The Art of the Rebrand
By: Elizabeth Beggan
Rebranding knows no limits. From celebrities to universities, titles and aesthetics are perpetually changing. Marist University has recently undergone a rebrand, shifting from a college into a university. Since then, the change has been significant. Between the updated logo and new policies like paid parking passes, the shift is undeniable. Naturally, the topic of rebrands has resurfaced in pop culture.
Throughout the media age, we’ve learned many things. We’ve learned that no matter what’s said, it can and will be printed on the TMZ front pages, how important the right baseball cap is, that if you shave your head audiences will gasp, and most importantly, the art of the celebrity rebrand.
Celebrities have managed to step out of unfamiliar territory, supported by an immense amount of media training that many have mastered. With the demand for aesthetics in our society, celebrities have contorted themselves into balancing on a thin trapeze. Losing weight, gaining it back, dyeing their hair, celebrities achieve a kind of chameleon status.
Photographed I Libby Hale Clark
What keeps them balanced is often unbeknownst to us, the observer. For us, we have to look at celebrities as a brand from the moment; they’re on the velvet red carpet until they launch their inevitable wellness or lifestyle company. At the end of the day, their curation is more than just aesthetics; it’s about relevancy.
An argument could be made that in order for Marist University to stay competitive and forward-looking, it needed to embrace its evolution into a university. The rebrand creates an opportunity to reach a broader, more diverse pool of students, much like celebrities who reinvent themselves to remain culturally relevant. In that sense, Marist’s transformation mirrors the same strategic recalibration we see in pop culture, an effort to signal growth, ambition, and a readiness to meet a changing audience. Reinvention becomes less about vanity and more about survival.
In today’s glittery cultural world, Addison Rae has one of the most notable and successful rebrands. We now know Rae as a rising pop star who has performed at major industry events, secured a denim collaboration with Lucky Brand, and mastered the art of curating an effortless aesthetic.
Photographed I Libby Hale Clark
From dancing in the hallways of her Louisiana home to wearing Jean Paul Gaultier to grab coffee, she’s come a long way. But what’s most striking isn’t just her versatility, t’s the clarity of her rebrand. Authenticity is the most important plate to balance because without it, the image will ultimately crumble.
Authenticity sets the radar off; it’s the compass we as observers follow to determine whether a rebrand is truly successful. It’s not something that happens overnight, but rather with time, intention, and the right team. Consumer preferences can shift instantly, and celebrities must learn to navigate those changes seamlessly, without showing strain.
This idea circles back to institutions like Marist University, where rebranding is not just cosmetic but cultural. The challenge lies in maintaining authenticity while evolving, ensuring that growth doesn’t come at the cost of identity. Just like a celebrity, a university must convince its audience that the transformation is both natural and necessary.
The rebranding and shapeshifting stem from a place of high demand that ultimately leaves celebrities treading water, waiting for the next cycle. In the end, we have to ask ourselves: is it a rebrand, or is it simply growing up?
