How to Diagnose Before Redesigning, With Evidence-Based Brand Strategy Tools
When a business leader says, “We need a rebrand,” they’re rarely reacting to just a logo.
More often, it’s a sign of deeper misalignment between who the business serves, what it promises, and what it delivers. Business leaders might see a consistent drop in sales, unclear messaging, or internal culture shifts, and the instinct is to fix what’s visible. The issue is usually more foundational.
Jayne Agency’s brand strategy methodology was built to diagnose what’s really happening within the business, and more specifically within the 10 assets of a brand. With almost two decades of client work across a wide range of industries, the Jayniacs developed structured, evidence-based approaches to brand strategy that can help brands of any size diagnose whether they’re facing a true brand breakdown—or, whether it’s a misalignment issue that can be resolved without a full rebrand.
What “We Need a Rebrand” Really Signals
Varonnica, brand strategist at Jayne, plainly states: “When a business says ‘we need a rebrand,’ what they’re often feeling is disconnection. Something’s off—internally, externally, or both.”
Brooke, founder of Jayne Agency, then identifies three clear, measurable indicators that a rebrand may truly be necessary:
- The brand is actively limiting or deflecting a critical revenue stream.
- The brand is infringing on growth—strategically, legally, or competitively.
- One or more of the 10 brand assets are no longer feasible or functional.
Those assets—codified within Jayne’s proprietary brand strategy framework—include Goals, Objectives, Barriers, Strategies, Audience, Insight, Position, Promise, Support and Tone & Personality. Each asset is an operational tool and when one fails, the entire business feels it.
Carly explains, “Understanding the 10 brand assets allows a leader to identify exactly which areas of the brand are underperforming. Then they can decide what scale of change is required—whether it’s realignment or a full rebrand.”
Diagnose First, Then Decide
Jayne Agency’s brand strategy methodology always starts with a structured diagnosis. That’s what separates reactive redesigns from long-term brand health or as we like to call it, dependable, scalable, repeatable outcomes.
Beth, an advisor on Jayne’s strategy team, sees it often: “Businesses think a rebrand means changing visuals. But the real issue is usually deeper—messaging, culture, positioning, or market confusion. Sometimes, they don’t need a rebrand at all. They need brand clarity.”
Brad agrees. “A rebrand is often code for ‘something isn’t working and we don’t know why.’ Jayne’s strategy process helps business owners ask the right questions and assess the entire brand system—before they spend money on the wrong solution.”
Natalie points out another cost of skipping this step: “Just because something looks better doesn’t mean it works better.”
Surface Fixes vs. Structural Wins
The brand strategy process at Jayne guides businesses through structured exercises that clarify positioning, promise, audience alignment, etc. And every step is designed to deliver measurable insights to avoid surface-level decisions that net out negative.
The team established this process not just to create strong brands but to make sure those brands function at every level of a business, and as businesses evolve, they have a strong foundation to scale from. Brooke says, “If you can’t tie the brand strategy to business performance, it’s just decoration.”
But not every business can afford to bring in strategists for a full engagement—or, maybe they don’t want to! That’s where Clarity University, and The Devil’s Advocate come in.
For bi-weekly brand strategy insight from Jayne, subscribe to The Devil’s Advocate: Where brand clarity moves fast so business readers can make decisions with confidence.
We publish a set of concentrated and research-driven brand strategy topics designed to go straight to your inbox every two weeks, to fuel your day and inspire you to get more of what you need done in ways you feel damningly good about. This is the insight already changing the way leaders do business when equipped with unrivaled brand clarity. Pulled directly from the work we’re doing with 5K+ businesses. From industry giants to SMBs. The Devil’s Advocate breaks down Jayne’s proven methodology into bite-sized, accessible pieces you can chomp chomp chomp on all day long.
For a more hands-on approach to brand strategy, learn more about Clarity University: Fortune-500 brand strategy made actionable for SMBs.
Jayne Agency built Clarity University so growth-forward businesses of any size can use the same evidence-based tools our global enterprise clients rely on—distilled into a four-week, action-based course. Upgrade your marketing toolbox without ever needing to step away from the business. Each week has something new from live strategy sessions, proven and evidence-based brand strategy tools and a peer-to-peer community to learn alongside. Pick the pace and budget that fit your goals, align all 10 assets of a brand, and tap Jayne strategists whenever you want targeted support.
A world-class branding system any business can use. The framework is proven, learnable, and delivers results, no pricey consultants required. Pick the tier that fits your budget, own your strategy, messaging and brand, and lead with unstoppable clarity, confidence and conviction that you’re meeting your goals.
A Smarter Way to Rebrand (or Realign)
Using Jayne’s methodology, Clarity University and The Devil’s Advocate both help business owners answer the most important question: Do we need to rebrand, and how much, or, do we just need to realign?
Brooke explains how the methodology behind both Clarity University and The Devil’s Advocate empowers leaders to act with confidence: “When you’re fluent in all 10 brand assets, you can spot when something’s off, know what to adjust, and scale decisions based on impact.”
Brad adds, “Most agencies lead with deliverables. Jayne leads with strategy. That’s the difference between fixing a brand and transforming it.”
Rebranding Is a Strategic Decision. It Deserves a Strategic Process.
When a business says, “We need a rebrand,” the instinct may be visual—but the opportunity is structural. Jayne Agency’s methodology shows leaders where the gaps are, how to close them, and when a rebrand is the right move—not just the loudest option.
If you’re looking to learn more about what a brand platform is, how it impacts your overall brand and business decisions, the Devil’s Advocate is the perfect place to start.
If you’re looking for hands on brand alignment with Jayne Agency strategists, to define, test and analyze your brand platform, Clarity University might be for you.
And if you DO want a strategic brand overhaul, we’re here for that too.
Subscribe to the Devil’s Advocate:
Contact beth.pitei@jayneagency.com to learn more about how you can jump into a Clarity University cohort.
As an extension of this article, the Jayne Agency team joined us on Diversity Discourse to discuss the intricacies of brand strategy, focusing on the importance of alignment, the need for clarity in branding, and the iterative process of managing a brand. The conversation also highlights the value of the Devil’s Advocate, a tool designed to help business leaders navigate their brand strategy effectively.
You can check it on the platform of your choice.
