Why Your Rebrand Didn’t Work (And What to Do Instead)

Let me guess—you updated your logo, chose better colors, maybe even switched up your website template. And it still doesn’t feel right. Your literary brand still feels “off.” The vibes aren’t vibing. And now you’re left wondering: Did I do something wrong? Not necessarily. But if your rebrand didn’t fix what felt broken, it might be because…

👉🏾 It wasn’t a visual brand problem you had in the first place. It was a core brand problem.

Let’s break down what that means—and what you can do next (before you hire a designer, buy a new template, or change your color palette for the third time this year).

The Problem: You Skipped the Brand Core 🍎

When your visuals aren’t grounded in a strong brand foundation, they’ll always feel disconnected. Cute? Maybe. But not cohesive. Not clear. Not you.

The truth is, a successful rebrand doesn’t start with visuals. It starts with your brand core—the first piece of the behind-the-scenes strategy that gives everything else meaning. AKA your brand foundations 🏠

Your brand core includes:

• Purpose – Why you do what you do
• Mission – What you’re here to accomplish right now
• Vision – What you’re building toward long-term
• Audience – Who you’re here to serve, and what they need from you

And yes, this still applies even if you’re “just” a one-person book biz.

In fact, especially then.

Mission vs. Vision: A Quick Breakdown 🫱🏾‍🫲🏾

A lot of creatives get stuck here, so let’s clear up the difference between these two a little more before we move on:

• Your mission is your current focus. Ex: “To enable the professional success of people who work to bring stories to life.”
• Your vision is your future aspiration. Ex: “To make the book industry more accessible for independent literary professionals.”

[Fun Fact: those are TJ’s Atelier’s actual mission and vision statements] These aren’t filler words—they’re the framework that helps you make every branding decision with confidence.

When your mission and vision are strong? Suddenly your brand doesn’t feel so scattered. It starts to become magnetic (Or bingeworthy, if you will 😉).

The Side Effects of Skipping Your Core 😵‍💫

When your brand core is vague or unclear, you end up with:

• A logo that looks pretty but doesn’t say anything
• Messaging that feels generic or scattered
• An audience that doesn’t know where you fit or what role you play
• Confusion around your niche, your offers, or your values
• A website or social media presence that doesn’t convert

Sound familiar?

This isn’t a design fail. It’s a strategy gap. And good news, it’s completely fixable!

And psst… If your logo’s the problem instead, check out this other post ➡️ What Makes a Good Author Logo? (Hint: It’s Not What You Think)

The Solution: Define Your Brand Purpose First 💡

Before you rebrand (or re-rebrand) start here. Ask yourself:

• Why did I start this business in the first place?
• What change am I trying to create in my corner of the literary world?
• What do I value most in how I work, serve, or show up?
• Who do I feel most lit up working with and why?
• What do I want my clients/readers to feel when they encounter my brand?

Go beyond “I want to help people” or “I love books.”

Dig deeper. Your brand’s purpose should act like a north star—something that guides your offers, your visuals, your tone of voice, and even how you use your time online.

Brand Purpose in Action: A Literary Example 📔

Let’s say you’re a freelance book editor who recently updated your logo and website. Everything looks clean, modern, and high-end. But your leads have actually gone down, and your DMs are quiet.

If your brand purpose was never clear to begin with, your new visuals may have accidentally pushed you further from the very people you’re meant to attract. Instead, when your brand purpose is crystal clear—like “to help underrepresented voices refine their stories and get published”—you can translate that into:

• Visuals that feel inclusive, accessible, and empowering
• Messaging that connects on a values-based level
• A vibe that feels grounded and intentional, not generic

That’s the difference between a brand that looks nice… and one that actually works.

So, What Should You Do Before You Rebrand? 🎯

If you’re planning a rebrand, or recovering from one that didn’t quite hit, here’s where to start:

✅ Clarify your brand purpose

✅ Define your mission + vision

✅ Outline your ideal audience

✅ Audit your visuals to see if they align

✅ Revisit your brand voice + personality

Need help sorting all of this out?

That’s literally what my free brand audit is for 👇🏽

📌 Snag a Bingeworthy Brand DM Audit Session – it’s free, fast, and the easiest way to figure out how to make your brand bingeworthy.

A Gentle Reminder 😌

Your brand is more than a color palette. It’s more than a Canva template.

It’s the story you’re telling: visually, emotionally, and strategically.

So if your rebrand didn’t “work,” don’t panic.

Take it as a sign to zoom out and revisit the foundation first. Because when you build from your core, every design decision becomes clearer, and every client interaction becomes more aligned.

Want Help Defining Your Brand Core?

I work 1:1 with literary entrepreneurs like book editors, authors, indie publishing service providers, and more to help them clarify their brand strategy before we design the visuals.

Whether you need a full brand & web design refresh or just a clarity-building session to finally feel confident in your direction, I’ve got you!

✨ Explore my 1:1 Brand & Web Design Services

✨ Or grab the free Brand Audit to start uncovering where your brand currently stands.

Because your brand should feel like coming home to yourself and your audience.

With light,

Ty 🤎

Enjoy this read? Learn something new? Tell me everything in a comment below! And remember, it takes no effort to be kind 😊

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Disclaimer: The information in this post is for entertainment & subjective educational purposes only. It is not meant to serve as business, legal, medical, marketing, or sales advice.

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