The secrets of brand agility
How brands can pivot with purpose.

Some of the world’s most iconic brands started out doing something different. Before Netflix was an online streaming service, it offered direct mail DVDs. Before Play-Doh became a much-loved kid’s toy, it was a putty wallpaper cleaner. And X (formerly Twitter) first emerged as an internal SMS tool for employees at a podcasting company.
The business landscape is always shifting—new trends emerge, technologies evolve, and customer expectations grow. For brands, change is often essential, whether it’s to overcome challenges or seize new opportunities. However, evolving in a different direction can feel like an overwhelming task.
Brand agility is an important trait: it’s the art of adapting to change without losing sight of who you are or what makes your brand unique.
How to pivot without losing balance
Navigating change is daunting, especially when the stakes are high. But with thoughtful, strategic planning, mastering brand agility is entirely possible. Here are some practical tips and real-world examples to help your brand adapt with confidence:
1. Know your core values (and stick to them)
Agility starts with a solid foundation. Revisit your mission and values before making changes—these should guide every decision.
2. Listen to your customers

Your audience is your compass. Use surveys, social media feedback, and customer data to understand their evolving needs. Glossier has agility built into its DNA, regularly sourcing product ideas directly from its community. When struggling to create the perfect cleanser, they turned to their customers for input, gathering 385 comments that inspired their first crowdsourced product: Milky Jelly.
3. Start small and test new ideas

Not every pivot has to be major. Experiment with small changes and measure their impact. Take Warby Parker, which began online but tested physical pop-ups before committing to brick-and-mortar stores.
4. Keep your messaging consistent
Agility doesn’t mean inconsistency. Ensure your messaging remains clear and recognizable across all touchpoints, even as you evolve. Over the years, Starbucks has simplified its logo, dropping the wordmark, yet their core message of creating a welcoming, community-focused coffee experience has remained the same.
5. Stay ahead of trends without losing focus
Spot trends early, but ensure they align with your brand. Chobani, for instance, transitioned from being just a Greek yogurt company to a broader health and wellness brand. They leaned into evolving food trends while staying true to their goal of making better food for more people.
6. Embrace innovation, but stay grounded
Innovation should always fit your brand’s bigger purpose. Mailchimp, originally an email marketing tool for small businesses, expanded into a full-service marketing platform without losing its quirky, small-business-friendly personality.
7. Communicate the “why” behind changes
When introducing something new, clarity and transparency are key. Your audience needs to understand not just what is changing but why. Eurostar’s recent rebrand focused on explaining how the changes reflected their expanded vision, ensuring customers felt informed and included throughout the process.
Premium tools to support your brand evolution
No matter where your brand is heading, MOO understands the challenges of evolving while staying true to your core. We’ve been on that journey ourselves, starting out as a print-only company, expanding our Branded Merch offering, and going through a brand refresh last year.
Through thoughtful design, Marketing Materials, and merch, we help businesses like yours adapt and thrive. Whether you’re refreshing your identity or launching something new, the tools you use can make all the difference
MOO Business Services provides everything you need to bring your vision to life. To find out more, fill out this simple form, and one of our team members will be in touch shortly.
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