Rebranding? Consider a digital-first agency first.

Rebrands are a really big deal. Securing budget. Gaining alignment. All that work before the rebranding work begins. And when that work “ends” - after you’ve renegotiated the budget, re-gained alignment, reworked the work - then there’s the rollout. It’s a huge commitment. So is choosing an agency partner.

At Genuine, a digital-first agency, we’ve been that partner for numerous clients. But it’s very rarely the first thing they bring to us. More often, clients come to us for a site redesign or a social campaign, see the way we think, realize we can do more than digital marketing, and then ask us to lead or take over their rebrand.

We get it. When the stakes are high, it makes sense to choose a focused, specialized partner like a branding agency. But more and more of our clients are seeing the benefits of going to a digital-first agency first. Here’s why.

Agencies that are born digital have different DNA

The digital world is fast-paced and constantly changing. Technology advances. Algorithms change. Trends come and go. Heck, whole platforms come and go. When an agency is born in this perpetual state of flux, as Genuine was, adaptability and innovation are built into their DNA.

Since our founding in 2005, our scale, capabilities and real estate holdings have expanded - we’re not a digital only agency - but we’re still built on a digital foundation. That’s what makes us a digital-first agency. Digital isn’t all we do, but it’s always in how we think.

“Being digital” isn’t about executions and channels, it’s about a mindset shaped by the digital world. It’s why our approach to creative development is different. We move fast. We assume change. We prioritize innovation. We experiment. We test and learn. And when we learn, we act. We create adaptable identities. And to be a successful brand today, you need to share that mindset, too.

Considering digital channels from the beginning

Of course, channels do matter, and digital-first agencies will prioritize digital channels and platforms: websites, search, social, OLA. These channels aren’t just where your brand shows up most of the time, they’re the best testing grounds when you’re rebranding.

Digital channels are complex and dynamic. They come with countless considerations. The approach to them (social campaigns, ever-growing sites) don’t fit neatly in a brand book. They’re active and sprawling, and if you can make your brand work well there, you can make it work anywhere.

At Genuine, we’ve often been handed a developed brand identity that’s focused on foundations and traditional media - the fixed stuff - and asked to translate it into a site design or a social campaign. Sure, we can do that, but wouldn’t you rather have a brand identity that was developed with some of your most important brand touchpoints - digital - in mind from the beginning?

As a digital-first agency, we craft brand identities that translate across digital platforms and beyond, rather than identities that can be translated for digital platforms. Our messaging is adaptable. Our content is engaging and interactive. Our design is responsive. Our architecture is intuitive. Our output is accessible. And as a result, the identities we create are stronger and more cohesive.

Measuring what we make

Another thing about digital: it’s a two way street. Digital-first thinkers know that from the beginning: audiences talk back, success hinges on engagement, and everything is measurable.

It’s why digital agencies invest so heavily on data and analytics, and rely on insights to make informed decisions. The more we know, the more targeted and personalized we can be. And when we’re thinking about that from the beginning, we’re developing brand foundations that are clear and strong but also broad and flexible.

As products of the turbulent digital world, we not only track and measure, we expect to adjust. We know brands need to adapt - and quickly - so we build them to be up for that from the beginning.

In a digital-first world, be a digital-first brand

We at Genuine just recently underwent our own rebrand, so we know of what we speak. Read all about how we developed a digital-first brand with accessibility at the core on our new site. For those wondering: the new Genuine site leverages the Acquia Cloud platform to power our headless Drupal backend, Next.js for Acquia CMS to configure our front end, and Monsido for real-time web optimization and accessibility scanning. We’re fans.

Remember, any agency can help you build a brand, but a digital-first agency will help you build a digital-first brand. And Genuine will help you build a digital-first brand that genuinely resonates. So when you’re ready, call us first. Or second. We’re here.