# Rebrand Announcement Playbook

Used only when `mode: rebrand`. The SKILL.md Phase 6 Final Selection step
points here for detail; the 05-decision.md template already includes the
shorter announcement-draft block.

## Three-stage rollout

### 1. Pre-announce (internal, 2–4 weeks)

Before any public signal:

- Trademark application filed — e.g., USPTO §1(a) if the mark is already
  in use in commerce, or §1(b) Intent-to-Use if launch is still ahead.
  (There is no such thing as a "provisional trademark" — that's a patent
  concept. Don't confuse the two.) Full clearance still requires an
  attorney.
- Primary domain + 2 modifiers secured.
- Social handles claimed (even if not yet posting).
- Team trained on the new name, pronunciation, and the "why" talking point.
- Landing page staged behind a flag.
- Customer-facing copy audited for old-name references.

Nothing public yet.

### 2. Announce (external, day 0)

**One blog post, one reason.** Do not say "we wanted to feel modern." Use
exactly one of:

- Strategic pivot — product or market has moved, old name no longer fits.
- Architecture clarity — disambiguating product vs company, or
  disentangling from a parent brand.
- Legal necessity — trademark conflict, international expansion blocker,
  active dispute.

Template to emulate: Vercel's "Zeit is now Vercel" (2020). One page, one
reason, continuity promise, forward-looking close.

Synchronize release across:

- Blog post.
- Customer email.
- X thread (4 posts) + LinkedIn single post.
- Press outreach (if applicable).

### 3. Transition (dual-brand, 3–12 months)

Every public mention uses the phrasing:

> "{New}, formerly {Old}"

Apply consistently across:

- Press and docs.
- App store listings (iOS + Android).
- Domain — 301-redirect old domain to new, never delete.
- Social handles — rename rather than delete; legacy URLs stay resolvable.

Drop the "formerly" modifier after 3–12 months depending on brand
recognition curve. Track using branded search query share (old vs new).

## Equity preservation by stage

| Stage | Rename cost | Guidance |
|-------|-------------|----------|
| Pre-Series B | Minimal equity, cheap to rename. | Do it now. |
| Growth stage | Needs transition story + customer-by-customer outreach. Expect 3–6 month SEO dip. | Proceed if triggers warrant, but plan for the SEO trough. |
| Mature | Only if current name is actively harmful. | Bar is high. Tribune → tronc → Tribune stands as the cautionary tale. |

## Common failure modes

- **Silent rename** — no blog post, customers find out from a billing
  change. Destroys trust.
- **Multiple reasons** — listing 4 reasons signals uncertainty. Pick one.
- **Skip dual-brand** — breaks search, confuses procurement.
- **Delete old handles** — breaks historical links and cedes the handle
  to squatters.
