Here’s a truth about brand refreshes that doesn’t make the headlines: what you keep is just as important as what you change.
If you’ve spent any time online this year, you probably saw the internet’s reaction to the Walmart brand refresh. Their announcement became a meme overnight—two logos side by side, seemingly identical, with only the most subtle adjustments to typography and color. It triggered a bit of a wait, what am I missing? moment. Was this a joke? Were we being punk’d?
As someone who has worked on more brand refreshes than I can count—inside in-house teams and as an external partner—I had a different reaction: relief.
Brand refreshes are massive undertakings. They require coordination across departments, buy-in from multiple stakeholders, and a huge amount of internal alignment. And when all that effort results in a small evolution instead of a total overhaul? It can feel underwhelming—especially to anyone expecting big visual fireworks.
But in Walmart’s case, it showed remarkable restraint. I loved it.
Why? Because it felt like the brand knew exactly who it was—and who it was for.
I grew up in a rural Texas town, where Walmart wasn’t just a store. It was the store. It was where we did our grocery shopping, bought Christmas gifts, and in high school, panic-shopped for prom dresses. We didn’t go for the ambiance—we went because it was affordable, convenient, and reliable. We built our own experiences around it.
Walmart could’ve tried to reinvent itself to chase perception or distance itself from criticism. But instead, they doubled down on the equity they’d already built. They changed just enough to modernize, but not so much that they alienated the people who shop there every week. That’s the sweet spot. That’s strategy.
So how do you know what to change and what to keep?
That’s where strategy comes in.
A brand refresh isn’t just about your logo. It’s about your promise. It’s about the connection between who you are, who you serve, and how the market perceives you. As we break down in our post on brand strategy, a true brand strategy connects identity, messaging, positioning, and customer experience into one cohesive throughline.
And when you’re clear on that throughline, you can refresh without disruption. You can evolve without erasing yourself. You can make small changes that actually mean something.
Define your brand promise.
This is your north star—the reason you exist, and the unique value you consistently deliver. Without a clear brand promise, it’s easy to default to “change for change’s sake.” But when you’re rooted in a strong promise, you’re able to protect the parts of your brand that are doing the heavy lifting, and only change what’s necessary to stay aligned with your audience and goals.
Understand your brand equity.
Brand equity isn’t just your logo or your tagline. It’s what people think and feel when they interact with your brand. It’s the memories, associations, reputation, and trust you’ve built over time. That’s why we approach refreshes carefully—because sometimes, the most powerful move is keeping what’s already working. (We talk more about that in our piece on creating a memorable brand identity.)
Know your customer.
This seems obvious, but it’s often overlooked. What do your customers love about your brand? What frustrates them? What keeps them coming back—or keeps them away? In our post on putting clarity and customers first, we talk about how centering the customer gives you clarity on what really matters. When you understand their experience, you make better decisions about how your brand needs to show up.
Assess the market.
What are your competitors doing? Where are they gaining traction—and where are they losing it? A smart brand refresh isn’t reactive; it’s informed. Especially if your business is implementing EOS or another strategic operating framework, as we explore in this post on rebranding and EOS, your brand decisions should be built on data, insight, and long-term goals—not surface-level trends.
The takeaway: refresh with purpose, not pressure.
A brand refresh doesn’t have to burn it all down. Sometimes, the best refresh is one that shows your audience: “We know who we are, and we are here for you.
At Circa, our job isn’t changing your brand for the sake of change. It’s to make sure your brand works harder. Feels clearer. Delivers more value. We help you build on what’s strong and evolve what’s not—without losing sight of what makes your brand matter in the first place.