Change of Address

Think about it this way:

Evolving your brand, reigniting your brand, changing things up, freshening, whatever. It's a change of address. A change of theoretical address as opposed to a change of physical address.

I suppose the same could be said for an initial branding effort. That's like a brand moving from the dorms after graduation and into its first apartment or condo or whatever.

It's a new space. A new place to occupy, a new phase of your brand's identity.

It's the same family, different house, different floorplan, maybe different furniture. Perhaps more. Perhaps less. A new house doesn't necessarily mean a bigger one. It's a new vibe. A new route home from work or to the mall. A new way of being seen and how you see yourself. Maybe a bigger yard that requires getting help keeping the lawn, flowers, bushes and trees from overgrowing and looking like hell. Or a smaller one you can more easily tend yourself.

When you're moving yourself—or moving your brand—into these new digs, what do you pack and save? What do you throw away? What do you sell on ebay? What do you buy new? What do you put into storage in case you need to use it someday?

Do you send out the obligatory "we've moved!" postcard? Or announce your new address a different way? Should you throw a housewarming party? How do you introduce yourself to your new neighbors? Will you become friends with them? Or compete to see who can pull off the better holiday decorations?

Is this the home you want to live in for good? A starter? A fixer-upper? Will you want to upgrade/move on/retire to Florida in the next few years?

A change of address. A change of branding. Either way it's occupying a new scheme of identity.