Have you ever rebranded your act?
I am in the middle of a major rebranding for some of my shows; moving into new markets and some polishing.
So far, its included:
- characters
-costuming
- logos
- titles
- scripts
- effects

I am in the process right now, yes!!!

I'm dropping a character name that I've used for the past 20 years and re-branding with my real name.
This means slowly changing website information, Instagram accounts, Facebook accounts, business cards and all new promo videos and packages.

I'd be happy to chat about it with you, but not here because certain people like to chime in and hi-jack these things to stroke their own egos.

You can PM me if you're interested.


Best,
Mike

I have actually helped a couple people do this successfully in the past.

I have found that it is easier to think of it as just "branding" as opposed to "rebranding". The reason is you don't have any preconceived notions of what you want to accomplish.

If you are going into new markets anyhow you can keep some of the best of what you liked, and get rid of what you do not like. Many performers do this as they grow and it is a good thing.

It is a strange change to make, but don't be discouraged. What you end up with will be great.

As far as the OPs specific approach I agree branding should be done for your specific specialized performance markets, however, I disagree on the points he has mentioned - characters, costuming, logos, titles, scripts, effects, as it really should begin with your desired specific positioning. These other things will either come after positioning is determined or often will simply fall into place with your predetermined positioning within your selected market(s). Again, this should ideally be part of the foundational process, as in reality everything you do and proceed with will be based on this, which it always amazes me how so many just want to skip over this important aspect (foundational process) as it will so clearly determine so many other things (marketing, business model, pricing, image, operational system, promotion, website, promo materials, video, etc.) as you move forward. As with the branding, I see so many performers have to go back and do this properly, all over again from the start, once this has been realized. For some, it is many years later after a lifetime of struggling.

Then you must learn to operate in everything you do from a position of congruency once this positioning as been clearly determined and defined.

I changed my stage name from long to short and deleted some esoteric looking routines to break in corporate markeet

I wouldn't consider that branding at all.

For some reason the first part of my post got deleted, so I'll try to repost the beginning later today.

As you evolve and grow your business you should be doing this fairly regularly. Maybe not an entire rethink but certainly updates are needed.

Danny said - "I have found that it is easier to think of it as just "branding" as opposed to "rebranding". The reason is you don't have any preconceived notions of what you want to accomplish."

I agree with this as the truth of the matter is most magicians and performers are not branded in the first place. As I have stated here previously, most magicians start with the "default" approach I regularly speak of - they start learning tricks and eventually feel their magic is good enough to perform for others, so they start doing so, and this eventually gets them to feel they can perform for pay or profit, and so it begins. This is how 98% of magicians begin.

No business model, business plan, not many of the elements to control, guide and steer their performing. They create what they THINK is a show and find opportunities to perform it.

So nowhere in there is a point of conscious and deliberate branding. What I regularly see over and over again, is some (not all, as many never get to this point) will eventually learn and understand the many elements that they never adopted or implemented on the foundational level or during the absent foundational process. They THEN at this point later in their process may discover the foundational elements including positioning and branding and then may return to start all over again now learning more about this foundational process and determinations. So because of this, they were never actually branded in the first place so, as Danny said, it is really a "branding" rather than a re-branding.

Great thread.

One question that I thought about:
"Should I stop perform various shows on various events and start perform one show on all events because it get a more clear brand image to my customers?"

Personally I do one show for close up, one comedy club style and one hypnosis show.

That depends. What is your business model and plan? It is impossible for anyone to answer that question without knowing anything about you, your performance(s), markets, business model, etc.

Plus the question is obviously CAN you do all those things well enough?

Thanks for all the input. I like to change my offerings fairly often - to test the market. For instance, I dropped stilt walking. Nothing against it butIt wasn't popular in my market.
I also think a 're-fresh' of shows( and costumes) is a good idea. Finally I am learning new magic and writing new scripts to stand out a bit more...

If you don't mind constantly looking for new clients then changing offerings regularly is a good thing.

How do you ever polish a show or an act by constantly changing it.

I guess some are using different definitions or perhaps their own as we often see here. It seems one of the things popular today is guys pick up on "buzz" words and seem to not fully understand the actual meanings and more so purpose of these terms. I think some may have watched a Shark Tank marathon or something, lol.

We often see things like USP, Positioning Statements, Elevator Pitches, and often even Marketing used incorrectly. I'm getting the same feeling here with the terms Branding and Re-Branding.

So to clarify, Branding is establishing your company or corporate image and often positioning within your market, industry and to your target audience.

Re-Branding is the process of changing the corporate image of a current or existing brand with the intention of developing a new, differentiated identity in the minds of consumers, the industry, competitive landscape, and other targets.

It can involve changing the brand name, logo, visuals, packaging, marketing materials and/or any other defining aspect in support of the rebranded image and positioning.

So while these things can be part of moving forward with a re-branding, they themselves are not specifically what re-branding is in itself.

With that said, Re-branding is different than just changing or updating your offering, what you do or your business. Chevy can come out with a new and updated Camaro but it is just that - an update, progression, evolvement, but not at all a re-branding.

So what I feel has been discussed here, just giving something a new look and content is simply updating, evolving, not actual rebranding (unless I'm misunderstanding something). What was the actual brand in the first place?

Even taking what you currently do to a new market isn't necessarily a re-branding. It may require a re-positioning to that new market, but the branded offering will likely remain the same - just adjusted to a new market.

Doing, changing or adding new shows or performances also isn't re-branding. They are simply a different or perhaps evolvement or addition to what you currently offer, typically within the same brand (if one is established at all).

In my main market where I am well branded and positioned, I have 5 different shows due to the number of return bookings I have as part of my business plan. Are they all different? Yes. But they are all within the same branding and positioning. Furthermore, I also have 8 other programs and presentations within this skew in addition to my shows, which while all have completely different topics, all come and remain within my current and existing brand.

So where you are losing me is about changing costumes, characters, perhaps even the stage setting, and performance material, yet considering this a re-branding

I think he is talking about ‘Refreshing’ his brand. A little different than outright 're-branding' but it is a term used in the business world.


Tom

Yes Tom exactly.

Yes, re-freshing or updating is a good way to look at it. Looking at the businesses public face and the shows as well.