Many companies do not experience a dramatic brand failure. Instead, their brands gradually lose relevance as markets change, businesses evolve and new technology alters how consumers discover and evaluate companies.
Brand strategist and 12-time author Karen Tiber Leland argues that this quiet form of brand drift is becoming a major challenge for businesses — and that the solution may not be another expensive rebrand, but a more disciplined approach she calls a “re-up.”
New Gartner research underscores the challenge. A survey of 426 senior marketing leaders conducted in September and October 2025 and released in June 2026 found that 84% of companies were caught in what Gartner calls a “brand doom loop.” According to the research, companies in the cycle underinvest in brand measurement, lose confidence in the results and subsequently receive less funding for brand initiatives. Those companies were half as likely to exceed their growth targets.
Gartner also predicts that by 2028, more than 80% of companies will make significant changes to their identity, including their mission, brand and culture, in response to the impact of artificial intelligence on their markets.
Leland, president of Sterling Marketing Group, believes businesses should consider ongoing brand maintenance rather than treating branding as a project that happens once every several years.
“Starting over says the last version was a mistake. Re-upping says it worked — and now you’ve outgrown it,” Leland said.
Her forthcoming book, Re-Up Your Brand, explores the concept. A re-up does not necessarily mean changing a company’s logo, colors or visual identity. Instead, it involves regularly examining what the brand promises, who it serves and where it appears.
Leland recommends conducting an annual diagnosis and then determining what, if anything, needs to change.
She also warns against what she calls “drunk marketing,” or making marketing decisions based on competitors’ actions, social media trends or internal excitement rather than strategy and data.
Her Brand Momentum Model examines three stages of brand development: Findable, Followable and Unforgettable.
“Findable” addresses whether potential customers can locate a brand, particularly as artificial intelligence increasingly influences how people search for information. “Followable” considers whether consumers remain engaged after discovering a company. “Unforgettable” focuses on whether a brand occupies a distinctive position that competitors cannot easily replicate.
Leland argues that a company does not necessarily need to overhaul its entire brand if performance is weakening. Instead, leaders can identify where the disconnect exists and focus their efforts there.
Her perspective comes as businesses navigate rapid changes in technology, leadership and consumer behavior. With artificial intelligence changing how companies are discovered and evaluated, maintaining brand relevance may increasingly require organizations to revisit their positioning regularly rather than waiting until a major reset becomes necessary.
Leland is president of Sterling Marketing Group and has written 12 business books, with more than 450,000 copies sold. Her work and commentary have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and USA Today.