The shift from Gorilla Marketing to Tactics Marketing represents a complete strategic evolution, moving from a "spray and pray" approach focused on volume to a precise, metrics-driven mindset. The rebrand was carefully executed with a five-phase playbook to safeguard client trust and revenue while clearly signaling a commitment to measurable, intentional growth.
The Tactics Marketing rebrand was more than just a new logo. It was a wholesale shift from the volume-first bravado of Gorilla Marketing to the precise, intentional mindset that ‘Tactics’ now stands for. As such, Tactics aims at helping MSPs turn their content assets into tangible conversion drivers.
We also launched two new business functions: a Marketing Management App and a comprehensive Learning Portal. These additions completed our "Learn - Plan - Grow" motto. However, it became clear that we had outgrown the Gorilla brand.
In this blog, you will see exactly why and how the change happened, how we de-risked it, and the blueprint you can use to run a low-friction rebrand of your own. Think of this as a strategy-first brand evolution that safeguards revenue and client trust while unlocking smarter growth.
Why the Pivot From Gorilla to Tactics Marketing?
Tactics Marketing, led by Matt Middlesetter, exists to prove that strategy wins when backed by disciplined action. That focus, sadly enough, wasn’t obvious under the previous Gorilla banner, which implied brute force rather than precision. Or as we like to say, "Spray and Pray" approach. Where volume and quantity outweigh strategy and quality.
Sure, Gorilla was recognized for going big and being bold, but upon a closer look, it sometimes felt like throwing campaigns at the wall, hoping something would stick. That is not where we wanted to be or how we saw ourselves.
Rebranding to Tactics was our way of saying to the world, and to ourselves, that we aren’t just here to grab attention. We’re here to create momentum you can actually track.
Here’s the condensed rundown of the Tactics Marketing story and why Gorilla Marketing changed its name.
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Strategic positioning: Strategy defines where to play and how to win, and Tactics Marketing delivers measurable results against that precise roadmap. The brand makes that promise explicit and sets clearer expectations for enterprise buyers who value accountability over spectacle.
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Market fit: Mid-to-large companies now prioritize repeatable programs they can scale and measure, not one-off stunts. The new name signals a partner that engineers pipelines, not noise.
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Customer signal: Our core services, comprising revenue strategy, demand generation, and creative sprints, align with most CMOs’ need for method plus metrics. Hence, the name 'Tactics' acts as a shorthand for that.
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Brand evolution: Any brand worth its salt has to evolve. Similarly, this move celebrates past wins while positioning us for a data-driven future.
How We Navigated the Tactics Marketing Rebrand Risks
Every rebrand plays out in public, and backlash can be swift and just as brutal. Think of it as changing costumes mid-show. Scary, right? Thus, we mapped four primary risk zones and built guardrails for each.
- Client confusion/churn: Initially, we sprinted with internal comms, making sure every account manager had the story and the scripts to explain what was happening and why.
- Public questions: A prewritten FAQ and spokesperson matrix let us answer “why Gorilla Marketing changed name” consistently across channels.
- Operational disruption: A phased asset rollout with dev, design, and SEO checkpoints prevented broken links and tracking gaps.
- Legal/compliance: All creatives, especially guerrilla marketing pilots, went through legal review.
Remember that some people will inevitably resist change. (their cheese has been moved) It's important to listen to their concerns and distinguish between genuine warnings and a simple preference for the status quo.
Tactics Marketing Rebrand Playbook: Step-by-step Rollout
Here’s how we took an idea and turned it into a living, breathing brand transition, one phase at a time. The framework below distills best practices from rebrand leaders into five phases you can copy, adapt, or benchmark.
Phase 0: Finalizing positioning & leadership alignment
We locked the story before we touched a single visual. We drafted a one-page positioning brief outlining the problem, how we solved it, and why we’re different. We also arranged for an exec-and-client team workshop to nail down KPIs, approve the narrative, and boil our pitch down to something one could deliver in an elevator ride.
Phase 1: Internal activation
Our own teams heard the news first. Town hall, FAQ documents, and brand-ambassador checklists were rolled out so all our client-facing folks could carry the story with real confidence. Everyone, from sales to ops, took micro-training as well to keep the messaging crisp. (This included a very limited VIP client feedback/focus group as well)
Phase 2: Asset audit & touchpoint update
We inventoried every channel, right from the site, proposals, ad accounts, and even contracts were updated in revenue/visibility order. A 301 redirect plan protected search equity for the tactics marketing rebrand, while new metadata and UTMs kept analytics clean.
Phase 3: Controlled public rollout
Launch started with a gated microsite and hand-crafted emails to clients, followed by owned channels, social media, etc. We even had social listening on 24/7 for the first three days
Phase 4: Pilot creative stunt & measurement instrumentation
We didn’t just launch and hope for the best. Every creative activation, from pop-up demos to retargeting on socials, was measured, tracked, and legally cleared.
Keeping Ourselves Honest: Measurement & Feedback
We knew just the feeling of it wasn’t enough. The rebrand and the subsequent results had to be about numbers. That is why, post-launch, our dashboards tracked everything, from branded search volume, direct traffic spikes, share of voice, to even landing-page conversions.
How We Built Buy-in From Employees and Clients
A rebrand lives or dies by its believers. Keeping these words of wisdom in mind, we started with an executive email and a two-liner that could anchor any town hall intro.
Also, clients received personalized emails, then calls when and where needed. Even sales decks, support team scripts, proposal templates, and case studies were all refreshed to reflect the new direction.
What the Rebrand Stands For
If we had to sum it up, moving from Gorilla Marketing to Tactics Marketing was about trading brute-force volume for precision moves, engineered for actual, measurable growth.
Our goal was focused on being resilient in a shifting market, never losing sight of strategy, and making sure every step counts, both for us and for the clients that trust us.
If you want to see how a rebrand is more than skin deep, check our methodology or get in touch with us, as this playbook is something we believe anyone can adapt.
Key Takeaways
- The shift from Gorilla to Tactics Marketing symbolizes a strategic move
- The rebrand was driven by a need for strategic marketing, not just bold campaigns
- Client churn, public confusion, and operational glitches were mapped and mitigated
- Changes were supported by data tracking and real-time feedback
- Employees were early advocates, aligning culture and communication before launch
- The new identity positions Tactics as a trusted growth partner for all clients
FAQs
1. What’s the real story behind the Tactics Marketing rebrand?
The Tactics Marketing rebrand is a full-blown mindset shift. We moved away from the Gorilla Marketing days, which were all about marketing noise, to something more intentional. We also added 2 new major business functions with a public app and learning program.
2. Why did Gorilla Marketing change its name?
The answer, however, is simple. We wanted our name to reflect what we do best. While Gorilla Marketing was all about shock and awe, it didn’t really capture our detail-obsessed, metrics-driven approach. Tactics Marketing just fits, because now, every move we make for our clients is measured, strategic, and focused on getting results (not just attention).
3. How does the Tactics Marketing story set you apart?
The Tactics Marketing story is all about evolution. We listened to what clients really needed; not just campaigns, but programs that scale and deliver results you can track. Our team scrapped the brute-force methods and built a process that’s collaborative, transparent, and obsessive about real outcomes.
4. What does this brand evolution mean for your clients and team?
This brand evolution means our clients can count on us for more than just another agency fix. We’re here for the long haul, dialing in strategies that actually work and being real partners, not just vendors. For our team, it’s a rallying cry of how we’ve built a culture of ownership, accountability, and creativity (minus the chaos).
