The KKW Beauty Rebrand is making Headlines, but what is a rebrand?

What is rebranding and should you consider it for your company?

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Rebranding is a word that gets thrown around in every sector, especially in fast-paced industries such as Beauty and Cosmetics. However, most of us don’t fully understand what a rebrand actually is, why they happen, and if they are beneficial. In recent weeks, the Beauty magnate Kim Kardashian has decided to rebrand her Cosmetics empire KKW Beauty, and this news alone has vastly boosted visibility for her brand. With almost every lifestyle publication in the world having an opinion on what to expect, is a rebrand always a great idea to boost brand awareness? Or would it be a waste of time for your brand? 

So what is ‘rebranding’?

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Rebranding is, in short, the process of changing the corporate image of an organisation. The idea behind rebranding is to elevate an existing brand's status by creating a new identity, which can be a tricky process; think of it as a balancing act of maintaining your company values, while updating parts of your business that are either outdated, untrustworthy, visually unappealing or ineffective. 

Rebranding is not just a visual change, it also draws focus towards reputation and public image. A new symbol or name may show the world that you are ready for a new chapter, but if your reputation is not maintained, it may all be for nothing.

When and why should you rebrand?

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Rebranding often occurs for one of two reasons: when a brand sees an opportunity to grow (proactive rebranding) or when a company can no longer operate and must be changed (reactive rebranding). If you are reading this article, then you are most likely thinking about proactively rebranding. Assuming you want to proactively rebrand, let's talk plainly and simply about when a proactive rebrand is suitable:

If your brand is outdated - Sometimes what worked for a brand 20 years ago is not enough to keep it relevant in a modern day market. For example, hanging packaging to be more sustainable or creating a new sleeker and modern logo can make all the difference in sales and engagement.

To meet the wants and demands of a new, or larger, customer group - Brands grow, and sometimes the image doesn’t suit it's new demographic any longer. This is normally the reason for a rebrand, as your audience will tell you if something doesn’t work (this is one of many reasons why brand owners should keep conversation flowing with customers).

If you want to focus on another element of your business -  Your brand may offer three different services, and you want to introduce a new service that you are more passionate about. In this case a rebrand that shifts the focus is needed to help grow your new service and put it at the forefront of your business. 

You, as the owner or CEO, feel unhappy with the brand - Often business owners become unhappy or find that their brand growth has ground to a halt. A rebrand is the perfect way to inject a new lease of life into your company, or change elements that you have grown tired/bored of. But be careful, don’t just rebrand because you ‘feel bored’, leave this for when you feel growth is slowing down and you need to breathe new life into your brand. 

So, is a KKW Beauty-style relaunch and rebrand right for you? Well, think about the key fundamentals before making any rash decisions that could have long-lasting effects on the integrity and reputation of your business. Our advice: get the timing right and implement a solid plan. Remember that a rebrand is just as much about reputation as it is a visual change, and this is where a PR firm makes a huge difference! Where possible, enjoy every moment of your rebrand, and get direct feedback from your customer base - as we are sure it's not something you will want to do often! 

For more advice on rebranding and PR together, please contact hello@thebrandwhisperer.co.uk 

Written by The Brand Whisperer’s Account Executive: Natasha Cassidy 🎉 

How to PR Sustainable Brands, by The Brand Whisperer team

A Guide to Promoting Ethical Beauty Brands

Creating a PR strategy surrounding sustainability at a time where industries are becoming increasingly digitalised can be challenging, especially as certain buzz words such as “Organic” and “Eco-friendly” are flung around online like they are going out of fashion. As much as we love all brands that love the environment, we are going to teach you why brands can no longer call themselves ‘Sustainable’ without backing it up with concrete facts, awards and proof that they really do keep Sustainability at the heart of their brand. 

The first question you may be asking us is why should PR agencies care about Sustainability? Well, not only is it a moral and ethical decision, but Sustainability is one of the key pillars for most magazines and businesses. In fact, magazines such as Marie Claire, ELLE, Country & TownHouse and Conde Nast Traveller, along with many more, now have sections dedicated to this. It’s not just journalists we have to please, as a PR agency, it is also the consumers - especially if your PR agency also deals with marketing content and strategies. In a recent survey, 76% of UK adults agreed that they try to act and consume in a way that is not harmful to the environment [Mintel]. This is a huge percentage of potential customers for the brands that you manage, and is also an important statistic for us to keep in mind when having conversations with new clients.

Below we have broken down some useful things to consider when creating a successful PR strategy for sustainable brands, and raising your environmental status. 

Verify The Brand 

You may have a brand that is ‘Vegan’, ‘Cruelty-Free’ and ‘Zero-Waste’, but if it’s not officially certified by an industry body, then consumers may not trust these claims. By certifying a brand, you instantly build trust. 

Here are some of the bodies we recommend being verified by:

Fairtrade

The Fairtrade Mark is a registered certification label for products sourced from producers in developing countries. The mark is used on products certified by Fairtrade standards and on promotional materials promoting the product(s). 

Leaping Bunny

The Leaping Bunny Certification is awarded when companies pledge to end animal testing at all stages of product development, in addition to recommitting to the program annually and being open to third party audits.

Vegan

The Vegan Trademark is used on labels worldwide as the authentic standard for products free from animal ingredients and animal testing. 

Positive Luxury/The Butterfly Mark

The Butterfly Mark is a third-party accreditation mark that identifies the luxury brands that meet the highest standards of verified innovation and environmental performance, offering transparency at points of sale and equipping consumers to make more informed purchasing decisions. 

Accredited by PETA

Companies listed as accredited by PETA have either signed PETA’s statement of assurance or provided a statement verifying that they do not conduct or commission any animal tests on ingredients, formulations, or finished products and that they pledge not to do so in the future.

Packaging 

Having ethical/recyclable packaging is a great way to promote a brand, as journalists and consumers respond amazingly to advancements in this area; which can be seen in the surge of plastic-free packaging. A brand that is a great example of this is Object, a sustainable Shampoo and Body Bar company. Journalists and influencers love working with this brand as it was built on sustainability, and this is visibly reflected in their packaging. Object’s packaging is made from a blend of recycled cotton (removing waste and carbon from the fast fashion industry) and bamboo, to give the box that cardboard-like feel, and fits straight through your letterbox, making sustainable shopping from home even easier. This makes the brand stand out from the competition and shows that they have really thought about all elements of design.

Charity Collaborations

Of course, working with a charity should come from a place of sincerity, not just as a way to build relationships and status. Finding a charity that is of personal significance to the brand is also a great way to raise money and awareness for a particular cause. This could be achieved through events, product profit percentage donations, donations at the checkout or even through collaborations with the charity itself. A selfless way to give back to whichever community your brand identifies with. 

Collaborate With Influencers And Other Brands, Fully Committed to Sustainability 

B2B and influencer collaborations can be a large part of growing a brand's following but it can be viewed negatively if you get it wrong. For example, a fast fashion brand collaborating with a sustainable influencer does not make sense, nor will the influencers followers be interested (they may even protest the collaboration). Instead, view each brand's key points and goals for growth and use these to understand the types of opportunities that you should be looking for. After all, there is a thing as bad press … no matter what you might think. 

Teach/Show The Journalist Something New About Sustainability 

Statistics, new information, expert testimonials and the latest product drops are music to a journalists ears. They want to learn something new, because if it is new to them then the likelihood is that it will be new to lots of their readers. Use your brands as an opportunity to share something new, it will always be an essential part of your success. 

DO NOT GREENWASH 

*We repeat* DO NOT GREENWASH. Greenwashing occurs when a brand exaggerates or misleads the public and other businesses that their brand is more ethically viable than it actually is. This is the quickest way for sales and reputation to plummet. Instead, be honest! If a brand is not as ethical as they could be, that is okay. Encourage the brand to work on this and show their efforts as part of new campaigns and launches. Transparency is key. 

To learn more about our skincare recommendations, or to get an insight into our clients, head over to our Instagram page.

We believe in shining a light on achievements. There’s one right here! Written by The Brand Whisperer’s fantastic PR intern: Natasha Cassidy 🎉

5 Tips to Help Your Brands Personality Shine

In times of uncertainty it can be difficult to remain positive, but it is important to remain true to who you are and keep the authenticity of your brand constant. Fear not! The Brand Whisperer team is here to help, with our top tips for listening and posting on social media, to help your brand’s personality shine through 2021…

1. Connecting with your Audience

Working from home is hard enough, but when you start to lose inspiration and zest it can become difficult to create and share something new and exciting with your consumers. 

This can take you down an inspirational and colourless rabbit hole. Don't be afraid to speak to your audience and express your feelings, because this encourages a sense of trust and transparency that will allow you to better connect with your brand. And you never know.. They might give you some ideas!

2. Stay Positive

It’s easy to start doing what everyone else is doing, but does this really reflect what your brand is all about? When you feel you’re losing your personal touch and sense of individuality, your authenticity may become a little blurry too, leading you to feel like any other brand. 

Share what is making you happy, what you love, feel, think and represent. The admiration and gratitude from your audience for doing something you enjoy is much better than something forced or fake. 

3. Look Back to the Start

As Julie Andrews famously sang, the beginning is ‘a very good place to start’... Ask yourself what does your brand stand for, what makes you unique, and what's the voice of your brand? When you answer these questions, you’ll be brought back to your initial passion for your products or services, and will regain your sense of intent. This has helped us create new thoughts and generate conversation with our followers - and we hope it will prove that there is light at the end of the tunnel!

4. Set Clear Boundaries

Sometimes you may feel the pressure to meet the set times other people have put in place, but if it doesn’t fit your schedule, it doesn’t fit your schedule! Don’t feel inclined to squeeze in whatever it might be, just to please the other person. Communication is key to keeping things running smoothly, so set your boundaries and stick with them.

5. Check your Analytics

It’s important to keep sharing what you feel, and things you think your audience will identify with, but how do you know what this is? The answer lies in your own social media, but it does mean checking your analytics. You’ll be able to see the top posts for the week, month or year, and how your following has reacted - have they commented, liked, or clicked through to your website to read or learn more? It’s time to align your goals, and create something genuine, from those learnings your audience have given you!

Beauty Industry Thoughts During the [first] UK COVID-19 Lockdown

What are the best ways for hair and beauty professionals to keep in touch with their customers during this period of [the first UK] lockdown? And what sort of things should they be saying to their customers?

Time on screens, according to NordVPN Teams, has risen by 3 hours [on average] per day since the UK entered 'lockdown' 3 weeks ago - meaning your customer is spending more time on the internet than ever before. Social Media has always been a welcome escape from work time, so any communications through those channels should be just that - escapism! Provide your customer with beautiful imagery over Instagram and Pinterest, alongside any important facts about your business, but it's important to offer them something else in return; a break.

Blogs and emails are the place to inform your customer, as they search for information about your staff, re-opening (as and when that becomes more clear), home-visits you may be making, and general messages of reassurance.

What about marketing? What should the main messages be? Should salons, brands and practitioners be trying to sell or thinking more about building relationships and supporting customers?

At this time a true break has been put on consumer spending - your customers have time to consider all their outgoings, and will reconsider their values around spending, in every sense. According to research conducted by WGSN concerns about financial wellbeing will change the 'value equation' for many consumers' discretionary spending - they'll certainly be concerned about price, but will also be seeking products that reflect their personal values, and create a sense of stability and routine.

With all this in mind; during lockdown the main things salons should communicate to their customers are: a) that all is calm and well, and that they are there for them if they need support (this is likely not something they'll have to step up to, but customers need a connection with their salon now more than ever. b) that the salon will be reopening - and the date of that opening, as soon as it becomes clear, and c) that their standards for safety, wellbeing and stability are as high as ever - maintaining that sense of pure trust that the customer has in their local salon, or salon of choice. 

Trying to 'sell sell sell' in this situation may be met with messages of unrest or discomfort from your customer, as most employees, needless to say, have been placed on furlough, or simply laid off. This is certainly a time to build trust - not to force messaging about deals or exploit the crisis with light-hearted connections to your brand. As the saying goes: 'It takes years to build up trust in any relationship, and only seconds to destroy it, but forever to repair it.' Dhar Mann

What promotions could hair and beauty professionals put together during this time of lockdown ready for when they reopen?

· As we’ve seen on Thursday evenings at 8pm [since 26th March 2020] the nation's appreciation for the NHS has grown to stellar heights - and rightly so! One promotion that would resonate with most customers at this time could be to offer an NHS discount for doctors, nurses or anyone involved in the 'front line battle' against COVID-19. 

· With a nod to the WGSN research about stability, safety and wellbeing concerns, it might be wise to construct some sort of wellbeing package - something like a structured regimen of weekly facials, massages, hair, nails etc. to show your customer that you're caring for re-establishing their routines, and their mental wellbeing by creating a parcel to allow them to feel great, and take the pressure off totally.

· Alternatively, as purse strings inevitably tighten, perhaps gifting will grow as the focus for Q3 + 4 of 2020. It might be profitable, and thoughtful (always keep this is mind!) to create a gifting system, gift cards or vouchers etc., for customers to buy for their friends, family or colleagues, to show that they have each other's wellbeing at the heart of their thoughts too.

Any other advice for salons/ spas/ barbershops and freelancers around marketing/ PR during this time?

The greatest thing to remember here is to keep your customer at the heart of your communications. Any and all posts, blogs, emails, press releases etc. should be centred around your service, what your customer is feeling and what they'll be looking for from you as a Salon, and as a brand. 
Some manufacturers and beauty brands are switching production capabilities to produce hand sanitiser, to contribute and 'do their bit' to fight this pandemic - and that's brilliant. Some brands may not have that capacity, or provide services that aren't relevant to the 'front line' (as it were). These are the brands that should simply focus on making their customers feel safe, providing support where they can, and being there when the 'lockdown' is lifted. Simple, uncomplicated communications are what will get brands through this difficult time, and work to reinforce the trust shared by their customers, so that they will return in good time.

PR & Beauty Equality and Representation

Talking to brands and their investors this week has brought the divide in understanding and perception of the wider ‘Beauty’ industry to our attention. As a point of interest we started researching our own audience, to know more directly what elements of ‘Beauty’ or ‘Grooming’ men and women are interested in, and keen to learn more about.

We discovered some interesting statistics..

We found that the audience of The Brand Whisperer Instagram, Facebook and Website is a 60/40 split between women and men. The women currently following and liking our activity are a range of ages, but 41% are aged 25-34, and 24% are 35-44 years old. The men are more closely grouped, with the largest group of interested followers being 35% aged 18-24, and then 34% being 25-34 years old.

The cliché of PR (and beauty, for that matter…) being a female lead profession made us look further, wondering what the inside of the average PR and Social Media agency, or beauty salon or spa looks like… and we were surprised by statistics provided by CareerSmart (below).

It seems that men are more plugged in to Public Relations than we think – still taking an active part in driving the industry from many angles and levels. And that The Brand Whisperer’s following is very representative of the industry, and interested parties. After all – to represent a client or brand you must understand its journey to the consumer, and represent both sexes in doing so.

However, when it comes to Beauty, more male representation on a ‘ground level’ may be publicly called for in the coming years. This will be interesting to see…

How to Market: PR and Social Media

Old-school ‘marketing’ involves paying through the nose for [mostly] unimaginative campaigns that plaster the nation’s billboards, and get minimum chatter for your buck. Correct? We think so. 

Years of research, marketing psychology and higher levels of consumer perception have all contributed to ‘the rule of 7’.

The Rule of 7

All this research has taught companies that consumers need to ‘hear’ a company’s message 7 times before taking action. Apparently this ‘rule to live by’ was coined in the 30s in Hollywood when studio bosses realised quite how much advertising was needed for a movie to become a hit.

Today, with attention spans being shorter than ever, and really having to earn someone’s time, companies’ odds of reaching that ultimate ‘7 time’s a charm’ mark are slim. Hence why Social Media and PR are really where time and attention needs to be spent, as these are the easiest ways [many would say] into a consumer [or group of consumers]’s brain. 

Social Media allows businesses to engage a consumer whenever and wherever they like: on the tube, on their walk to work, between meetings, or (and we know you’re guilty of this too!) even in the bathroom. This content becomes meaningful when you connect on a personal level with a consumer, and offer them something they want, something they didn’t already know, or something they think is beautiful. If you can tell the consumer a story about your business, why it’s different, and something personal about yourself, your employees or the journey you’ve been on to get where you are, you’re on the first stepping stone to making those meaningful connections, and sticking in their mind.

Another of the key elements of Social Media, that many companies overlook, is the ability for consumers to tell others about the positive experiences they’ve had with a/your brand. If these are genuine and positive reviews, you’ll start to see that they become contagious, and your army of advocates will start to grow.

If you’re interested in The Brand Whisperer’s Social Media or PR offerings, and the difference they could make to your brand’s interaction with your target market, please do send us an email or follow us on Instagram. 

siena@thebrandwhisperer.co.uk