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What happens when the words you use to describe your business are the exact same words your competitors use?
That’s the wake-up call at the center of today’s conversation, and it kicked off a rebrand that ended up touching everything from a company’s logo to its name to how fast people trust them enough to buy.
Bill Gardner sat down with Jason Gardner of Spectrum Promo to unpack the journey from a 2007 logo he was proud of for nearly twenty years, to realizing his own brand had gone stale while he was busy being a steward for everyone else’s. We get into the discovery process, the new color palette people can’t stop complimenting, the shift from “Spectrum Promotional Products Inc.” to just Spectrum Promo, and even a peek behind the curtain of a rewards app that hit #1 on the download charts.
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- A year-long vetting process with a major prospective client revealed the problem: Spectrum’s website used the exact same language as every other company in their space.
- What started as a request for marketing help turned into a full identity overhaul once it became clear the website wasn’t a fit destination for new traffic.
- Discovery took longer than expected but produced a design brief built around competence, sincerity, and a touch of quirky excitement.
- Team apprehension about the rebrand faded fast — some of the most skeptical people became the biggest champions within weeks of launch.
- Establishing a consistent “brand voice” (specific words, not just visuals) became one of the most-used tools internally, especially for the sales team.
- The new vibrant color palette was an intentional 180 from the old metallic/mustard look, directly tied to the name “Spectrum.”
- Targeted digital marketing and tailored landing pages are helping convert cold impressions into warmer, more informed conversations.
- A rewards app built for a major (unnamed) customer briefly hit #1 in worldwide downloads, powered by an API integration Spectrum built to automate order fulfillment.
- Listening to how customers naturally referred to the company (“Spectrum Promo”) led directly to simplifying the name from “Spectrum Promotional Products Inc.”
0:00 — App Hits Global Charts
0:53 — Meet Bill and Jason
1:17 — From Designer to Promo Vision
3:44 — The 2007 Spectrum Logo
5:08 — Why Rebrand Now
7:27 — Stores and Tech Scale Up
12:19 — Marketing Reveals Website Gaps
15:55 — Discovery and New Identity
20:03 — Team Buy In and Fast Adoption
24:58 — Brand Voice and Better Words
29:41 — Color Palette and Visual System
33:59 — Website as Marketing Destination
39:10 — Digital Marketing Funnel
42:43 — Landing Pages and Remarketing
46:42 — Behind the Scenes App Integration
52:42 — Simplifying the Name
54:52 — Closing Reflections
Further Reference
About Gardner Design
Brandifesto is brought to you by Gardner Design. Since our founding in 1983, Gardner Design has produced effective and award-winning designs and results for many industry leaders.
Our designs and brand influence can be found in well-known brands including Facebook, Spirit AeroSystems, Cessna Aircraft Company, Kroger, Koch Industries, Cargill and hundreds more.
Regardless of size or industry, we get fired up about helping you reach new heights. Because we see it every day—better branding leads to a better future.
Ready to build a brand that consistently connects across all touchpoints?