Brand repositioning is a crucial strategic decision for companies seeking to reinvent themselves in the market and attract new customers. However, the process is full of pitfalls that can compromise credibility and financial results.
SecondstudyAccording to Interbrand, the brands that best adapt to market changes grow 2.5 times faster than their competitors."The main mistake is thinking that repositioning is just a visual change. It is a profound transformation that must start from the inside out, involving all touchpoints with the customer and, most importantly, the company's internal culture," explains Eduardo Augusto, CEO of IDK, a marketing, communication, and technology consultancy.
Disconnection between promise and delivery
One of the main mistakes made by companies during repositioning is creating an expectation they cannot fulfill. A search "Consumer Trust Barometer 2024", conducted by Edelman, reveals that 71% of consumers quickly lose trust when a company does not fulfill its brand promises, with 40% rarely returning after a negative experience in this regard.
"Before announcing your new position to the world, it is essential to ensure that the company is operationally prepared to deliver on that promise. The repositioning must be authentic and sustainable; otherwise, the effect will be the opposite of what is desired: loss of credibility and trust," says Eduardo.
According to thereport "CX Trends 2025"Conducted by Octadesk in partnership with Opinion Box, 62% of Brazilian consumers have already given up on a purchase after a negative experience. Among the main reasons are unsatisfactory product or service quality (26%), delivery delays (24%), and misleading advertising (24%).
Negligence with integrated digital presence
According to thestudy"Digital Consumer Trends 2024", according to Deloitte, 83% of Brazilian consumers research online before making a purchase, even if the transaction takes place in a physical store.
The research also reveals that 59% of consumers find the communication of brands with distinct positioning across different digital channels confusing, which results in distrust and hesitation in the purchasing decision.
"We are talking about a Generation Z that takes authenticity very seriously, to the point of not purchasing from a brand if the values (non-monetary) are misaligned with their life purposes. For them, the journey is inherently multichannel, and each touchpoint must reinforce the brand's new message consistently. One of the gravest mistakes we observe is when a company repositions its communication on some channels but neglects others, creating a fragmented experience for the consumer," explains the CEO of IDK.
Internal communication failure
A third point often overlooked is internal communication during the repositioning process."The repositioning is only truly successful when it starts from the inside out. Employees are the first brand ambassadors and need to be aligned and engaged with the new values and directions. A team that does not understand or believe in the new positioning will never be able to communicate it authentically to customers. It is also a thermometer of the effectiveness of the repositioning," emphasizes Eduardo.
According to thesurvey "Employee Engagement & Brand Alignment"According to Gallup, companies with high alignment between employees and brand values have 23% higher profitability than others.
The research also shows that only 27% of employees truly understand and believe in the brand positioning they work for, which significantly compromises the ability to deliver the promise to the end customer.
Common mistakes in brand repositioning
There are several errors that are very commonly made during the repositioning process. The communication and branding specialist, Eduardo Augusto, points out the most common ones:
1) Superficial change:change only visual elements without reviewing the purpose and strategy of the brand as a whole.
2) Inadequate timing:Repositioning oneself during times of crisis without a clear recovery strategy.
3) Disregard the brand's history:Ignore the elements that are already valued by current customers.
4) Insufficient research:not investing in in-depth studies about the new target audience and their needs.
5) Lack of differentiation:adopting generic stances that do not distinguish the company from the competition.
6) Inconsistent communication:transmitting contradictory messages across different channels.
Ignore relevant trends:Neglecting significant changes in consumer behavior or the market, especially in the digital environment.
8) Underestimated budget:not to allocate sufficient resources to implement changes at all touchpoints.
9) Lack of clear metrics:Not establishing specific KPIs to assess the success of the repositioning.
Impatience for results:abandon the strategy prematurely before the results are consolidated.
"It is remarkable that many companies underestimate the complexity of repositioning and end up creating problems even greater than those they were trying to solve. Especially in Brazil, we see that the understanding of a brand repositioning is directly linked to a new logo and is far from being just that. A successful process requires careful planning, internal alignment, and patience to reap long-term results," concludes theCEO I don't know.