From disparate beginnings, Christmas has become largely a cultural celebration for my generation – one meant to bring people together and place our focus on the people we love.

It has also become an uber-brand that represents intangible, un-buy-able values (peace, love, joy, family, selflessness) simultaneously with supreme commercialism.

Building a strong brand takes commitment, time and hard work, but the result is one of the most valuable assets a company can own. That said, not all assets are static, and your brand image is no exception.

In building your brand, you are creating a new definition with the aim of making it a household name. When people think of tissue, they instantly think of Kleenex. That’s the sort of association you want. Instant identification in the mind of the customer is not enough though… you also need that identification to represent competence, quality, authenticity and credibility. At the same time, your brand needs to remain dynamic, relevant, and at the top of mind while retaining its established heritage and identity.

In the end, the message your brand puts forward must ring true to your business, in its current state, its history, and in what you hope for the future. When your brand image doesn’t represent the message you want to convey, it’s time to consider making a change.

British Bakeries first launched Hovis Invisible Crust, the first ever crust-less bread, in August 2005, and has re-launched the product this January with a $4.5 million rebranding campaign. The company says, ‘It has performed brilliantly with great consumer feedback’. A perfect example of how rebranding can revitalize a product, British Bakeries is investing at a critical point to bring this revolutionary new product in line with the rest of the Hovis range, creating a sense of continuity and trust in the new product, and bringing fresh attention to the rest of the brand’s existing products.