When it comes to time and scheduling, there are many variables to consider.

The most significant variable is psychology. A branding project is an empathetic endeavour that requires us to understand and engage our humanity.

What could handicap your race against the clock?

Some or all of these factors will affect the progress of your branding project:

A branding project is an empathetic endeavour that requires us to understand and engage our humanity.

• Complexity of the project’s specific business objectives extending beyond the project life
• Depth the brand owner (C-suite leader) is involved, engaged and committed to success
• Changes in a leadership team mid-project
• The number of people involved in the project (more people = more time)
• The personalities of those involved 
• Brand legacy (rebranding projects take longer than new branding projects)
• Scope of the essential research phase
• Degree of complexity in reviewing, rationalising and organising a portfolio of brands/sub-brands
• Unpredictability of subjective creative judgement
• Depth of brand development team experience and track record together developing strategy, messages, design and digital
• An element of flexibility to address any unforeseen brand building opportunities that emerge during the process 

Keeping all this in mind, it’s always better to invest time in getting it right the first time with an iterative process than to spend time fixing a rushed job. 

The idea that “there never seems to be time to do things well, but there’s always time to do things twice”, is simply not cost-effective.

Let’s look at how long it takes to complete a typical comprehensive branding/rebranding initiative.

Mapping a brand building schedule

Each project timeline is necessarily elastic to accommodate the unique aspects facing each business at a given moment in time. However once a project is confirmed, it generally follows a tight schedule agreed by the team.

Project scoping

Before the project starts, the parties involved will have agreed to its scope. This is basically a contract that details budget, deliverables, expected outcomes, and the obligations and rights of those involved.

STEP 1 – Brand discovery

Startup – 2 weeks
Mid-size – 4 weeks
MNC – 6 weeks

During this research phase, the team examines the business strategy and objectives, competitive framework, current market conditions and the status of any existing brand assets. The report and recommendations that emerge inform the next stage. The time this takes depends on the depth of research required.

STEP 2 – Brand strategy development

Startup – 2 weeks
Mid-size – 4 weeks
MNC – 6 weeks

A strategic document called a Brand Model that serves as a blueprint to guide all brand development is created – aligning brand strategy with business strategy to support business objectives. A messaging framework is developed to define key messages for main audience groups, ensuring the brand is relevant to different people. These messages form the foundation of the brand and will guide its presentation over the long term. Getting them right adds huge value and is worth the time devoted to it. Time should be allocated to understand the customer journey, the interaction between key stakeholders and the brand. Doing this identifies areas where the customer experience can be improved to create delight and remove pain points.  

STEP 3 – Brand identity development

Startup – 2 weeks
Mid-size – 4 weeks
MNC – 6 weeks

The brand’s name, core message and personality are expressed visually. The logo is central to this. Other components include supporting graphics, colour palettes and typography. Styles for infographics, photography, video, illustration styles are also defined – and sometimes audio and scent. Senior decision makers must reserve time to consider and approve proposals.

STEP 4 – Website development

Startup – 1.5 months
Mid-size – 3 months
MNC – 6 months

The website is often a business’s core brand asset, as it’s likely the only communications channel owned by a brand that every key stakeholder interacts with. Interestingly, it’s likely the only online representation of your brand over which you have complete control. As such, it’s the ideal platform to evolve, test and continually improve the messaging framework and brand identity. The earlier a web presence is established, the better it is for SEO. Websites are dynamic and require ongoing attention. Take time to consider your long-term development strategy before you begin.

STEP 5 – Marketing communications 

4 to 12 weeks

Campaigns and marketing collaterals development often occurs concurrently with website development in Step 4. The brand building team may create a brand launch campaign, explainer videos, POS materials, event collaterals and other touchpoints for a brand to influence perceptions and advance the objectives of the business. 

STEP 6 – Brand management

Startup – 2 weeks
Mid-size – 4 weeks
MNC – 8 weeks

Consistency is crucial in brand building because people interpret that on-brand consistency as a sign of dependable quality. How to achieve consistency is specified in the brand guidelines produced in this phase. Brand owners and brand building teams rely on brand guidelines to consistently present the brand at every opportunity.

STEP 7 – Brand launch

Startup – 2 weeks
Mid-size – 4 weeks
MNC – 8 weeks

The launch of a new or revitalised brand is a great opportunity to land with a big splash. Explain to key audiences (internal and external) what the brand means to them – why they should care and what they need to know. It's a good time to shine a spotlight on the brand’s underlying values to establish standards that internal team members are expected to live up to. If possible, make your brand newsworthy. Prepare a media campaign with press kits and events to showcase your brand. Time it carefully for the biggest impact in the market.

Brand development schedules and timing decisions are affected by issues unique to each type of business objective

New offering:  Reserve time to review with fresh eyes

A well-chosen name and brand identity can strongly support the success of a new venture. Getting it right can bring huge advantages in stakeholder perception, recognition and recall. And the possibility of trademark disputes can make new brands particularly expensive to get wrong. For best results, start early in the venture to allow more time for divergent thinking and creative exploration before honing in on the most effective branding solution. Follow a process, and leave ample time between iterations testing and reviews.

Sales drive: Involve customer-facing teams early

Developing the marketing tools to support a sales drive requires a detailed understanding of the buyers’ psyche and the buying journey. Spend time preparing a creative brief based on research. If a sales team is responsible for converting prospects, reserve time to get their input because ultimately the campaign must support their efforts. 

Employee branding and culture building: Develop in real time and reflect reality

Top talent can pick and choose where they work. The pandemic has changed the dynamics of hiring, and employee expectations. Positioning your organisation to attract them may require changes to HR practices and the working environment. Communicate these changes as they unfold both internally and externally.

Acquisitions: Branding considerations may influence the deal 

The treatment of each party’s brands following an acquisition strongly influences the perceptions and behaviours of affected stakeholders. Negotiations between the companies involved prior to the merger or acquisition are often key to determining how the brands will be managed post-transaction. It may be strategically sound to involve your brand building team before the deal is finalised to consider how various branding scenarios could impact perceptions and future opportunities.

A well-presented business has a higher perceived value than one with a neglected brand.

IPO / capital raising: Put brand before prospectus 

A well-presented business has a higher perceived value than one with a neglected brand. If a company presents itself in a sloppy or careless way, it’s only natural to wonder if that signals deeper issues. The time to straighten up a brand to appeal to investors is well before the bankers get involved. Investors will find a business more credible and attractive when its prospectus, investor roadshow and website all tell a consistent story.

Strategic shift: Take time to consider the impact of the narrative 

A major strategic shift can take anywhere from a few months to a few years to implement, depending on the size and complexity of a business. The change is more likely to be accepted – and successful – when accompanied by clear, concise messages that enable correct understanding. C-suite leaders should allocate time during strategy development to carefully consider appropriate core messages that communicate the required/desired change, along with the benefits of the change, and be mindful of how that change may impact people’s perceptions.

Expansion: Reserve time for research

New geographic (and even demographic) markets may open unexpected challenges for an existing brand. Factors that can drag on a schedule include language and culture transcreation, regulatory compliance, trademark and the competitive landscape. Do your homework to reveal potential delays.

Business milestones: Celebrate time, on time

Corporate anniversaries offer great opportunities for introducing change initiatives supported by effective brand building. Obviously it’s best to organise any celebrations, promotions and campaigns well in advance to get the most mileage out of the year.