If a tired brand is dragging you down, a frosty economy is a great time for a new design.

By freshening your brand identity, you’ll create buzz, connect with new customers, and better represent your organization.

It’s kind of like when you start working out to shed that jelly belly after you get dumped. Let ‘em know you’re back in circulation!

But if your brand is more 2004 than 1994, maybe you wanna rethink how your loyal customers will stomach the new you. Consider Tropicana’s ill-fated recent redo, an example of rebranding gone horribly sour.

PepsiCo’s complete brand overhaul included a twist on Tropicana branding with a sleek, new package that some loyal customers called a generic juice box! (Who knew how much they love the orange with the straw?)

The reaction to the new packaging was so acidic that Tropicana squashed the updated design and reverted to their orange-impaled-by-candy-striped-straw look.

There are two big lessons here. The first is that social media networks like Twitter and Facebook (not to mention the electronic mail and the rest of them Internets) give instant power to the people. Forget the slow pulp of newsprint or the long, sagging vines of telephony when it comes to relaying consumer rejection. Buyer discontent is instant.

The second lesson is that it’s vital to leverage your existing brand strengths. Take time to consider this before you hire someone who never bought a carton of orange juice to make visual or graphic adjustments to your life’s blood. Beware the huanglongbing of change for change’s sake.

If done carefully and with research of your target market, company values and core message, an identity redesign can be the best thing for your brand. The2009 ReBrand 100 Global Awardsare great examples.