Rebranding your company – Step 3: Brand Framework

Guest Post by Stacey McCarthy

This is the third in a series outlining The Letter M’s methodology for a rebranding or brand refresh:

  1. Design audit
  2. Discovery
  3. Brand framework
  4. Brand development
  5. Implementation

In the second blog in this series (Step 2: Discovery), we outlined how to explore your organization’s personality, strengths, challenges and opportunities as part of its brand development. Next is the analysis of all that gathered data, research and insights to guide the brand’s development.

The Letter M’s Brand Framework is a comprehensive yet succinct analysis of positioning, name and messaging. This concise and actionable report has been honed over our 40+ years in brand development and is proven to harness and direct brand passion. It includes:

  • findings/observations from research
  • goals (what must the final brand do/accomplish)
  • name change recommendations or tagline (if necessary)
  • brand positioning or ‘lane’
  • values and personality
  • key messages and/or brand story
  • graphic design directions:
    • Wordmark or icon/symbols
    • Fonts/colours
    • Style
    • Master and sub-brands where applicable

A Brand Framework is the essential bridge between what you’ve learned and what you will build and should be sent to key staff who contributed to the audit and discovery phases. Their input is critical to finalize and address gaps or additional opportunities, and to nuance messaging and design preferences.

What’s next in our series? Brand development (often the most exciting phase for our clients).


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