-day operations and capital-raising efforts. But your brand is more than a logo or a collection of colors — it’s the face of your company, the essence of your identity, and your first impression to clients and investors.
If you’ve been working with the same logo and color scheme for the past 20 years, it’s probably time for a refresh. Trends evolve, client preferences shift, and a brand that once felt modern can start to feel dated. At Marketing Intent, we often see clients who want to “freshen up” their look with a quick tweak to their logo or colors.
But rebranding is much more than that. It’s a process of rediscovering who you are and ensuring your visual identity reflects your company’s growth, values, and future aspirations.
Why Rebranding Matters
Rebranding isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about ensuring your brand resonates with your target audience, reflects your firm’s evolution, and aligns with your long-term goals. For firms in the alternative investment space, trust, professionalism, and innovation are key. A strong brand identity can be a powerful differentiator.
While the process may seem daunting, the result is worth it: a cohesive and refreshed identity that stays true to your company while signaling growth and progress.
The Rebranding Process: A Step-by-Step Approach
Rebranding is a collaborative journey. Here’s a look at what the process entails and how we guide our clients through it:
Step 1: Unearthing Your Vision
The first step in any rebrand is understanding what you’re looking for. Often, firms approach us with a general idea: they want to brighten things up, move away from outdated colors, or refresh a logo that’s become stale.
Our job is to help you articulate those thoughts, even the ones you might not realize you have. Through strategic questions and collaborative discussions, we uncover the deeper reasons behind your desire to rebrand. Why now? What does success look like? What emotions and values do you want your brand to convey? What is your brand’s story?
This foundational step ensures your rebrand isn’t just cosmetic but meaningful. By understanding what motivates your rebrand, we create a path towards a new identity for your brand that will resonate with your audiences.
Step 2: Reinventing (But Not Replacing) Your Logo
Your logo is the cornerstone of your brand. It’s often the first thing people associate with your firm. Because your logo is fundamental to your brand’s existing identity, it’s rarely a good idea to replace it completely.
Instead of scrapping it entirely, we focus on how it can be refreshed to better reflect your company today. This might mean modernizing the font, simplifying the design, or adding a touch of vibrancy to make it pop.
The goal is to maintain the essence of your logo while giving it an updated look that aligns with your vision of a modern, refreshed brand.
Step 3: Revitalizing Your Color Palette
Color is a powerful tool in branding. The right palette can evoke trust, energy, innovation, or stability — all critical traits in the alternative investment space.
Most firms work within a set of primary and secondary colors, typically four to five shades total. To find the best colors for your brand, we analyze your current palette and explore ways to elevate it. This might mean introducing brighter, more contemporary tones, replacing outdated colors, or creating a more cohesive scheme to communicate a clear sense of what your firm represents.
The result is a palette that not only looks modern but also aligns with the emotions and values you want to associate with your brand.
Step 4: Bringing It All Together
Once we’ve updated your logo and color palette, we integrate these elements into your broader branding. This includes:
- Website Design: Ensuring your digital presence reflects your new look.
- Social Media: Updating LinkedIn banners, profile images, and posts to maintain consistency.
- Print Materials: Refreshing brochures, one-pagers, and business cards with your new branding.
- Event Collateral: Reimagining booth designs, signage, and handouts for conferences and industry events.
The goal is a cohesive brand experience across all touchpoints, ensuring your audience recognizes and connects with your updated identity. Ensuring that there are no disjointed elements of your brand’s visual identity allows your new branding to immediately make an impact with your audience.
The Outcome: A Fresh Look, Still True to You
Rebranding doesn’t mean losing your identity. On the contrary, it’s about bringing out the best in your firm and ensuring your brand reflects who you are today. The process may require effort and introspection, but the payoff is a cohesive, polished look that resonates with your audience and sets you apart in a competitive market.
Ready to Rebrand? Let’s Get Started
If your firm is considering a rebrand, Marketing Intent is here to help. We specialize in working with alternative investment firms, and we understand the unique challenges and opportunities in this space. From uncovering your vision to delivering a cohesive and impactful brand refresh, we’re with you every step of the way.
