Most of us haven’t even started to think about the New Years Resolutions we’ll set and them promptly abandon in early 2016. But brands are deep into media and marketing planning season, thinking about the moves they’ll make in 2016. And many of them will decide that they need the marketing equivalent of a full-body cleanse: a rebrand.
Here are my predictions for the organizations that will rebrand next year (and how they’ll do it):
1.Volkswagen – This is low-hanging fruit, obviously, but Volkswagen is sure to rebrand in 2016. I predict that they’ll rely heavily on the reputations of their individual dealerships. You’ll see more advertising dollars spent on region-specific ads, a major charitable contribution to a nonprofit that advocates for clean air, and a new product (or at least the announcement of a new product). My money is on an Audi at a lower price point, with the goal of retaining Volkswagen lovers by giving them an easy gateway into the luxury brand.
2. The Republican Party – The Republican Party will take a hint from the marketing genius that is the Vatican and focus more on poverty, child welfare, and freedom of religion, in an attempt to combat the anti-Muslim, elitist rhetoric dominating the headlines, courtesy Trump and Carson.
3. Playtex and O.B. (and any other tampon/pad company that isn’t Always or Kotex) – First Kotex challenged Always by launching the “U by Kotex” brand in a surprisingly popular little black box, with an accompanying social campaign (#BreaktheCycle). Then Always threw down the gauntlet by launching the #LikeaGirl campaign and making women all over the country laugh and cry and cheer when we’re not on our periods. Playtex and OB will likely follow suit by creating some type of advocacy campaign and redesigning packaging. (And I think 2016 will be the year that someone rolls out a black tampon applicator. Please.)
4. Taco Bell – Somehow, Taco Ball has been spared the wrath of our increasingly health-conscious society and hasn’t come under too much fire for its unabashedly unhealthy menu. But, just this week “Taco Bell Cantina,” the brand’s response to uber-popular QSRs like Chipotle, opened in Chicago. They sell booze, so they’re one step closer to getting my business. My guess is that either all Taco Bells will be converted into Taco Bell Cantinas, or there will be some significant media expose, due to the increased attention the brand is getting after launching Taco Bell Cantina, and they’ll have to stop everything and go in a different direction.
5. Planned Parenthood – Though it looks like the women’s healthcare provider won’t be defunded (and won’t be pinned as the reason the government shut down), the organization will still need to go to great lengths in 2016 to make sure Americans know that Planned Parenthood is far more than a safe place for legal abortion. Right now, most of its marketing seems focused on earning and retaining donors, but I predict that there will be a larger campaign in 2016 toward the general public.
Who am I missing? Tweet me @rikki_rogers
Rikki writes. 