C1 – Advanced
Debranding is when companies purposely decide to change or get rid of their familiar brand identity. It’s a smart move that challenges the idea that a strong brand should never change. In this quick look, we’ll uncover why companies debrand, what it means for them, and why businesses are choosing to rethink how they look and tell their story.
Watch the video to know this interesting world of debranding and the stories it creates in the ever-changing business world. Be able to answer the questions below:
Vocabulary Questions:
- Define “design inflation“. “2D look was the norm until computers took over and design inflation spiraled out of control.” Use it in a sentence.
- What does the expression “to spiral out of control” mean? “2D look was the norm until computers took over and design inflation spiraled out of control.” Use it in a sentence.
- What does the saying “the pendulum swings” mean? “It seems likely that debranding will be with us for a while, but who knows when the pendulum will swing and the trend reverts to detail complexity and personality.” Make one sentence with this idiom.
Discussion Questions:
- What are your thoughts on the trend of companies debranding in recent years?
- Do you believe that one day the pendulum will swing and the trend will revert to detail complexity and personality when it comes to branding? Explain.
- Is debranding a risky move for companies, considering the potential loss of brand recognition and identity? Share your insights.
- How does debranding impact consumer trust and loyalty towards a company?
- Share some branding moves your company has made the past years to reinvent itself.
6 replies on “Companies Are Debranding”
Vocabulary Questions:
Define “design inflation“. “2D look was the norm until computers took over and design inflation spiraled out of control.” Use it in a sentence.
The increase in the complexity of a designed element such as a company’s logo. “The irruption of image treatment softwares like photoshop triguered the design inflation observed in brands’ logos in the past decades.”
What does the expression “to spiral out of control” mean? “2D look was the norm until computers took over and design inflation spiraled out of control.” Use it in a sentence.
To become uncontrollable. To escalate to a more complex situation. “The demonstrations against the goverment spiraled out of control and resulted in riots in some cities.”
What does the saying “the pendulum swings” mean? “It seems likely that debranding will be with us for a while, but who knows when the pendulum will swing and the trend reverts to detail complexity and personality.” Make one sentence with this idiom.
That some fashion trend or any other situation or aspect can change to the opposite trend at any time. “Due to the unstable economical situation in which the country is inmersed, the pendulum could swing and the president may lose the popular support.”
Discussion Questions:
What are your thoughts on the trend of companies debranding in recent years?
I thought it was just a movement based on a fashion trend, but after watching the video, the hypothesis about smaller mobile phone makes sense to me. Anyway, in my opinion, the more minimalist logos that we found nowadays are more stylish.
Do you believe that one day the pendulum will swing and the trend will revert to detail complexity and personality when it comes to branding? Explain.
I think that it will do it. For the same reason that small phones made brands simplify their logos, we currently find smart phones with bigger screens that will let companies to introduce more information in their logos without sacrifying resolution. I also think that trends are cyclical, so it will revert toward more complex logo designs.
Is debranding a risky move for companies, considering the potential loss of brand recognition and identity? Share your insights.
It could be risky if the new designs are irrecognizable, however, it is necessary doing it. Other way, the brand would look outdated.
How does debranding impact consumer trust and loyalty towards a company?
At the beginning, it could seem weird and unfamiliar for consumers, but eventually, they will get used to the new symbology. And I think the changes also project an image of evolution and profesionlism that is benefitial for the brand.
Share some branding moves your company has done the past years to reinvent itself.
I have seen that in my previous job at the University. The complete name appeared in the logo and was changed to an abbreviation, and the latin inscripcion was also eliminated.
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1. What are your thoughts on the trend of companies debranding in recent years?
I like this new logos, clearer and cleaner. At the end it’s the same name, colors…
2. Do you believe that one day the pendulum will swing and the trend will revert to detail complexity and personality when it comes to branding? Explain.
Of course, because all the things are invented and as the years pass every trend return. It´s cyclical.
3. Is debranding a risky move for companies, considering the potential loss of brand recognition and identity? Share your insights.
I think it´s not a risk, because the companies don’t change the essence only change the logo. They sell the same material or product, and the identity of a company is the product.
4. How does debranding impact consumer trust and loyalty towards a company?
I think nothing change. In my opinion when I see this debranding in some companies I thought that they only refresh the brand.
5. Share some branding moves your company has done the past years to reinvent itself.
I think my company never dome some rebranding, because the logo it´s simple, always blue, without any shade and any picture.
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Discussion Questions:
What are your thoughts on the trend of companies debranding in recent years?
I think is ok, for me the simpler, the better…
Do you believe that one day the pendulum will swing and the trend will revert to detail complexity and personality when it comes to branding? Explain.
I suppose so, everything changes with the past of time, now simplicity is a trend, but who knows in the future, for example if you look at fashion some years ago there are a kind of come back to the old times design to the 60’s, etc. It’s the same with cars companies that lookback to the old design and have a great success with, for instance, the Mini, the Fiat 600, and so on.
Is debranding a risky move for companies, considering the potential loss of brand recognition and identity? Share your insights.
I don’t think so, in all the de branding cases commented in the video, the brands are only simplify the logo, and are, all of them, well recognises. For me the problem, and matters, is the cost related with all this changes cause affect a lot of things, it a big deal for companies, so they have to think twice before decide for the debranding.
How does debranding impact consumer trust and loyalty towards a company?
As I said in the previous question, I don’t think so.. because they only simplify the logo, but is almost the same logo. I believe they do that, in order to preserve the soul of the company and the loyalty of their consumers.
Share some branding moves your company has done the past years to reinvent itself.
In the case of my Company, have been some little changes in the last years, some color changes and the last change in order to present a more digital and update image of the Bank because we are in a digital era and the company want to move in that direction.
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