Six Rules of Brand Revitalization: Learn the Most Common Branding Mistakes and How to Avoid Them, Second Edition

9. Tendency 9: The Loss of Relevance

What is most meaningful about the brand to today’s customers? What is it that makes the brand significant? In Scotland, relevance refers to a term meaning legally pertinent, while in Medieval Latin, the root of relevance is the word relevare for “raising up.”¹ Both make sense for brands. What makes a brand relevant is pertinent, and, as part of the essential Brand Promise and intellectual property, it cannot be tampered with. Relevance “raises up” a brand in a customer’s perception: raised up from the rest of the competitive set. As we will discuss in Part II, “The Six Rules for Brand Revitalization Revisited,” the restoration of relevance is critical for brand revitalization and turnarounds.

Staying relevant ...