Social feeds funnel a perpetually refreshed feast of content to users hungry for more culinary ideas and inspirations — everything from charcuterie nachos to cloud matcha to creative egg flights.1 Forty-four percent of consumers have purchased a food, beverage or ingredient just because they saw it on social media, with Gen Z (55%) and millennials (56%) most likely to do so.1
And the more inventive food creators become, the greater the demand for new and unusual culinary concepts, like the viral “6 eggs 6 ways” concept — three boiled eggs cut in half to make ”six” eggs that are then each topped with different ingredients of choice — which 31% of consumers are interested in trying.1
The ever-changing social landscape requires food and beverage brands to evolve and adapt as tastes, culture and consumer behaviors shift. One-off social fixes won’t keep brands relevant; continuous brand evolution to keep pace with social shifts has become a must.
Strategic rebranding is needed to keep brands fresh and socially relevant. Dunkin’ exemplified a successful rebrand with the dropping of “Donuts” from its name and a refocusing of the brand identity on beverages and the overall customer experience. A vigorous marketing campaign and social media push supported the rebrand.
By contrast, rebrands that lack a clear strategic purpose can go awry, as when Tropicana replaced their iconic logo and straw-in-an-orange package design with a more modern look. After fallout from consumers and a 20% falloff in sales, the brand reverted back to its classic design.
“Any rebrand needs to be aligned with the social landscape of its audience,” said Hays Fromella, social media director for The Food Group. “Dunkin’ pared down its logo but kept it iconic, seamlessly integrating it into advertising which had already been socially driven for a while. Dunkin’ freshened up its look while maintaining its legacy, so the rebrand appealed to longtime customers and younger, more socially engaged demos too.”
Nicole Bland, digital strategist for The Food Group, pointed out that any rebrand should align with demand for fresh, relevant and authentic content and consider platform shifts that affect how content is delivered.
“A stodgy brand identity isn’t consistent with what’s current,” she explained. “Rebrand efforts should include engaging content that leverage culinary trends, algorithm updates and new features like Instagram Reels and Meta’s Threads app. And because all these elements are always in flux, brands need to be in a continuous state of evolution to keep a step ahead.”
A drop-off in likes, shares and comments over time while competitors are gaining traction with trends you’re late to adopt is a telltale sign it’s time to rethink your social presence.
Updating your visuals and tone and tying into social media trends can help revitalize your brand and boost engagement. Consider how Nutter Butter’s “Brain Rot” TikTok strategy embraced meme culture to stay relevant, speak to a younger audience and extend viral reach.
Bland emphasized that cultural relevance is key. “Keep in mind that social media is where food trends like chaos cakes and plant-based protein drinks take off first. We’re noticing younger generations gravitating towards short-form video formats on TikTok and YouTube for foodie inspiration.”
Rebranding on social media involves much more than a new look. It’s about creating a fresh energy that connects with your audience and gives your brand a signature social presence. From refining your brand voice and visual identity to testing bold new formats, every step should build momentum and spark engagement. Keep in mind these essentials:
Remember that in the food and beverage industry, culture moves fast — and your brand has to move faster. To stay relevant, you can’t afford to reinvent your brand once every few years; your brand needs to be in a state of continuous evolution. Use the insights and steps outlined in this post to effectively reimagine your brand identity for ever-changing tastes, trends and times.
For more insights into the intersection of social media and brand identity, be sure to dig into “A Feast of Possibilities: What B2B Influencer Marketing Brings to the Table” and “Table Reset: How YouTube Is Revolutionizing Food and Beverage Marketing.”
1 Datassential, Social Media Sensations, August 2024
2 Adrivet, Marion, “What to learn from Tropicana’s packaging redesign failure?,” The Branding Journal, May 1, 2015