Replacing a brand that employees, suppliers, and customers have lived with for many years with a new one requires diplomacy.

Indeed, the new brand may either be unfamiliar to them or perceived as hostile, as if it were somehow taking away a part of themselves. This is where the narrative surrounding the change becomes crucial. Not only must it be anchored in the company’s history, but it must also be perceived as a continuation that does not deny the past.

There must be no doubt in employees’ minds about the outcome of their work. One brand will disappear and be replaced by another.

First and foremost, it is the role of the leader—often the CEO—to show the way and highlight the importance of the rebranding project. If it is perceived as secondary (behind quarterly results or the launch of a marketing offer), when it should in fact be a priority because of its long-term impact, you will not bring your teams along with you.

Worse still, the message your Executive Committee (ExCom) will retain is: “We have to do it, but focus your efforts—and those of your teams—on the results.” With such an approach, the rebranding project is likely to fail, or at the very least become a minor issue lacking scope and ambition. Its success will be compromised.

You would then lose all the power that a rebranding can give an organization when it is carried out properly. The teams responsible for supporting the change would not be able to do their work effectively.

A completely different approach is to present the rebranding as a tremendous opportunity to achieve objectives and deliver results.

The CEO’s most important role is to position this project at the right level—that is, as a priority over other actions within a defined timeline—and to set its objectives and overall direction.

Together with their team (Project Lead, Steering Committee, Business Managers, Executive Committee), the CEO will need to arbitrate the sequencing of other projects or postpone them. For example, they may delay the launch of a new offering by two months to align it with the arrival of the new brand. This would increase its impact and strengthen the brand image by associating it with innovation.

The leader will demonstrate their commitment throughout the project by participating in kick-off meetings and speaking at key moments.

They must create the necessary momentum so that their teams dedicate their full efforts to making the rebranding a success—without neglecting their other day-to-day responsibilities.