As many of you know, we’ve almost completed our new application. 

Instead of simply adding new functionality onto our existing app and improving key features, we decided to build a completely new app from the ground up. One reason was technological–we needed to unify the backend components of our existing site.

But the main reason was that we wanted to take some of our high-value functionality (our plan creator) and integrate it into the way our users work. Instead of “adding on,” we went back to the drawing board and started from scratch. 

The upside of this approach was our ability to reference all of the customer intelligence we’ve gained over the last 2 years and apply it during our build. We had a blank canvas. Instead of making minor improvements and adding bits and pieces, we rebuilt the high-value functionality into a new app and eliminated the low value features.

The downside was that it was time-consuming and challenging.

Internally we called it our “v3.0,” but during initial customer testing, we realized we had a “problem”–our new application had outgrown our existing brand.  In our existing v2.0, most of the value we deliver is from our content. We serve it up from our site and have some nice software widgets for managing goals and campaign metrics. 

But our v3.0 is a full blown web-app, meshing online project management, document management and collaboration into our existing marketing process and content. 

Since we have a completely different offering, we need a new brand. It was crystal clear after one of our distributors said “Jim, this is a completely different offering. It’s much more than the M.O. brand.” 

So instead of simply birthing our new app, we’re birthing an entire new product offering.  As much as I didn’t want to undertake this additional workload, it’s the right thing to do, and the right time to rename and rebrand. 

The new app is just about done, so we’re moving on to the rest of the list: 

• New name
• New logo
• New corporate identity
• New positioning
• New brand strategy
• New messaging
• New website
• New sales tools & literature
• New campaigns

The long project just got longer, but with this much effort already expended, it makes sense to get it right…

Tags: branding, Project management, rebranding

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 26th, 2009 at 11:30 pm and is filed under Announcements. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.