It starts internally first.
When an organization rebrands after a period of growth, internal teams must be on the same page first or the whole project is at risk of failure.
Internal adoption determines whether a brand actually changes and modernizes, said Courtney Tolbert, vice president of marketing at Continental Battery Systems.
The company recently expanded to more than 160 locations through acquisitions across the U.S. But the brand started to fragment. Teams used different materials and messaging sometimes varied by location. Customers weren’t always seeing the same company.
“You have to be aware and recognize when the brand no longer reflects the business,” she said.
Working with The Point Group, Continental rebuilt its brand from the inside out. Their fix required two things: ensuring internal adoption and tightening how the brand speaks to customers.
Treat internal alignment as the foundation for external credibility
Continental built internal consistency first. This started with visits to individual locations and speaking directly with employees about their workflows.
Both Continental’s leadership and their agency partner visited distribution centers, recycling operations and regional sites.
“We got to see every step of how their business works,” said Susan Owen, CEO at The Point Group.
It also helped them get a better feel for each employee’s day-to-day function as well as an opportunity to directly address concerns and questions about rebranding efforts. This built trust in both the rebranding strategy and in leadership, Tolbert said.
“Employees are the first layer of communication, so they needed to understand Continental’s overall goals too,” she said.
If internal teams aren’t aligned on the organization’s broader mission, it will be much more difficult for external audiences to buy it, she said.
Simplify access
Another issue was access to company materials.
“It had become a conglomeration over time that needed to be simplified and redefined,” Owen said.
Across the business, teams were still using old logos, templates and outdated sales materials.
Instead of introducing a bunch of new things all at once and hoping people adopted it, the team removed all old materials and created a centralized location for anything new, including logos and presentation decks.
“We began updating our (internal) portal and our marketing assets system,” Tolbert said. “The old brand pieces (needed) to go away quickly.”
Now, employees don’t have to choose the right version or go sorting through dozens of files. It made the change feel easier and less stressful, she said.
When companies can simplify access to brand assets, it’s easier for teams to adapt. If outdated materials are still available, they will continue to define your brand, Tolbert said.
Focus on how customers are actually using your service or product
Once the team was satisfied that employees understood and supported the direction they were moving, Continental looked outward. How could they better reach their audience?
They narrowed their scope to real use cases that could help their customers solve a problem. For example, do you have a high-performance vehicle? Do you drive a heavy-duty truck for work?
“Who are we speaking to in different places and how do we reach each of them in a unique way?” Tolbert said.
That led to more specific messaging, including campaigns timed to real demand, like marine battery season and messaging adjusted by geography, where climate affects performance.
Rather than describing the company in generalities, Continental’s messaging reflected when and why customers actually need its services, Owen said.
One social post asked customers: “What’s the best battery type for your vehicle?” It then showed a carousel of photos explaining the differences between three batteries and listing what their best uses are in easy-to-read bold print. The last slide pointed people to a link to learn more on the company website.
Another video campaign featured trucks and Jeeps in an off-roading adventure, but in a modern way that resonated with new audiences, Tolbert said.
This messaging worked because it moved away from generics to specific categories and context. It stayed clear and simple but reiterated reliability, something that didn’t change with Continental’s brand strategy, Tolbert said.
“Keep the core values intact,” she said. “But update how you deliver and communicate it.”
Courtney Blackann is a communications reporter. Connect with her on LinkedIn or email her at courtneyb@ragan.com.
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