Mozilla Firefox, the non-profit company behind the free internet browser, has taken the unusual move of developing a new brand identity by sharing multiple concepts with staff and the public. Using this method to create a rebrand that accurately reflects the organisation feels like an impossible task.
Whilst consultation during a rebrand is important, design by committee is never a good idea…
The visual identity – logo, style, colour palette – associated with an organisation should be something that absolutely incapsulates the essence of the brand. Presenting multiple designs, with examples of how they could be implemented across different marketing channels, and asking for feedback seems an odd approach.
How and when to include staff and consumers in a rebrand is a challenge, but there are more useful points at which they should be consulted …
Prior to any design work, an organisation needs to be very clear about who they are, what they offer, what makes them different to their competitors …. At this stage the input of staff and consumers is vital – they have a unique perspective on an organisation and can help to clarify the ‘essence’ of an organisation’s brand.
Once a very clear picture of what the brand represents has been documented, the design team will have a concise indication of what they need to create. At this point, a good designer can start to work out a concept … one concept that perfectly befits the brand.
The point is, with a rebrand you need to work out when to ‘lead’ and when to ‘be led’. Be led by consumers and staff to help create a clear sense of what your brand is, but allow your design and marketing team to use their expertise to lead and implement the development of your visual identity.
Design by committee inevitably ends with the most compromised solution. Mozilla, with such a revered brand, why would you do it?