5 Tips for Rebranding

At the end of August, Nagy’s Collision Centers unveiled updated branding for all of its Pro Touch and Power Sports locations. Maria Hostetler, marketing manager for the 10-location MSO, says that the rebranding was part of a strategy to align all of the areas of Nagy’s business in response to its growth. The rebranding is focused on the common thread of providing “Next-Level Service,” which the MSO will continue to provide at all of its businesses: Nagy’s Collision Center, Power Sports and Pro Touch.

“As the business grew, so did our audience and we wanted to appeal to our entire customer base,” Hostetler says.

Once Nagy’s made the decision, there was still plenty of work to be done.

“An overall rebrand is never easy,” Hostetler says. “It is a commitment that takes dedication from staff and a willingness to change what you have been used to for so many years.”

Nagy’s rebrand is currently being rolled out across the company strategically, starting with the areas of most importance and easy updates and working through all of its branded content. Nagy’s started with key items like business cards, brochures, email marketing tactics, social media and billboard. The next step will be updating all building signage.

Hostetler shares what she’s learned throughout this transition and her advice for getting through the process.

Know When the Time is Right.

If your brand is no longer meeting your needs or isn’t conveying a customer-centric message about your company, Hostetler says it may be time to rethink.

“Don’t update the look of your band just because you want a new look,” Hostetler says. “Update your brand based on your marketing needs and plans for the future. If you feel that your company is so much more than your logo or brand portrays, it may be time to consider a rebranding.”

Nagy’s began working with The Impact Group, a full-service marketing and public relations firm, in April. While working with The Impact Group, Hostetler says that it became clear that Nagy’s needed to align all of the areas of its business and that the best way to do this would be through rebranding.

Here's a side by side comparison of Nagy's former logo (left) and the MSO's new logo (right).

It’s More Than Just a Logo Change.

“The rebrand of Nagy’s business is representative of the consistency of the level of service that customers can expect to receive from any of the Nagy’s businesses,” Hostetler says. “Whether it’s Nagy’s Collision Center, Power Sports or Pro Touch, customer can expect the receive the ‘Next-Level Service’ that the Nagy family has built a reputation upon and has provided over the last 44 years.”

Nagy’s did, however, create a new logo. In fact, it created six that highlight the various aspects of Nagy’s offerings, including mechanical service and collision repairs for motorcycles and ATVs. However, it went further than that. Nagy’s created a set of brand standards that served as a guideline for all marketing materials, giveaways and logo usage. The standards include recommended fonts, guidelines from branded apparel and file types for using the logo electronically.

“The key is consistency,” Hostetler says. “No matter what your logo design or brand message is, keep it consistent.”

Identify Your New Direction.

Once the decision has been made to rebrand, it’s time to think about what direction you want your company to go in.

“We wanted a brand that paid homage to our rich history, while allowing for growth in the future and withstanding the test of time,” Hostetler says.

Nagy’s decided on “Next-Level Service,” which has always been a part of Nagy’s business strategy, even if those exact words weren’t always used. Hostetler says that it’s also something that will remain consistent with the company—regardless of its size or growth.

Think Long Term.

For those that are in the process of rebranding, Hostetler stresses the importance of remembering that it requires an investment of both time and money.

Hostetler advises that shops go into a rebranding with a sound plan.

“Having a timeline for rolling out the rebranding will allow you to prioritize what’s most important to your rebranding efforts, what items need to be updated first and how long the rebrand will take from start to finish. It’s important to keep your history and the company’s legacy represented through the new brand,” she says.

Have a Plan for Getting the Message Out.

While making the transition, customers may be confused as to what is going on. It’s important to keep them and any business partners you may have in the loop, says Hostetler.

To kick off Nagy’s rebrand, a number of press releases were sent out to all of the local market and major publications (including FenderBender). This ensured that all of Nagy’s customers, including insurance agents, were reached. In addition to the press release, Hostetler says the team communicated to customers through email marketing and a written letter. Social media was another effective way of getting the message across.

“We have a really strong presence on Facebook and Instagram, so it was a natural place to spread the word and do so some really fun, visually appealing tactics, such as a big collage photo on Instagram,” Hostetler says.

Perhaps most importantly, make sure your employees know what’s going on. After all, as Hostetler points out, they are the first point of contact for your customers and if they’re not sure what’s going on, your customers will be even more confused.