Brian Miller, Creative Director, Luxgraphicus Design Agency
Who’s the leader of the club that’s made for you and me?
We all know and love him – Mickey Mouse.
And, after many years unchanged in both look and character, I read recently that Disney are considering a change.
Not a complete new look and personality, but a subtle shifting to bring Mickey into line with modern expectations. Staged to allow for amendment and re-tracking no doubt, but a change none the less.
It has been over 90 years since Mickey’s debut on the world stage, so perhaps it’s long overdue.
So why change? Why re-brand? And what are the pitfalls?
I also heard some frightening news the other day. Only 35 working days until Christmas (even less by now of course!).
Now there’s a character who’s been around for a bit longer than Mickey Mouse. No, not Jesus, although his own branding has been modernised and amended on many occasions with varying success.
No, I mean Santa Clause. The icon of Christmas who has now been taken over by the corporate and commercial world of business that is modern day Christmas.
So why not look at a re-branding of this well know and familiar character?
Lots of opportunity to fiddle with looks, colours, audience perception.
Lets try for a different audience, hipper, young adults. They buy lots of expensive, hi tech stuff at Christmas. They want a cooler, tougher, Santa. One who doesn’t pander to little kids pathetic whims. A rebel the audience can connect and identify with…
Enter, hard rocking, hard drinking, Santa!
What about looking from a different angle? Teenage and early twenties males, older men in mid-life crisis mode, aspiring females (this is a perverse angle, true). What would attract this audience?
Enter, sexy Santa!
Or, then there is always the safe option. Family friendly, good for the young kids, traditional, big audience acceptance here…
Yes, it’s fat and friendly Santa Clause!
Which Santa would you choose to take the brand into the next century?
Clearly there are pitfalls in several options. But is staying put therefore the best option?
Branding, and even more so, re-branding, are critical business decisions which need to be carefully thought through, planned and implemented.
To stand still could well mean irrelevancy and ultimately, failure. But make sure the change is done well and make use of professionals to guide you through the potential pitfalls.
Keep your eye out for changes to Mickey. I think Santa is safe for the time being.
Canberra Small Business Blog 
I think there are dangers with all the above concepts. I think hard drinking Santa might encounter some issues with the ATO. Grog seems to be an especially prickly area with regards to tax deductibility.
Sexy Santa, hmmm, I can’t imagine Westfield being overly happy about children sitting on her lap despite the fact they are happy for their tenants to post advertising material that borders on pornographic.
Fat, happy Santa, always a winner. Let’s hope the diabetes and heart disease don’t get to him before he has a chance to deliver all those gifts.
I think it depend on how strong the brand is and how attached people are to the old brand. Sometimes the rebranding will get people back in love with a product which they may have forgotten about, othertimes the attachment with a brand is so strong that the public almost feels like it owns the brand, and thus any major changes is likely to turn the public against the brand (a risk which a certain airline last year knew all too well)
There have been several cases I know of where an organisation has had a rebrand – rename or other change to their product only to quickly change back to the original branding and product a very short time later.
Brian,
It’s interesting that often business people are afraid to re-brand when the brand has worked for them in the past.
I liken it to when supermarkets re-furbish. The old premises was probably ok. People go in and get their groceries like they always have…but when they re-do their look and feel it’s so exciting. People go in just to see how it feels and if it’s a different experience. People who have wandered away often come back and enjoy the relationship again.
I think re-branding is something every business should consider every few years. Doing anything new in fact is a good way to re-connect with customers.
It’s easier to convince businesses to do it when you say “it’s not a complete overhaul – we will be taking the best of your existing brand and giving it a new look and feel – but it will still be recognisable as you”.
Great piccies by the way – I have to say I’m a traditionalist when it comes to Santy!
Thanks for the comments, I hope to raise the awareness and possibilities of re-branding, or re-freshing the brand.
Cheers…