Lessons We Can Learn from Uber’s Dramatic Rebranding

CoreBanner_Uber-1.pngUber is a genius concept. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve selected the black and silver “U” icon on my phone to avoid a potentially uncomfortable taxi ride or money-exchange issue. But earlier this month, myself and Uber-fans across the globe found a completely unrecognizable symbol in the familiar icon’s place. I was perplexed – where was the iconic “U?” As it turns out, on February 2 Uber unveiled a dramatic rebranding, and to say it has been controversial would be an understatement.

Branding experts and publications didn’t hesitate to offer their opinions on the brand, and even Uber drivers weighed in. “Yikes,” and “that’s just not good” are representative of the wealth of responses from drives and riders alike.

To be truthful, I am not even sure what the new icon is. It’s certainly not a “U” and is described by Uber as a “bit.” (Or is it an atom? Not clear here.) The marketer in me cringed, so I set out to understand Uber’s rationale for the rebrand. Here’s what I learned:

  • Uber is attempting a localization strategy, so the app icon looks different in every country. Brand assets include colors and patterns that are tailored to specific places – for example, China will see a red background while the United States has the dark teal.
  • The rebrand is meant to reflect a more “flexible” brand and company. Uber’s original monochromatic scheme came at a time when the company still serviced mostly the wealthy elite as private drivers – something that has dramatically changed over the past several years.
  • Uber CEO Travis Kalanick was “uber” involved in the brand redesign – to the point where he was “engrossed.” According to sources he refused to entrust the design to anyone else and the project was completed in-house with no outside branding expertise.

Okay – so this provides some explanation for what Uber was attempting to do. I don’t disagree with their thought process that it was time to refresh the brand and take steps away from their “elitist” roots. But unfortunately I think the transportation company made several mistakes and their intent is lost on their most important audiences: their riders and drivers.

The Core recently highlighted the importance of branding in the fresh produce industry, and for many grower/shippers, it’s time to update their brands to reflect the move away from commodity-centric roots. As so many fresh produce marketers consider rebranding in 2016, I want to highlight Uber’s efforts and the branding lessons to consider during our own rebranding journeys:

  • Don’t Lose What Makes You Recognizable – Like Uber, many fresh produce companies have carved out new identities and services than what they may have originally offered. If this is the case, a rebrand is likely a good idea, but losing everything about your identity to the point where your logo is unrecognizable is less than ideal. Your customers shouldn’t have trouble finding your new logo on a page or recognizing it on an advertisement. Just like Uber is the iconic “U,” your company should retain the parts of your brand that connect with your audience.
  • Don’t Leave Your Employees in the Dark – Although Uber’s vast network of drivers could have made it challenging for the company to communicate about the rebrand, we think that leaving them to discover it along with the rest of us wasn’t the best method of communication. Uber has had some recent PR issues with their drivers, so this audience should have received more attention and guided to feel like champions for the new brand. Fresh produce companies are better positioned to involve employees in the rebranding process, which can engage them in a way that will excite them to be ambassadors for your company. We’re not saying you should get Bob from accounting’s direct input, but you should take careful time and consideration to alert your employees about the project and unveil it for them before taking it “live.”
  • Hire Outside Expertise – I was shocked to learn that the Uber CEO was so involved in the rebrand, but once you look at the logo it’s not surprising at all. Wired said it best when they explained that “Kalanick is not a designer. He’s an engineer by training and an entrepreneur by nature. Yet he refused to entrust the rebranding to anyone else.” We beg fresh produce CEOs and marketers to take this lesson to heart, as hard as it can be to hear: if you are emotionally too close to the brand, you need to take a step back and let the experts help. Hiring an outside agency or brand expert is an essential part of a successful rebrand. A great example of this in the industry is Frieda’s new brand, which was created with help from branding agency Edmundson Martin.
  • Take Steps to Understand Your Audience – Reading Kalanick’s explanations for the rebrand, I couldn’t help but wonder how much he and his team did to truly understand what would resonate with their core audience of riders and drivers. This Inc. article even suggests that this rebranding was done for Uber’s investors and private equity firm – not their actual users. For fresh produce brands, I think this highlights an important consideration: is your brand reflective of what the end consumer connects with? While we don’t want to discount the importance of making customer connections, it’s becoming more and more important for our industry to shift focus onto understanding what consumers want if we want to increase demand for our products.

As we recently learned at Fresh Summit 2015 from Nielsen: “dollar share of branded produce has climbed from 36 percent to 48 percent in the last five years. This can be attributed to innovations in packaging, as well as marketing partnerships between retailers and suppliers looking to break through the advertising noise from other foods.” This underscores the importance of well-planned branding strategies in the fresh produce space. As you work to advance your 24/7 identity in 2016, consider what people connect to when the see your products on the store shelf and when they engage with you online. This approach will lend to a successful brand journey now and in the future.