After 5+ rebrands, I’ve noticed a pattern…
Written by katie test davis
In this Blog: Is Your Brand Visual Identity Building Trust or Driving It Away?
In the same way you wouldn't wear pajamas to a keynote speech, an outdated brand can undermine your organization’s credibility. As we enter the new year, it’s time to ensure your visuals – from fonts and colors to photography – match the heart of your mission.
In this post, you’ll learn about:
The Trust Gap: Why outdated visuals make stakeholders wary of your message.
The Brand Audit: 7 critical questions to determine if you need a refresh.
Refresh vs. Rebrand: How to decide between a full visual overhaul (like our work with Positive Childhood Alliance NC) or high-impact small updates.
45-Minute Team Checklist: A step-by-step guide for your next communications meeting to audit your materials and prioritize updates for 2026.
Imagine walking into a room to give a keynote speech wearing your most worn-out pajamas.
Or walking across the graduation stage to receive your hard-earned graduate degree while wearing your grubbiest yard work outfit.
The visuals don’t match the moment.
The people around you would wonder if you missed the memo. They certainly don’t trust what you have to say.
The same goes for your organization and the visuals you use to present who you are.
If they are outdated, worn or messy, your audience immediately becomes wary of you and the message you have to share.
how do i know if my brand is outdated?
The new year is a great time to take stock. Take a fresh look at the materials (like your website, annual report, brochures) that you’re presenting to your stakeholders.
*Pretend you’ve never seen them before.*Then, ask yourself:
Do our materials look modern and engaging?
Is our main font blocky and outdated, or is it classic or trendy?
Are our materials (and messaging) up to date?
If someone visits our blog, will they see relevant blog posts with up-to-date visuals?
If someone clicks on our social media profiles, will they see recent posts with on-brand graphics?
Do the photos we use represent the people we serve?
If the answer to any of these questions is ‘no’, it’s time for a brand refresh.
where do i start with my brand refresh?
Well, my friend, that depends on how much time, capacity and budget you have. A full brand overhaul involves refreshing all of your visuals, from your logo to your colors, fonts and even the photos you use.
For example, we recently helped Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina rebrand into Positive Childhood Alliance North Carolina. Together, we renamed the organization and came up with a new logo, color palette and font for the organization.
Take a look at the simple differences between the new logo colors and the updated logo fonts… you can really see the brand visuals evolve and modernize!
Even if you don’t have the bandwidth to do a full brand refresh like PCANC, you can still use the questions I outlined above to shape how your visuals match who you are as an organization.
For example, if your photos don’t match who you serve, consider hiring a photographer and getting new photos. (Ashley explains why real photos matter in this blog post!)
how do i know where to invest?
We created a simple checklist to run through at your next communications team meeting. The new year is the perfect time to ground your team and ensure your visuals match the heart of your mission.
We suggest setting aside 45 minutes for your next communications team meeting to walk through this checklist together. Here’s how:
Gather your samples: Print out or pull up your latest digital reports, social media posts and recent newsletters.
Include a variety of voices: Invite team members from different departments. They offer unique perspectives on how your brand feels to the public.
Review for consistency: Look at your materials side by side. Your brand is a promise to your audience. Consistency builds the trust necessary for effective advocacy.
Celebrate your wins: Acknowledge the materials that are already hitting the mark. It is okay to feel proud of the beautiful work y'all have created!
Prioritize updates: Choose two or three areas for improvement. Focus on the changes that will have the biggest impact on your goals this year.
Once you know what needs updating, make a plan for how you’ll get it done. And (of course) if you need an extra set of hands, we’d love to partner! Just hit reply to this email and I’d be happy to chat about what you’re working on.
Happy new year!
Related links:
Three steps to a successful rebrand (Forthright Blog)
Scaling a strong, consistent brand message (Forthright Blog)
Using fonts with a purpose (Forthright Blog)
The psychology of color and graphic design (Platt College)
Author Bio
Katie Test Davis is Forthright Advising’s founder, and a nationally recognized PR strategist with nearly 20 years of experience in mission-driven communications. A specialist in visual brand strategy, Katie has led many comprehensive organizational rebrands, helping nonprofits and public agencies align their visual identity with their systemic impact.
Katie’s expertise in building community trust through authentic engagement has been featured in Education Week and SmartBrief. She’s a member of Forbes 1000, too. She specializes in translating complex social issues into accessible, empathetic and modern brand narratives that drive results for organizations that serve children and families.
