Corporate Rebranding – How Custom Uniforms Can Help
Corporate rebranding is more than just refreshing a logo or updating a website. It’s an opportunity to redefine a company’s identity, align it with new goals, and create a cohesive message that resonates with both employees and customers.
One key, but often overlooked, element in a successful rebrand is updating your company’s custom uniforms. Bespoke employee uniforms can visually communicate the business’ new identity, values, and direction, creating unity among employees and enhancing how customers perceive the brand.
In this article, Jermyn Street Design’s workwear innovators will explore the crucial role custom uniforms play in corporate rebranding, from boosting employee engagement to reinforcing brand values and sustainability commitments.
The Importance of Uniforms in Corporate Rebranding
In the modern business world, where customer experience and brand perception are more important than ever, uniforms are a powerful tool for ensuring consistency and professionalism amongst your employees.
During a rebranding, this becomes even more significant. Well-designed custom uniforms visually communicate the new brand identity to staff, customers, and the general public, helping to integrate the rebrand into everyday business activities.
Uniforms also act as an extension of your marketing efforts. Though it is often said that you only get one chance to make a first impression, a rebrand offers a chance to alter customer perception through new messaging, values, and aesthetics.
Whether it’s a change in the colour palette, incorporating new logos, or selecting materials that represent the company’s shift towards sustainability, custom uniforms can visually reinforce the new corporate identity. For example, in sectors like hospitality or retail, where customer interaction is frequent, employees in unified, modern uniforms present a professional, cohesive brand image.
Enhancing Employee Engagement and Unity through Custom Uniforms
Successful rebranding isn’t just about how a company looks to the outside world; it’s also about how it is perceived internally. Custom uniforms can be a powerful tool to foster a sense of unity, build employee engagement, and increase pride in the workplace.
Uniforms act as a unifying element that visually connects employees to the company’s new identity. When staff wear a well-designed, comfortable uniform that reflects the refreshed brand, it creates a sense of belonging. This unity also translates into better customer service, as uniform wearers feel more aligned with the company’s new direction.
Employees are the face of your brand, so engaging them in the process of rebranding is vital. Involving them in the uniform design process – by gathering feedback on preferences for materials, fit, and functionality – makes them feel listened to and valued, as well as resulting in a comfortable uniform that they are proud to wear.
How Custom Uniforms Reinforce New Brand Values
Rebranding is a chance to redefine your company’s values and ensure they are woven into every aspect of the business, including your custom uniforms. Whether your company is shifting its focus towards sustainability, innovation, or inclusivity, uniforms can help to physically represent and communicate these changes.
For example, sustainable uniforms made from eco-friendly materials – such as organic cotton, bamboo fibres, or recycled materials – can immediately show both employees and customers that your brand is committed to environmental responsibility.
At JSD, we prioritise ethical production and sustainability in our uniform design process. We work with clients to ensure that their uniforms reflect their commitment to social responsibility, through the materials we source and our environmentally friendly manufacturing processes.
Similarly, if your rebrand focuses on innovation or modernisation, custom uniforms can feature advanced fabrics or smart designs that align with the cutting-edge nature of your new identity. The key is that the uniforms become a natural extension of your rebranding strategy – communicating your values through their very design and material.
Practical Considerations for Custom Uniform Design During a Rebrand
Designing custom uniforms for a corporate rebrand isn’t just about aesthetics; there are practical elements that need to be considered to ensure that the uniforms are functional, comfortable, and aligned with the various roles within the company.
Important practical considerations for any custom uniform design include:
- Incorporating necessary functionality. Each department or role may require different functionalities from their uniforms. For example, office-based employees might require business attire, whereas those working in a warehouse or customer-facing retail roles may need more durable, flexible fabrics and options for layering across the seasons.
- Prioritising comfort. Employees are more likely to embrace a new uniform if it fits well, is breathable, and prioritises their comfort. By working with a uniform provider like JSD, businesses can ensure that their uniforms are designed with these considerations in mind, which ultimately helps to boost employee happiness and well-being.
- Supporting the company’s overall brand narrative. For example, incorporating key brand colours into the design, using embroidered logos, or choosing sustainable fabrics can all help reinforce the new brand image and values. Uniform consistency is critical to maintaining the brand message across all areas of the business.
Great Western Railway Rebranding: A Case Study
JSD’s work with leading British train operator Great Western Railway is a good example of the impact of custom uniforms in corporate rebranding. GWR’s high-profile 2019 rebrand was part of their biggest overhaul since the steam age, and they needed new uniforms to reflect this “renaissance of rail”.
These uniforms needed to bridge GWR’s 19th century heritage and the brand’s modern values. Tradition was represented by bringing back the deep, dark Brunswick green of GWR’s train livery and incorporating herringbone tweed. Touches of black throughout the range offered a subtle, contemporary mismatch, which helped create a timeless feel overall.
The uniform design had to prioritise wearer well-being, safety, style, fit, and functional excellence. This was achieved through features such as a zip-in lining for all top coats (useful in changing temperatures) and fabrics with built-in stretch for ease of movement.
Wearers could also choose garments from the 55 product styles based on their personal comfort, irrespective of gender, with male, female, and unisex options available.
To ensure widespread staff engagement, JSD worked closely with GWR’s New Uniform Steering Group – 50 members of staff across a spectrum of job grades, ages, genders, and sizes – throughout a two-month design and development process.
This inclusive design process aligned with GWR’s commitment to safety, comfort, diversity, and professional image, helping reinforce GWR’s brand transformation.
Frequently Asked Questions about Custom Uniforms for Corporate Rebranding
Q: What are the key elements to consider when designing a custom uniform for rebranding?
A: When designing a custom uniform for rebranding, consider the new brand identity, the functionality required by different employee roles, and the materials used. Focus on consistency in design while ensuring comfort and practicality for all employees.
Q: How can sustainable uniforms enhance brand perception during a rebrand?
A: Sustainable uniforms demonstrate a company’s commitment to ethical practices and corporate social responsibility. Using eco-friendly fabrics not only improves brand perception but also aligns with modern consumer expectations for environmentally responsible companies.
Q: How do custom uniforms affect employee morale during a rebrand?
A: Custom uniforms can boost morale by making employees feel connected to the new brand identity. Involving wearers in the uniform design process and providing uniforms that are both functional and comfortable enhances their sense of belonging during the rebranding process.
Want to Elevate Your Corporate Rebranding with Custom Uniforms?
Rebranding is an opportunity to refresh your company’s image, and custom uniforms are an essential part of this transformation.
At JSD, we specialise in creating sustainable uniforms that reflect your new brand identity while prioritising comfort and functionality.
Whether you’re looking to align with eco-friendly values or modernise your corporate image, our team has the expertise to bring your vision to life, as you can see from our case studies.
Talk to one of our experts today to discover how we can help take your rebranding to the next level with sustainable custom uniforms.
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