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Rebrands are easy to get excited about. New name. New logo. Fresh colors. A chance to “modernize” how you show up.

However, too often they revolve more around chasing a new, trendier aesthetic without an updated brand promise to back up the optics. In the energy and industrial markets, that’s dangerous water. When long-term clients see an updated logo, they associate real, XXX change. 

And if that doesn’t align with reality, clients can end up more disappointed than impressed. Same brand, new lipstick. 

To unpack what actually works, Arnaud Desprez, CEO and founder of HexaGroup, sat down with energy branding expert Peter Lyall on The HEX-Files podcast. Peter is Director of Ascent Advisory Services, a Doctoral Student at Henley Business School, and former Group Director of Strategy at Fifth Ring. He’s spent decades guiding leadership teams through rebrands tied to mergers, the energy transition, and major organizational change

Keep reading to learn what Lyall has to say about reimagined branding that actually stands the test of time and lives up to clients’ expectations. 

Spoiler alert: it’s a lot more than a slight shift of HEX (pun intended) on your logo’s color wheel. More of a listener? Hit play on the full recording now. 

“A rebrand is a clear signal of some kind of business transformation.”

You rebrand when your company has clearly shifted in ways the outside world needs to see and understand. Not when it’s a slow Tuesday, and you’ve just hired a new marketing director who prefers pastels. 

Examples of when it might make sense to rebrand:

  • Moving into new markets, sectors, or geographies
  • Launching new products or business models that change what you’re known for
  • A major merger, acquisition, or divestment that reshapes the portfolio
  • New leadership is driving a different strategic direction
  • Large capital investment or repositioning of core assets

In all of these cases, the brand story has shifted in some way. As a result, the visual and verbal identity should also change. When “we’re bored with the logo” is the single driver in decision-making, that’s not a branding problem. 

Peter’s advice? Wait until there’s a truly business-critical reason to change. Then design the brand to express that shift with clarity, not to decorate it.

“Twenty-seven thousand people were all advocates and ambassadors. Internal buy-in matters.”

In many energy and industrial organizations, your biggest audience isn’t customers — it’s your own people. Internal buy-in isn’t the cherry on top. In many cases, it’s the whole sundae. 

When people inside the company understand why the business is changing, what the new brand stands for, and how it connects to their work and their pride, they want to be a part of it. They carry the rebrand into conversations with friends, family, suppliers, recruits, and clients.

If staff first see the new brand on LinkedIn or in a press release, trust drops instantly. They feel like they’ve been rebranded rather than included.

Here’s how to build a rebrand from the inside out: 

  1. Listen first: Gather input and stories from across the organization
  2. Share the direction early: Test simple narratives and get reactions before anything is “final.”
  3. Launch internally with intent: Use live briefings, Q&As, and leadership visibility, not just an email and a PDF.
  4. Clean out old materials: Retire legacy logos, templates, and signage so the change feels real, not cosmetic.

Once your people are aligned and equipped, the external launch becomes far easier and more credible.

“Everybody thinks that their second job is marketing.”

Another thing to note? Brand work attracts opinions, especially from senior leaders and technical experts who’ve lived with the company for years. Many feel they “know the brand” because they have a strong reaction to certain colors, words, or logos.

That passion is useful, but without guardrails, it can derail the work. Here’s how the most common pitfalls occur: 

  • Not setting clear success metrics 
  • Expecting instant leads or sales the minute the new logo goes live
  • Allowing one senior opinion to override strategy halfway through

You also have to go all-in. When new signs appear in a few locations while others retain the old name, the brand dilutes. Protect your work by: 

  • Defining scope, roles, and decision rights up front
  • Building regular check-ins with the right stakeholders
  • Being willing to pause, adjust, or kill bad directions early

The goal isn’t to remove emotion; it’s to channel this energy into decisions that support the business rather than the individual. 

“The upsides are really priceless — but only if it’s done right.”

A strong rebrand doesn’t just look good on a lanyard or a LinkedIn banner. It changes how people feel, how they talk, and how they make decisions within the company.

Just a few signs you’ve pulled off a successful rebrand: 

  • Greater pride and clarity among staff: People finally have language and visuals that match the work they’re proud of.
  • Better understanding of what the company does: Complexity becomes easier to explain to recruits, partners, and investors.
  • Stronger bonds with customers and partners: The brand reflects their reality and the market's direction.
  • Smoother entry into new markets or segments: Positioning is sharper, so the first conversation doesn’t start with confusion.
  • Clearer value in investment and valuation talks: The story, numbers, and identity line up, which can support deal value or share price.

A weak rebrand has the opposite effect. Confusion. Loss of trust. Anger from long-term staff or customers. People feel something good was broken for no clear reason. How to avoid this? Set clear goals, involve people early, and link every design choice to a business reason.

“Rebrand success can only be measured through your consumers’ eyes.”

Most customers don’t care that your logo changed. They care whether their world changes. Does your new brand make working with you faster, safer, or easier? Do they get more support and clearer answers? Do you solve a broader or more critical set of problems for them?

The cliff notes on making your rebrand something your clients truly value: 

  • Equip sales and account teams with clear, consistent narratives.
  • Update product sheets, specs, and tools so every asset matches
  • Brief distributors, agents, and partners so they can reinforce the story
  • Prioritize key accounts for more direct, face-to-face conversations where possible.

Finally, keep the message simple and repeatable. A sharp, memorable core phrase that staff can use in everyday conversation often works harder than a long brand manifesto no one reads.

Explore more ideas and practical advice on rebrands that actually work.

Catch the full conversation with Peter Lyall on The HEX-Files, HexaGroup’s energy marketing podcast for leaders who want real results.

Listen Now:

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