Our Risky Branding Strategy Changed Everything

Here are the top 10 key takeaways from ConvertKit's successful rebrand to Kit, showing how a strategic approach to rebranding can transform a company's trajectory and market position.

1. Rebranding in public builds momentum

Rebranding in public allowed Kit to carry over equity from Convert Kit rather than starting from scratch. By bringing people along on the journey, they could selectively maintain valuable elements of their previous brand while introducing new components for future growth.

This approach created anticipation and audience investment in the rebrand process. Fans were "desperate for next episodes" about the rebrand, demonstrating how public involvement generated engagement rather than confusion.

2. Brand strategy creates decision-making alignment

Kit's clearly documented brand strategy serves as a filter for decision-making across the company. The personality traits "bold, expert, sincere" provide a simple framework that helps team members evaluate whether initiatives align with the brand vision.

This shared understanding enables faster, more confident decisions. Team members can independently evaluate ideas against these principles, reducing the need for lengthy deliberations that were common during the Convert Kit era.

3. Boldness drives growth

The Kit brand embodies boldness much more than Convert Kit did. This manifests in taking bigger risks, launching ambitious initiatives like their App Store, and making decisive moves rather than choosing safer options after long deliberation periods.

The bold approach extends to talent acquisition, with Kit directly recruiting experts from industry leaders rather than trying to develop expertise in-house. This aggressive strategy has accelerated their progress and capabilities.

4. Brand impacts business outcomes

Kit has signed more celebrity creators in 90 days than in the entire previous company history. High-profile launches from Matthew McConaughey, Tom Brady, Ellen, and others demonstrate how the refreshed brand resonates at higher levels than before.

The brand's quality gives the sales team confidence in presentations. Partners consistently mention Kit's professional brand as a decisive factor in choosing to work with them, showing direct business impact from the rebrand investment.

5. Simplicity creates recognizable identity

Kit discovered that simplicity is the most effective approach to brand application. Their custom typeface (Kit Sans) paired with their brand color blue creates instant recognition without requiring their logo, demonstrating the power of restraint.

This simplicity makes the brand faster to implement consistently across platforms. When they experimented with more complex elements, it "felt too much" and diluted the Kit identity, affirming that their minimal approach was most effective.

6. Strategic messaging clarifies positioning

Kit defined precise messaging that captures their unique position: "email-first operating system for creators who mean business." This concise statement communicates multiple layers of meaning, from business-building to seriousness of purpose to creating meaningful value.

By articulating this positioning, they've distinguished themselves from "make money online" approaches that treat audiences as revenue sources. Kit's messaging emphasizes creating valuable relationships and delivering genuine value to audiences.

7. Internal operations reflect brand values

The rebrand affected how the company operates internally, not just how they present externally. Kit added specialized roles like a senior writer position that Convert Kit didn't have, recognizing the importance of carefully crafted language.

Their approach to company retreats also transformed, moving from planning exercises to hands-on "create weeks" where teams actively build solutions. This shift reflects Kit's value of bold action over extended deliberation.

8. Domain migration succeeded despite risks

Kit successfully migrated from convertkit.com to kit.com despite industry warnings about search traffic losses. They maintained 105% of their previous search traffic after the migration, defying conventional wisdom about domain changes.

This success resulted from careful planning and implementation rather than luck. Their experience provides a case study for other companies contemplating similar changes but hesitant due to perceived risks.

9. Self-belief shapes leadership growth

The rebrand process required and developed increased self-confidence among the leadership team. This transformation helped leaders trust their instincts, articulate their vision clearly, and make bolder decisions.

Leaders gained specific skills through the process, including public speaking abilities and comfort with vulnerability. These leadership qualities aligned with the brand's values and helped turn ambitious dreams into reality.

10. Systems enable speed with quality

Kit maintains Convert Kit's rapid pace but with greater intentionality through systematized processes. These systems allow them to deliver high-quality outputs quickly, such as producing a winning pitch for Tom Brady in just 24 hours. The investment in brand systems has positioned Kit for efficient execution over the next five-plus years. Their standardized assets and processes enable consistency and quality without sacrificing speed, balancing agility with professionalism.