How to Revamp Outdated Marketing Strategies

Spring cleaning isn’t just for your closets, it’s also for your marketing playbook. If you’ve been using the same old, outdated marketing strategies from 2020, you’re likely due for a brand refresh. 

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Your visual identity, brand messaging, and channel strategy should meet the demands and expectations of your audiences now and in the future—and those expectations change faster than you’d think. That’s why most brands consider rebranding at least once every seven to 10 years, with several minor refreshes in between. 

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You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, even if your audience expects evolution. The key is to refresh strategically, not reactively. Read on for a step-by-step guide on how to do a brand refresh using experiential marketing. 

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1. Audit Your Current Brand Strategy

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Creating a new brand identity from scratch is one thing; overhauling an existing one is another. Unlike a blank slate, refreshing an established brand requires a comprehensive look at the elements that make up your brand identity and evaluating their relevance in today’s market.

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The idea is to identify what’s still working and what no longer serves your audience. Here’s how to spot outdated marketing strategies: 

• Conduct market research. This is your baseline. Gather data on industry trends, customer expectations, and competitors’ strategies to see where you stand and how far you need to go in your brand refresh. 
• Review marketing channels. Is your brand still resisting experiential marketing strategies? Look at where you’re putting your efforts and marketing dollars and whether those channels are still effective for reaching your audience.
• Audit messaging. Did you know that social media speeds up language evolution? Words and phrases that felt fresh last year can sound outdated in a flash. If the tone, language, and cultural relevance of your brand messaging aren’t keeping up with current conversations and value propositions, it’s time for a rewrite. 
• Examine visual identity. Every year, we get a new “color of the year,” redefining the design landscape. Your logo, color palette, and design impact how consumers perceive your brand.
• Assess brand performance. Outdated marketing strategies call for a facelift largely because they don’t deliver results like they used to. If your engagement and sales are slipping, a refresh could be the boost your brand needs to thrive again.

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2. Decide What You Want to Change

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After analyzing your current brand strategies, you should understand which brand elements need a makeover and which are worth keeping. You can now decide the scope of your branding revamp: do you need a brand refresh or a complete rebranding?

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Here’s a quick summary of what those strategies look like:

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Pro Tip: Only commit to a complete rebrand when your current positioning no longer serves your strategic direction. Otherwise, simple tweaks in visual identity or messaging strategies should suffice. 

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3. Plan and Execute the Roll Out

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Saying goodbye to outdated marketing strategies doesn’t happen in a snap. A successful brand refresh often depends on how you handle the transition. 

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As much as consumers crave novelty, they’re also resistant to change—especially when it comes to brands they’ve grown to trust. For instance, Twitter rebranding to X caused backlash due to its rushed and confusing rollout (among other reasons). 

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So, to ensure your existing customers and new targets embrace your refreshed brand identity, share the exciting news in a way that builds anticipation and maintains trust. Break down the timeline into manageable chunks. 

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Phase 1: Internal Preparation & Team Alignment

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Before announcing external changes, make sure your team fully understands and supports the evolution. Revamping outdated marketing strategies depends on how well you execute them, and as your executors, employees are the key to success. An unprepared team will lead to confusion and inconsistent messaging—both of which cause a failed brand refresh.

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Ensure everyone’s on the same page through:

• comprehensive training sessions where you explain not just what's changing but why these updates matter
• easily accessible resources like brand style guides, messaging frameworks, and FAQs

Phase 2: Updating Brand Assets

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Now that your team’s completely on board, it’s time to create and update your brand assets. The actual scope will depend on how big a refresh you’re planning, but generally speaking, you only need to worry about two types: visual and non-visual.

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As you can see, a successful refresh is never just about creating an updated logo. But regardless of which brand assets you overhaul, consistency is key.

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Think about it: if your core identity is sleek and modern, but your website still looks stuck in 2015, you’re not creating the ideal brand image in your audience’s minds. In the same way, a brand that considers itself “cutting-edge and innovative” but sets up a dull, cookie-cutter pop-up booth will struggle to make a lasting impression. 

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The execution needs to match the vision. Otherwise, the disconnect weakens the impact of your refreshed brand strategies.

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Phase 3: Public Announcement & Launch

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Here comes the tricky part: Introducing your refreshed brand to the world without alienating existing customers or confusing new ones. Many brand strategies fail because the switch-up jars the audience—and not in a good way. While emotional connections are the bread and butter of any marketing strategy, a poorly executed launch can scare away or annoy customers instead of attract them.

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The key is to control the narrative, build anticipation, and communicate the “why” behind the change. Here’s how to make a smooth launch:

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1. Drop sneak peeks through social media campaigns, email marketing, or behind-the-scenes content. 
2. Explain what’s changing, why it matters, and how it benefits your audience. 
3. Showcase your new identity through launch events, influencer collaborations, and PR campaigns. 
4. Invite your audience to the journey through giveaways, user-generated content, or exclusive previews.

Pro Tip: Brand strategies work best when fully immersive, not just surface-level updates. Integrate new tactics everywhere your audience interacts with you. The more your audience feels connected to your brand at every touch point, the stronger your refresh will be.

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4. Measure Success and Adapt

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Doing a brand refresh doesn’t stop at launch. Once you’ve revamped marketing strategies and refreshed your branding, the real work begins: tracking performance and adjusting as needed. Mainly, you want to answer these questions:

• Are your new assets and brand strategies resonating with your audience? 
• Is your refreshed identity generating the results you expected?

To do so, track these three key metrics: audience response, business impact, and competitive benchmarks.

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Launch Your Spring Brand Update with Concierge Club

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The market doesn’t stand still, and neither should your brand. You’ve learned how to identify outdated marketing strategies and execute a refresh—now, let’s create an evolution your audience will remember. 

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With Concierge Club, skip conventional rebranding announcements and bring them to life. Our team specializes in creating impactful events and activations that showcase and celebrate your brand’s new direction in ways that resonate with your audience.

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Whether you’re unveiling a subtle refresh or a complete rebrand, we have the expertise to make it happen with a bang. From concept to execution, we’ll handle every step to ensure your new brand strategies create the buzz and business impact you need.

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Ready to ditch outdated marketing strategies for good? Contact us today to learn how our experiential marketing agency can help you revolutionize your market position.