I think executives decide to rebrand when they want to be seen as doing something but have no ideas on what that should be.

It's just something that's visible, seems easy, and has a process that makes one feel like an executive. It's very comprehensible, with simple, tangible results, which a lot of executives really need.

Peter Lynch of Fidelity Investments used to consider rebranding as a sell signal. It's an indicator that a brand has low or even negative value.