Rebranding: a Case Study Approach

The primary objective of this study is to explore how and why companies implement rebranding campaigns. The study stemmed from a realisation by the author that the area of rebranding is very much under-researched academically although anecdotal evidence indicates and increase in the occurrence of the phenomenon in recent years. Therefore the purpose of this research is to add to the insufficient body of literature on rebranding through exploring it from a corporate perspective. The two chapters of the literature review examine the available literature on the topic of rebranding it is holistic sense, and subsequently the possible effects of rebranding on five brand concepts: brand equity, consumer-brand relationship, brand loyalty, brand identity, and brand proposition. A significant result of the literature review is the formulation of an unambiguous definition of rebranding; ‘Rebranding is the process of overhauling a brand, through changing the brand name to something different, where there is a clear managerial intent from the outset to cause a revolution of the brand, and which is not part of the natural evolution of the brand over time’ The methodology used adheres to the interpretivist paradigm, employing qualitative techniques. The case study research methodology is utilised in presenting the findings, and personal interviews are used in the collection of primary data. Eleven study propositions are identified from the literature review and used in constructing the research deign and the analysis and interpretation stages of this study. The conclusions drawn in the study are grouped into three main themes; conclusions on the nature of rebranding and its use as a strategic option; conclusions on the rebranding and renaming process; and conclusions on the risks and effects of rebranding. The most important result of the study is the provision of a comprehensive rebranding framework which can be applied to the three types of rebranding campaigns: corporate, business unit and product rebranding