5 simple ways to launch your rebrand internally

Primark’s ‘Love The Feeling’ rebrand started from the inside out. 

Before any changes reached customers’ radars, its employees – a workforce of 7,000 people – had to feel connected and engaged to become real champions of change.

To do this, we found five simple lessons – ones which could be applied to an entire company rebrand or any important internal changes – to help keep the rollout simple, streamlined, and full of meaning for employees. 

01 – Split the rebrand into well-defined phases   

Introduce your employees to the rebrand in simple, digestible phases and roll each phase out with enough time in between to let the message you want to convey really sink in. 

Initially, the job is to get people energised and excited about the new direction the company is going in. Keep this stage as simple as that. 

For Primark, it all began with inspiration sessions to spark the first conversations, eventually moving to an internal ‘Love The Feeling’ music video featuring employees front and centre. 

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02 – Support change with small-group workshops 

A company-wide video call to hundreds of employees isn’t enough – neither is a mass email. 

To make the rebrand resonate with people on a more meaningful and personal level, you have to create space for individuals to have their voices heard. 

Supplement more general messaging with small group workshops – it’s up to you whether you create mixed groups from several departments or tackle department teams one at a time. 

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03 – Make it about the people, not the company 

Once you form smaller groups, explore the questions that will make a positive difference to your employees’ work lives.

What will the rebranding mean for them? Will new internal processes improve their working day? Are there opportunities to streamline their current ways of working? Does the rebrand come with any perks that will directly benefit employees – if so, what are they?

During the initial phases, you also have a great opportunity to review the past six months of work with each team to discuss what fits with the rebrand, what doesn’t, and what needs to change. 

Then, together, work on how those changes can be created.

04 – Get practical with the right kit

Once you’ve invested the time to help employees connect with the rebrand – make it tangible.

As a partner, we create a follow-up session for the team to act as a sequel to the previous phase of workshops. It’s a way to reinforce newly formed emotional ties to the rebrand with practical tools. 

This phase was marked by the presentation of the brand book, tone of voice guidelines, and other material designed to help employees incorporate the rebrand into their everyday work lives. 

05 – Get an extra pair of hands on the job 

Launching a rebrand – whether it's internally or externally – can be complicated and all-consuming.

It can be especially challenging for businesses already under pressure with limited time and resources.

A good external partner can lighten the load, simplify the process, and offer a different perspective – which is often crucial when working on a project with such an internal focus. 

Investing in a partner can provide you with the right tools, creative resources, expertise, and experience needed to launch your rebrand successfully and take it beyond the expected.

To learn more about Primark’s Love The Feeling rebrand, click here to view the full project.

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