How to Update Your Brand Without Starting From Scratch (Even If You Still Like Your Logo)
- ekrorkx
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
In case you missed it, our family is growing again! I’m Mikaela, founder of Pet Marketing Unleashed, a small design agency supporting small pet service businesses, and we're expecting a baby girl around the holidays. Which means I’ll soon be taking a real maternity leave... something I didn’t fully do with my first.
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Does Your Pet Business Brand Still Reflect Your Business Goals and Values?
Have you ever looked at your pet business logo, colors, or overall “look” and thought: “Something feels off… but I don’t want to lose what I already have.”
Maybe you’ve been in the pet business world for 10+ years and your logo carries meaning. Or, perhaps you’ve built strong brand recognition around your colors, but lately your brand just doesn’t feel aligned with the level of service you’re offering.
That’s where the concept of a brand refresh vs. a full rebrand comes in. Not every dog walker or pet sitter or dog trainer or pet photographer needs to start over. Sometimes a thoughtful refresh is all it takes to polish what you already have. Other times, a deeper rebrand is necessary to align with shifts in your services, clients, or direction.
To break it down, our founder, Mikaela Vargas sat down with our very own Emily Van Til, Pet Marketing Unleashed’s Brand Refresh & Rebrand Specialist. Emily has designed over 40 brands and shared her insights on how pet businesses can know whether it’s time for a refresh or a total rebrand.
First, What Does “Branding” Really Mean for Local Pet Businesses?
When many pet business owners think about branding, they jump straight to logos and colors. But Emily explains that branding is bigger than that:
“Branding is truly the experience you’re giving your clients—the visuals, the voice, the values, and how you make people feel.”
Your brand isn’t just a picture of your dog or your favorite color palette. It’s how clients perceive you and the trust you build with them.
Brand Refresh vs. Rebrand: What’s the Difference?
What is a Brand Refresh?
A brand refresh is about modernizing and tightening up what you already have without starting from scratch. Examples include:
Simplifying a logo so it works in black and white or in small spaces.
Updating fonts, colors, or brand elements like icons.
Creating consistency across your website, social media, and marketing materials.
What is a Full Rebrand?
A full rebrand goes deeper. It’s a strategic overhaul that may include:
Shifting your target audience.
Changing your services or brand values.
Updating your name or brand voice.
Think of a refresh as polishing your current identity, while a rebrand is transforming it for where your business is headed.
Signs You Might Need a Refresh (vs. a Full Rebrand)
Signs You Only Need a Brand Refresh:
You like your logo but it feels dated.
Your branding isn’t consistent across platforms.
You’ve collected multiple “versions” of your logo over the years and want a cohesive identity.
Signs It’s Time for a Rebrand:
Your services, values, or audience have shifted.
Your brand no longer reflects the direction of your business.
You’re changing your business name.
Branding Lessons From Big Companies (and What Pet Businesses Can Learn From Them)
Emily pointed out that even household names run into trouble if they don’t handle a refresh or rebrand carefully:
Successful Rebrand: Dunkin’ (formerly Dunkin’ Donuts) - A successful rebrand that dropped “Donuts” to expand beyond pastries while keeping recognizable colors and fonts.
Rebrand Backlash: Cracker Barrel & Gap - Both attempted dramatic rebrands that alienated loyal customers. The backlash was so strong, they reverted back.
Rollout Mistakes: Tropicana - Changed their packaging so drastically that shoppers couldn’t find them on the shelf, leading to lost sales.
The lesson? Delivery is just as important as design. Rolling out changes gradually and communicating with your audience can make or break the success of your rebrand.
Why Trusting Your Designer Is Essential in Branding
Rebrands and refreshes only work when you trust the person leading the process. Emily puts it:
“Design is problem solving, not decorating. Every choice we make is intentional and rooted in strategy.”
When you hire a designer, you’re not just paying for something “pretty.” You’re investing in a brand that attracts the right clients, communicates your values, and lasts for years.
That requires collaboration, empathy, and trust. Your logo or colors might carry deep meaning, and a good designer will honor that while still guiding you toward what works strategically.
A Simple Exercise to Test Your Current Pet Brand Strength
Wondering if your current brand is still working? Emily suggests this simple test:
Ask three of your current clients to describe your business in three words.
Ask three strangers to do the same, but only based on your visuals and tone (not by reading your website).
Compare the results.
If they align, your brand is clear. If not, it may be time for a refresh or a full rebrand.
Personal Preferences vs. Brand Strategy: Can They Overlap?
One of the trickiest parts of branding is balancing your personal preferences with what appeals to your ideal clients. You might love a certain color or style, but it doesn’t always align with your business strategy.
That said, sometimes your personal values and brand strategy overlap beautifully. A great example is our client Biota Pet Care. Their brand is grounded in eco-conscious, holistic values, so earthy tones and natural textures made perfect sense not only for their audience but also for the owner’s personal style. When your values show up authentically in your business, it can strengthen your brand and make it feel more aligned.
The key is knowing when your personal taste helps your brand and when it distracts from it.
That’s where strategy comes in.
Final Thoughts: Is It Time to Refresh or Rebrand Your Pet Business?
The good news is, not every pet business needs to start from scratch to level up. Sometimes a thoughtful refresh is enough to modernize your look, tighten up consistency, and make your business feel cohesive again. Other times, a full rebrand is the best way to reflect bigger shifts in your services, audience, or goals.
Either way, your brand should feel aligned, intentional, and supportive of your business, not something that holds you back.
👉 Need help figuring out which one is right for you?
Our team at Pet Marketing Unleashed is happy to take a look at your current brand and point you in the right direction. Send your logos, brand guidelines, with some context around your brand recognition and goals to hello@petmarketingunleashed.com and we’ll let you know whether a brand refresh or full rebrand makes the most sense for your pet business.
And if you want to see what’s possible, explore our Branding Portfolio to see how we’ve refreshed and rebranded pet businesses just like yours. You can also learn more about our Branding Day Services on our website!
