Reebok Re-Brands Itself with the Fitness Sport

by Chris Brown 

It’s been said that it is much harder to rebrand and change the positioning in someone’s mind, than it is to start from scratch with a new brand. It’s expensive to say the least. All the packaging, product and collaterial. But even more expensive can be the miss-step. Just ask ask the brand managers of “new” Coke, or the folks at JCPenney.
Reebok is taking a stab at a new positioning and has developed a new mark. After 30 years of making products for elite athletes they are making a change.
The company uses a short branding video to launch it’s new brand mark and positioning… I like how they take their traditional icon that has been around “forever” and flip it to become the new mark of DELTA to symbolize change. Very timely and on target.
They insist their new brand mark is not a logo, but a symbol, a beacon – something for those who want to live a fit and healthy lifestyle. But when I saw that they have partnered with CrossFit, I thought hmmmm, isn’t that the group that’s a bit over the top with strenuous workouts?
While they say they want to appeal to “everyday people to fight against complacency… to be active and realize their potential,” somehow the extreme of CrossFit athletes is a disconnect with my perception of everyday people. It will be interesting to see how the launch progresses.
I’ve written before about how you know when it is time to rebrand.
By the way, can anyone explain to me what is a fitness sport? I usually think of a sport where you keep score. But casual running, biking and being active usually does not involve a stopwatch and score card. Or does it?  I think of fitness as an ideal, but not as a sport.  Please feel free to comment in the area below.

Source: http://brandandmarket.com