Keep Your Old Brand Identity After a Rebrand

By Melon Cut ·

After a rebrand the old logo goes in a folder and everyone moves on. Two years later, someone finds that folder and prints 500 flyers with the retired logo. If you keep your old brand identity after a rebrand in an organized way, that does not happen. Here is why it matters and how to do it properly.

Why the old identity still matters

  • It is still out there. Old signs, packaging, social posts and invoices carry it for years.
  • Partners use it. A supplier's website may still show your old logo, and you will want to ask for a swap.
  • You may need it again. Anniversary posts, "then and now" comparisons and legal records all call for the old versions.
  • It explains the new choices. A designer who sees what you left behind understands why the new look is different.

What to record

For each retired identity, keep a small record:

| Item | Note | | --- | --- | | Logo files | All versions, named with the years they were used | | Colors | Codes and roles | | Fonts | Names and where they were used | | Dates | When it began, when it was retired | | Reason | One sentence on why it changed | | Status | Retired, or allowed in limited cases |

The status line is the most important. Make it clear that the old logo is retired and must not be used on new work, except where you say so, such as a heritage post.

Mark it so nobody mistakes it for current

If you store old and new files together, add the year or "retired" to file names. Never keep two files called "logo-final". Keep current files at the top and old ones under a clearly labeled history section.

Plan the overlap

Rebrands rarely switch overnight. Write a short transition note: which items change first (website, social profiles), which wait until stock runs out (packaging, uniforms), and a date by which the old identity must be gone. People follow a deadline better than a preference.

Use the old identity on purpose

A rebrand anniversary or a "since 1998" post can show the old logo deliberately. Put the rule in writing: heritage use only, always labeled with a year, never next to the current logo as if they were equal.

Prompts for the transition

Write a short post for our customers saying we have a new look from today, that nothing about our service has changed, and that they may still see our old logo on some items for a while.

Create a "then and now" story, split into two halves: our old logo on the left on a cream background, our new logo on the right on deep green. Headline: "Still us".

Attach both logos as references, and check that each logo is shown correctly, as AI output may not reproduce a logo exactly.

In Melon Cut

Melon Cut Guidelines keeps a history of older identities next to the current one, so retired logos, colors and fonts stay on record without being mixed up with the new ones. Pictures made in Melon Cut Design follow the current brand when you name it with @. Read How to Update Old Brand Guidelines for the wider update process.

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