--- title: Creating a Brand Identity That Sticks description: One of the most common challenges financial institutions face in today's market is that their brand isn't known -- often times in their own markets! image: https://www.lamacchiagroup.com/hubfs/iStock-1367764238.jpg --- [![1_](https://www.lamacchiagroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/1_.png?width=120&height=37&name=1_.png) ![icon3-2](https://www.lamacchiagroup.com/hubfs/icon3-2.png) ](https://www.lamacchiagroup.com/) [![1](https://www.lamacchiagroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/1.png?width=120&height=37&name=1.png) ![icon1-1](https://www.lamacchiagroup.com/hubfs/icon1-1.png) ](https://vivalociti.lamacchiagroup.com/) [![Logo w Tag - Color@300x (1)](https://www.lamacchiagroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Logo%20w%20Tag%20-%20Color@300x%20(1).png?width=248&height=73&name=Logo%20w%20Tag%20-%20Color@300x%20(1).png "Logo w Tag - Color@300x (1)")](https://www.lamacchiagroup.com/) ![Creating a Brand Identity That Sticks](https://www.lamacchiagroup.com/hubfs/iStock-1367764238.jpg) Share:   [** ](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lamacchiagroup.com%2Fresources%2Fcreating-a-brand-identity-that-sticks)  [** ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lamacchiagroup.com%2Fresources%2Fcreating-a-brand-identity-that-sticks) # Creating a Brand Identity That Sticks [by La Macchia Group](https://www.lamacchiagroup.com/resources/author/la-macchia-group) “No one knows who we are!” Sound familiar? That’s just one of many common challenges financial institutions face in today’s market, and oftentimes, a very sound reason many give for exploring a rebrand. But, as Gap’s disastrous [2010 rebrand attempt](https://www.thebrandingjournal.com/2021/04/learnings-gap-logo-redesign-fail/) will tell you, not all rebrands are created equal. So, how do we learn from their failure? Here are three tips to avoid a ‘Gapocalypse’ and create a brand that sticks:   **1. Create Key Stakeholder Buy-In** A wise psychology textbook once said, “our favorite subject to talk about is ourselves.” From your staff to your board to your membership, it’s important that key stakeholders understand how their feedback was incorporated into your new brand. Educate stakeholders on how *their* voices were heard, how this rebrand helps *them*, and how *they* played a key role in the development of your new brand. Not only will doing so foster a deeper understanding of your new brand, it will create a sense of ownership, and create buy-in in ways that often results in a sense of pride and loyalty.    **2. Launch Strong** Even the strongest brands can struggle to gain traction in the marketplace if launched incorrectly (ahem, #Gapocalypse). A weak brand launch can create more confusion than understanding and give your membership feelings of unfamiliarity and bewilderment. Make sure your rollout plan is sound! The “Who, What, Where, When, and How” of how you launch your new brand will be the difference between crawling across the finish line or sprinting those last 100 meters.    3. Create an Emotional Connection Lastly, the most important thing about creating a brand identity that sticks is creating something that speaks to the heart and creates an emotional experience. What are your target audience’s aspirations? What keeps them up at night? These are the things that will resonate with your target market(s), because, at the end of the day, it’s not the colors that were chosen or the logo that was created—it’s the emotional connection a brand has imparted on a person that lingers long after the words have faded. Are you ready for a rebrand? Learn more about how [La Macchia Group](https://www.lamacchiagroup.com/services/brand) can assist you and create a brand identity that sticks! ![Lillian Mehta - Director of Branding - SME-1](https://www.lamacchiagroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Lillian%20Mehta%20-%20Director%20of%20Branding%20-%20SME-1.jpg?width=341&height=228&name=Lillian%20Mehta%20-%20Director%20of%20Branding%20-%20SME-1.jpg) Lillian Mehta | Director of Branding Passionate about solving consumer needs, Lillian has been strategically building regional and national brands for over 10 years. With an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Lillian uses a data-driven approach to identify what makes your brand special. By understanding what matters most to the end user, she connects this with your brand’s point of differentiation to make sure you stand above the competition.  ### SUBSCRIBE TO OUR BLOG SIGN UP × ## RELATED RESOURCES [![](https://www.lamacchiagroup.com/hubfs/iStock-2159600538.jpg)](https://www.lamacchiagroup.com/resources/future-proofing-financial-institutions-consumer-centric-strategies-for-2025) Planning Future-Proofing Financial Institutions: Consumer-Centric Strategies for 2025 Consumers are changing how they think about banks and credit unions. In response, financial... 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