The Real Cost of Branding
Good branding costs money, bad branding costs growth.
Posted 26.04.28
It’s easy when it comes to branding to see a number on a quote or an invoice and immediately think about how much it will set you back. That is understandable, every penny counts and in today’s economy, businesses have to be extra vigilant about where their money is going and how it's spent.
However, focusing on the price tag alone can obscure a more important question: what is the real cost of branding? Maybe the actual cost isn’t the number on the invoice, but the impact branding has on your business.
However, focusing on the price tag alone can obscure a more important question: what is the real cost of branding? Maybe the actual cost isn’t the number on the invoice, but the impact branding has on your business.
Branding As a Cost VS An Investment
For many businesses, branding is seen as something that is a ‘nice to have’, a marketing expense or a one off project, rather than a long term and necessary investment.
But branding doesn’t work like that, you’re not just buying a logo or a set of guidelines, you’re investing in how your business is perceived, remembered and chosen. Strong branding shapes perceptions, attracts the right customers, supports growth and creates long term values. When it works well, it can change the whole trajectory of a business.
But branding doesn’t work like that, you’re not just buying a logo or a set of guidelines, you’re investing in how your business is perceived, remembered and chosen. Strong branding shapes perceptions, attracts the right customers, supports growth and creates long term values. When it works well, it can change the whole trajectory of a business.
The Risk of Doing it Badly
There’s another side to this conversation too, getting branding wrong can be costly.
This is especially true when an established business rebrands and misses the mark. It can confuse customers and chip away at trust that’s taken years to build.
We’ve seen it happen before. Gap faced a big backlash over its 2010 logo redesign and quickly reversed it to try and undo any damage.. More recently, we’ve seen Jaguar face criticism over its rebrand, with many feeling it moved too far from what people knew and recognised.
It’s a good reminder that rebranding isn’t just about making something look better. It’s about making the right choices for the business. And that’s why choosing the right partner isn’t just about creativity, it’s about protecting what you’ve already built.
This is especially true when an established business rebrands and misses the mark. It can confuse customers and chip away at trust that’s taken years to build.
We’ve seen it happen before. Gap faced a big backlash over its 2010 logo redesign and quickly reversed it to try and undo any damage.. More recently, we’ve seen Jaguar face criticism over its rebrand, with many feeling it moved too far from what people knew and recognised.
It’s a good reminder that rebranding isn’t just about making something look better. It’s about making the right choices for the business. And that’s why choosing the right partner isn’t just about creativity, it’s about protecting what you’ve already built.
When Branding Unlocks Growth
At the other end of the spectrum, the right branding can completely change the direction of a business.
A great example of this is Poppi, the American soda brand that has recently made its way to the UK.
Originally called Mother, the drink was made with apple cider vinegar and tapped into wellness trends, but the branding just wasn’t landing. The name, packaging and overall look didn’t really reflect the product or help it stand out.
In 2020, the brand became Poppi, and that changed everything. With bright packaging, a bold new name and a much more playful feel, it suddenly felt fresh, fun and relevant. It looked less like a niche health drink and more like something people would actually want to grab off the shelf.
The growth that followed was huge. The brand built real momentum through social media, especially with younger audiences, expanded into major retailers and was eventually bought by PepsiCo for $1.95 billion.
It’s a great example of what strong branding can do. The product itself didn’t dramatically change, but the way it was presented did, and that made all the difference. Rebranding can feel like a big investment, but when it’s done well, it can completely shift how a business is seen.
A great example of this is Poppi, the American soda brand that has recently made its way to the UK.
Originally called Mother, the drink was made with apple cider vinegar and tapped into wellness trends, but the branding just wasn’t landing. The name, packaging and overall look didn’t really reflect the product or help it stand out.
In 2020, the brand became Poppi, and that changed everything. With bright packaging, a bold new name and a much more playful feel, it suddenly felt fresh, fun and relevant. It looked less like a niche health drink and more like something people would actually want to grab off the shelf.
The growth that followed was huge. The brand built real momentum through social media, especially with younger audiences, expanded into major retailers and was eventually bought by PepsiCo for $1.95 billion.
It’s a great example of what strong branding can do. The product itself didn’t dramatically change, but the way it was presented did, and that made all the difference. Rebranding can feel like a big investment, but when it’s done well, it can completely shift how a business is seen.
The Real Question to Ask
So when you’re looking at the cost of branding, it can help to think about it in a different way. Instead of asking how much is this going to cost? ask, what could this help us make back?
A simple way to think about it could be:
Strong Brand X Increased Demand = Greater Return
If better branding helps more people trust you, choose you, and buy from you, the return can quickly outweigh the upfront investment. Because in branding, the cheapest option is rarely the one that creates the most value.
The real cost of branding isn’t the investment, it’s the difference between the business you have today and the one you could build with the right brand behind it.
A simple way to think about it could be:
Strong Brand X Increased Demand = Greater Return
If better branding helps more people trust you, choose you, and buy from you, the return can quickly outweigh the upfront investment. Because in branding, the cheapest option is rarely the one that creates the most value.
The real cost of branding isn’t the investment, it’s the difference between the business you have today and the one you could build with the right brand behind it.
