7 Mistakes to Avoid During Your Next Rebrand… and what to do instead
Focused School Identity
If you’ve been through a rebrand (or are about to embark on your first), you know it can be an exciting yet daunting experience. It’s a chance to reimagine your school’s image and reinforce your values as you connect with prospective families (and reconnect with current ones).
But anyone who’s navigated this process knows it can quickly become overwhelming. Who do you involve with the decision-making? What should you plan to budget? And how can you build excitement in your community for what’s to come?
School leaders often feel like they’re facing down an intimidating task. Understanding seven common mistakes can help your team approach your school rebrand with confidence and clarity.
Mistake #1: Failure to Communicate the Need and Scope
One of the fastest ways to derail your rebranding efforts is by neglecting to clearly communicate why the rebrand is necessary and what it will involve. Without clear explanations, confusion breeds resistance. Stakeholders become apprehensive when the purpose behind changes isn’t explicitly shared.
Do this instead: State your objectives upfront. Keep stakeholders informed with regular updates, and create space for questions and feedback to build trust and alignment.
Mistake #2: Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen
Involving too many stakeholders might seem inclusive, but it can create paralysis by analysis. While collaboration is vital, it’s important to establish a focused and clearly defined committee to maintain momentum.
Do this instead: Consider creating a core group responsible for decisions, allowing broader input at strategic intervals.
Mistake #3: Allowing a Vocal, Pessimistic Team Member to Dictate the Process
Every rebranding project has its skeptics, and while their concerns shouldn’t be ignored, allowing one vocal, resistant individual to dominate conversations can halt progress altogether. In our work with schools on their academic and athletic branding, we’ve seen many teams who have struggled significantly because negative voices went unchecked.
Do this instead: Set clear expectations for participation and gently but firmly redirect pessimistic energies towards solutions.
Mistake #4: DIY (“We have a parent in our community who does graphics…”)
While leveraging community talent can be tempting (and budget-friendly), it often compromises quality. Just because a volunteer parent or local freelancer has the software and some experience doesn’t mean they’re equipped to handle the full scope of a professional school rebrand. Most approach it as a one-off logo design — not a system that will need to scale across uniforms, jerseys, diplomas, course catalogs, polos, hats, websites, signage, and more.
Without strategic oversight and an understanding of how academic and athletic branding must work together, schools often end up with fragmented visuals that don’t hold up across use cases — leading to costly and time-consuming fixes down the road.
Do this instead: Engage a professional who understands the comprehensive nature of school branding from the start — someone who can design a brand system that’s both strategically sound and visually compelling, across every touchpoint.
Mistake #5: Using Clip Art or Copying Professional Sports Teams’ Mascots
Your school’s brand should represent your unique culture and identity — not borrow from readily available designs or mimic popular sports teams. It seems obvious enough that we shouldn’t have to state, but using mascots copied directly from major sports teams undermines credibility and dilutes authenticity. It can also raise legal concerns around copyright laws.
Do this instead: Invest in original, tailored imagery to ensure your school’s core values and mission shines through.
Mistake #6: Trying to Say Everything in Your Logo
A logo shouldn’t tell your school’s entire story. It should open the door for conversation, and spark interest with prospective, right-fit families™. Frequently, we see schools overload logos with symbolism and text, resulting in clutter and confusion.
Do this instead: Aim for simplicity; the best logos are memorable, distinctive, and invite deeper exploration rather than overwhelm.
Mistake #7: Lack of Clear, Specific Feedback During Design
Ambiguous feedback like “it just doesn’t feel right” can send your project into endless cycles of revisions. We cannot underscore enough the importance of specificity when giving feedback — providing clear, actionable feedback instead of murky, unhelpful opinions.
Do this instead: Provide clear, actionable insights to guide designers effectively. Explain what isn’t working and why you feel like it’s off to ensure the project moves forward efficiently.
Where to Go From Here
Avoiding these seven pitfalls will position your school’s rebrand for success, ensuring the process is productive and ultimately transformative. If you’re feeling unsure about your next steps, connect with a Tassel solutions advisor to discover how we can guide your school’s rebranding journey with confidence.
