Progressions

5 Rebranding Tips as Learned from Justin Bieber

Yes, you read that headline correctly. Going from a flippy-haired, freckle-faced kid to an almost always shirtless “bad boy,” Justin Bieber has brought his “Beliebers” a long way. After multiple arrests and public fights, Bieber rebranded himself. Here are some helpful tips for rebranding as learned from Bieber’s rise and fall.

1. Lay Low for a While

After a year that started with multiple arrests in the U.S. and in Canada, and a very public fight, Bieber decided to lay low and get out of the public eye. When he finally reappeared, everyone was wondering the same thing, “Where did he go? What did he do?” This placed him back in the public’s mind. Everyone wanted to know more about him and was checking his social media, keeping him relevant.

2. Show Personal Investment

When Bieber came back into public eye he was on the cover of popular magazines and was featured on talk shows, discussing his plans for the future of his image. This was much better than being featured on tabloids as he was in previous years. This helped Justin display how much he had grown as a person while he took a break from his public lifestyle.

3. Actions = Image

Before he took time off, people had a set image of the Justin Bieber that was on album covers, magazines and out partying. When Bieber came back into the light, mostly from the Calvin Klein ad, there was a side no one had ever seen of him. He seemed more mature and “grown up.” The image he was now projecting was that he was no longer the person getting into trouble.

4. No Detail is Too Small

After Bieber built his new image, it changed the way his fans saw him. Every person that helps him get ready, does his hair, his makeup, everything counts. If one detail is missed, it could all be ruined. Bieber already lost a lot of credibility so for him, no detail is too small to maintain his new image.

5. It’s Not Too Late to Say Sorry

Justin Bieber did not publicly apologize immediately after he rose back into fame. He waited until he gained the trust of his fans and viewers so that his apology would be real and sentimental. Bieber tweets positives things and has remained out of the negative tabloids continuing to grow his brand. Apologizing and showing that you have changed is crucial after any crisis. 

—

Alyssa Suszek is a sophomore public relations major and legal studies minor at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Mich. You can follow Alyssa on Twitter to chat more about branding and everything public relations.