Rebrands are tricky. When they work, they can breathe new life into a business, signal growth, and make people fall in love with a brand all over again. But when they go wrong, they can be expensive, embarrassing, and, worst of all, they can seriously alienate the people who actually liked you already.
Let’s take a wander through some infamous rebranding failures and unpack what went wrong, and more importantly, what your business can learn from them and apply to your own branding.
Gap: The logo that lasted a week
Back in 2010, Gap randomly decided to swap out its classic blue box logo for a bland, modern-looking one. No warning, no explanation. It just… appeared one day.
People hated it. Design Twitter exploded, brand loyalists were baffled, and within six days, Gap quietly reverted back to the old logo like nothing had happened. There was no dramatic statement, just a quick “our bad” and a hasty retreat.
What’s the lesson? Don’t mess with iconic visuals unless you really know what you’re doing. And maybe test the waters before pulling the trigger.
Leeds United: The badge nobody wanted
Football clubs and logos? We’re immediately in some emotional territory! In 2018, Leeds United unveiled a new club crest that (to put it bluntly) looked like someone designed it in MS Paint.
It had none of the club’s traditional imagery, instead it was just a guy pounding his chest. When we say that fans immediately started raging, we’re not kidding. A petition to scrap it hit over 70,000 signatures in a day. The club binned the idea almost immediately.
What’s the lesson? If your community is passionate (like, say, football fans), don’t make big branding decisions in a vacuum. Bring them in or at least make them feel like they were part of it.
Jaguar: Trying to attract the wrong audience
A few years before their most recent attempt, Jaguar tried to go modern by creating sleeker branding and tech-focused messaging. They wanted to appeal to a younger, more global audience. The problem was that in chasing cool, they kind of ditched the whole British luxury heritage thing that made people love Jaguar in the first place.
Sales dipped as loyal buyers didn’t connect with the new direction, and younger consumers weren’t that interested either.
What’s the lesson? Rebranding isn’t just about looking cooler. It’s about staying you. It’s important to know what makes your brand distinct and don’t ditch it to chase a trend.
Consignia (formerly Royal Mail): The name nobody understood
In 2001, Royal Mail decided to rename itself Consignia. Why? Well, we’re still not really sure. It sounded like a made-up word and left people confused as it didn’t reflect the brand’s heritage, purpose, or values.
The public hated it and so did the media. Within a year and a half, they dropped the name and went back to Royal Mail.
What’s the lesson? If you’re going to change your name, make sure it actually means something and that people can pronounce it. Ideally, both!
Twitter becomes “X”: A lesson still unfolding
Twitter was one of the most recognisable brands on the internet. Everyone knew the bird logo, “tweets”, its name even became a verb. Then Elon Musk took it over and decided it should be called X.
And now… nobody really knows what to call it. “Did you see that post on X?” doesn’t have quite the same ring to it, does it? The app lost a ton of its visual identity overnight, and users are still adjusting or just ignoring the change completely and still calling it Twitter.
What’s the lesson? When you’ve got strong brand equity, think very carefully before tossing it all out. Reinvention can’t happen overnight, especially when millions of people are already emotionally invested.
What we can learn
Engage your audience early
If there’s one recurring theme here, it’s that customers hate being left out. Whether it’s a logo, a name, or a complete brand overhaul, people want to feel like they’ve been heard.
Take a page from brands that test and evolve with their audience. Involve customers in the process through surveys, sneak peeks, and open feedback channels. It can save you a PR nightmare further down the line.
Evolve, don’t revolve
Complete overhauls often fall flat. Brands like Kellogg’s have mastered evolution over revolution as they’ve updated their packaging and branding subtly over time, keeping things fresh without alienating long-time fans.
Change doesn’t have to mean wiping the slate clean. Sometimes, small tweaks go further than a complete makeover!
Understand your brand’s core identity
Rebranding should reflect who you are, not just who you want to be. Jaguar’s mistake was chasing trends instead of doubling down on what made it distinctive.
Before you make a change, ask: what does our brand truly stand for? What do customers value most about us? Strip away the fluff and get to the core. That’s the part that should guide your rebrand.
Be ready to listen (and pivot)
Even the best research can’t predict public reaction 100%. The smart brands are the ones that listen, admit when something isn’t working, and adjust accordingly. Gap, to its credit, backtracked quickly, as did Leeds United. Pride shouldn’t get in the way of course-correcting, a rebrand isn’t a one-way street after all.
How BeSmart can help you get your rebrand right
At BeSmart, we know that rebranding isn’t just about a new logo or a shiny colour palette, it’s about telling the right story to the right people, in a way that sticks. No matter if you’re evolving a brand that’s grown tired or repositioning to reach a new audience, we bring strategy and creativity together to make sure the change connects. We work closely with clients to dig into what makes their brand tick, what their audience truly cares about, and how to bring it all together visually and verbally.
Need help with your rebrand? Let’s have a chat!
