Should we refresh the identity and website?

Refresh the identity and website when the current brand expression no longer reflects the organisation's strategy, audiences or ambition. The identity should establish a clear visual and verbal direction, while the website should make that direction easy to experience through useful content, intuitive structure and consistent storytelling. Treating both as connected parts of one brand system helps the change hold together.

Does bold design mean making the brand louder?

No. Bold design means making deliberate choices that tell the brand story memorably, whether the result is expressive or understated. A refined typography choice, a distinctive colour palette or a clear visual device can be bold when it gives the brand a recognisable character and supports its positioning.

How do we keep a bolder visual identity consistent across channels?

Keep a bolder visual identity consistent by building the same brand idea into messaging, visual elements, digital experiences and practical activation assets. Flexible rules can allow teams to adapt for different audiences and formats without losing the core story. The goal is coherence, not identical execution everywhere.

Can a new identity preserve heritage while looking more modern?

Yes. A new identity can preserve heritage by retaining the values, cues and reputation that matter, then expressing them in a more current and confident way. Combining classic and modern typography, language or visual references can show continuity without making the brand feel stuck in the past.

Should we use bolder design for the new identity?

Bold design makes a clear brand idea easier to recognise

Bolder design works best when visual identity and verbal identity are carrying the same story. Distinctive type, colour, imagery, layouts and motion can make a positioning feel immediate, but only when each element has a job to do. The aim is not decoration for its own sake. It is a brand experience that helps people quickly understand what the organisation stands for and why it is different.

Boldness can be refined rather than loud. A heritage brand can pair classic and modern design cues. A growing B2B business can use a dynamic visual system to signal momentum while keeping its messaging direct and credible. The useful test is simple: does the design make the brand idea more visible, more coherent and more memorable across its real customer-facing channels?

Sources: Price Forbes: Making history with a fresh take on heritage, 2X: The 2X Effect — A brand for marketing's next power move, Why bold design is good business

Refresh the identity and website when the current expression no longer fits the ambition

A brand identity and website refresh is worth considering when the existing look, language and digital experience no longer explain the business clearly. That often happens after growth, a change in strategy, a new market ambition or a shift in how the organisation wants to be seen. The website matters because it turns the identity into a working experience, through content structure, storytelling, usability and the assets teams use every day.

Start with the brand idea before choosing visual style. A refresh should connect positioning, messaging framework, tone of voice and design system, rather than treating the logo or website as separate projects. Keep what has real equity, especially heritage, trust and familiar cues. Then introduce enough change to show the organisation is moving forward. A bolder identity cannot fix an unclear offer or inconsistent experience, but it can give a clear strategy a stronger, more usable expression.

Sources: Price Forbes: Making history with a fresh take on heritage, 2X: The 2X Effect — A brand for marketing's next power move, Everywhen: A unifying brand that makes business personal, ACT: A charity brand for the global stage

A bolder identity should earn attention by making the brand story clearer

We believe bold design is good business when it brings clarity to a true and useful brand idea. It should not be a visual stunt or a break from everything people already value about the organisation. Our work has shown how a brand can hold heritage and future ambition together: for Price Forbes, we created a vibrant identity and bold typographic system that balanced a century of history with a forward-looking outlook. For 2X, we threaded one story through strategy, messaging, trail-line graphics, the website and activation assets. That is the standard we work towards: a distinctive identity that gives people one clear story to recognise, use and carry forward.