The advertising industry is in the middle of a rebranding wave, with many agencies rolling out new logos, refreshed colouring and revamped strategies.
In just four months, 2025 has seen rebranding at OMD, UM, M+C Saatchi, Claxon and Clemenger among others which AdNews understands to have publicly avoided announcing.
Rebranding in the past has been seen as a sign that “things are not working” and perhaps “they are in a bit of trouble”.
But rising uncertainty - tariff terrors, slimming marketing budgets and increased pressure on marketing to prove profitability - is pushing agencies to re-look at differentiation and competitive drivers.
This is especially so for large networked agencies which are grappling with legacy business and operational issues as the industry changes ways of working.
Clients are becoming more self-sufficient, Gretel Maltabarow, managing director at branding specialist Houston Group, said it makes a lot of sense as to why some of the biggest agencies are undertaking a rebrand of their own.
“Clients are building internal studios to create cost efficiencies and eroding the retainer model which puts pressure on the commercial reality of agencies and to crack fewer, but more high-pressure briefs,” Maltabarow said.
As a result, agencies are rebuilding their models to be more effective.
“That means a genuine rethink of product, ways of working and the agency model,” Maltabarow said.
“As such, the days of large, slow-moving, hierarchical agencies that burn through budgets just to attend a briefing are long gone. Instead, we’re seeing the benefits of a nimbler approach. And smaller teams don’t mean smaller ideas. It’s usually the opposite.
“Time will tell if the product itself is changing, or if it’s more of an easter egg… wrapped in well-designed aesthetics but hollow on the inside.”
Regardless, in such a volatile environment, agency rebrands must signal real change to be effective.
The best “rebrands” are evolutions that the market doesn't notice, according to Thinkerbell founder and consumer psychologist Adam Ferrier.
“Reskinning something without completely changing a broken, slow, siloed, legacy model won’t change anything - and is rightly viewed sceptically (internally and externally),” Ferrier told AdNews.
“Sometimes there's a re-brand that hints at a different business model, and a different way of doing things.”
For example, BBDO's move away from 'the work the work the work', to “do big things” helps push the agency into a more strategic and ambitious space.
“A focus on the work, and what a creative agency makes is extremely problematic as the production model is completely upended by UGC and AI,” Ferrier said.
"But ‘Do big things’ is a positioning the whole agency can get behind, not just the creative department. I'm a big fan. If it's followed through internally it could be game changing for BBDO, if not then...”
Similarly, branding expert Michel Hogan said logos and names are just how people pick a business out of a lineup but positioning gives the competitive advantage.
“There’s not much downside to agencies twiddling with how they look. They do the work themselves,” Hogan said.
“But it’s unlikely to change the mind of any clients who could afford their services. Beyond them wondering if their fees are paying for it. People really don’t care much what the logo or colours are.”
“Clients care more about the promises held in an agency's positioning. And while all those 'rebranding' claim bold new directions, less clear is what’s in it for the people they’re supposed to serve. Making the exercise feel more like vanity than value.”
Who cares about your rebrand? Only those who can feel its true value and impact, according to FutureBrand general manager Christina Kokkinakis.
“There are many reasons why a business could rebrand. But there’s only one reason why they should: a change in business calls for a change in brand. Simple as that,” Kokkinakis said.
“That is what separates true transformations from cosmetic makeovers.
“Too many rebrands fixate on the idea rather than the impact, missing what clients truly value – exceptional talent, crafting effective work. Mark Ritson’s market orientation reinforces this view: clients seek real solutions and see through trendy façades.
“Clients will care about your rebrand, if they see what’s in it for them.
“A rebrand must be a promise of tangible value that clients can experience for real. Anything less is just noise. And that’ll quickly drown out when the next agency rebrand rolls around.”
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