What are the best practices for emailing a list after a rebrand when the client doesn't want to mention the old brand?
Michael Ko
Co-founder & CEO, Suped
Published 3 May 2025
Updated 17 Aug 2025
9 min read
Emailing a list after a rebrand is always a delicate operation. When the client also insists on not mentioning the old brand, it introduces a significant layer of complexity. My primary concern here is the potential impact on email deliverability and recipient trust. Without a clear reintroduction, subscribers may perceive emails from a new domain as unsolicited, leading to increased spam complaints and a damaged sender reputation.
The challenge is to seamlessly transition the audience to the new brand identity while minimizing disruption and maintaining engagement. This scenario is less about technical compliance and more about managing recipient perception and protecting your sender reputation. If recipients are confused, they are more likely to mark your emails as spam, which can quickly lead to blocklisting (or blacklisting) issues.
The silent rebrand dilemma
When a client wants to rebrand and discontinue any mention of the previous identity, the risks to email deliverability escalate. Recipients who were familiar with the old brand may not recognize the new one, especially if the new brand's name, logo, or messaging is drastically different. This lack of recognition can trigger negative responses, such as recipients marking emails as spam, deleting them unread, or simply ignoring them.
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and mailbox providers, such as Google and Yahoo, rely heavily on sender reputation to determine inbox placement. A sudden change in domain, sender name, or content style, without any context, can appear suspicious. This can lead to a drastic drop in inbox placement, with emails landing in spam folders or being outright rejected. The negative signals from recipients will exacerbate this issue, making it harder to establish a positive reputation for the new brand.
Furthermore, if the client is switching to a completely new sending domain, they are essentially starting from scratch in terms of sender reputation. This means there's no inherited trust from the old brand's domain. The challenge is akin to warming up an old email list or a new sending domain, but with the added hurdle of intentionally omitting a crucial piece of context for the recipient. This makes the standard domain warming process even more critical and potentially more difficult.
Navigating consent, technical setups, and sender reputation
The legal requirement to obtain consent again for emailing contacts after a rebrand, especially when changing domains and not acknowledging the old brand, largely depends on jurisdiction and the nature of the list acquisition. In the US, under CAN-SPAM, explicit re-permission is not typically required if the relationship and purpose of the emails remain substantially the same. However, deliverability is distinct from legality. ISPs care about engagement and user perception, not legal nuances of brand ownership.
Even without a legal obligation to re-opt-in, a change in sender identity can lead to recipients revoking their implicit consent through spam complaints. This is why a cautious approach to sending a first email campaign to an old list is paramount. My priority would be to manage recipient expectations, even if it's done subtly. The risk of being added to an email blacklist (or blocklist) is high if the initial sends are met with widespread confusion and spam reports.
If a direct we've rebranded email is off the table, the strategy must focus on soft introductions and building immediate value. This means leveraging existing trust signals where possible and quickly establishing the new brand's identity and value proposition. The best approach for sending marketing emails from a new domain in this context requires a delicate balance of familiarity and novelty.
Key considerations
Consent: While not always legally required in the US, re-permission campaigns can mitigate spam complaints.
Recipient Confusion: Unannounced changes can lead to spam reports and disengagement.
A crucial step in any domain change or rebrand is to ensure all technical email authentication records are correctly set up for the new domain. This includes SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. These records signal to recipient mail servers that your emails are legitimate and prevent spoofing. Failing to set these up correctly will almost guarantee poor deliverability, regardless of content or list quality.
For example, setting up your DMARC record correctly helps monitor email authentication and prevent unauthorized use of your domain. You can use a free DMARC record generator to assist with this. I always advise clients to implement a DMARC policy of p=none initially to gather reports without impacting delivery, then gradually move to a stricter policy.
Strategic communication without explicit reintroduction
Given the constraint of not mentioning the old brand, the strategy shifts to making the new brand immediately recognizable and valuable. This involves: optimizing the 'From' name, ensuring the email design aligns with the new brand identity, and focusing on content that resonates quickly with the audience, reinforcing the value they received from the old brand, without naming it. The idea is to create a seamless experience that feels familiar, even if the name is new.
One practical tactic is to include a subtle 'you're receiving this email because...' sentence in the footer above the unsubscribe link. This can be vague enough not to mention the old brand by name but still provide some context. For instance, something like, 'You are receiving this email as a valued member of our community, interested in [product category].' This small addition can significantly reduce confusion and potential spam complaints, serving as a soft reminder of their prior engagement.
Segmenting the email list is also crucial. Start with the most engaged segments first, as they are most likely to recognize the value proposition regardless of the brand change. This helps in building initial positive engagement for the new domain. As you establish a good sender reputation with these segments, you can gradually expand to less engaged groups. This phased approach helps mitigate the risks of broad negative feedback and avoids hitting spam traps, which can significantly damage your email address reputation.
Old approach
Sending to the entire list at once from a new domain with no reintroduction. This risks high bounce rates, spam complaints, and rapid blocklisting, as recipients perceive the emails as unsolicited.
Deliverability: High risk of emails landing in spam or being blocked.
Engagement: Low open rates, high unsubscribe rates due to confusion.
Monitoring and adapting
Despite the client's preference, it's essential to emphasize the importance of communication. A study mentioned on Business News Daily highlights that during a rebranding, communication should be simple and straightforward, addressing people's fears and concerns about change. While directly referencing the old brand might be off-limits, focusing on the continuity of service, quality, or relationship can bridge the gap without explicit mention. For example, 'The same great products, now with a fresh look.'
Continuously monitoring email performance is critical. Pay close attention to open rates, click-through rates, unsubscribe rates, and especially spam complaint rates. A sudden spike in complaints is a red flag indicating recipients are confused or feel the emails are unwanted. Tools for DMARC monitoring and blocklist monitoring become indispensable during this transition period. They provide insights into how mailbox providers are perceiving your new sending domain and can alert you to potential issues before they severely impact your deliverability.
Beyond deliverability metrics, consider other channels the client still controls. Social media, website banners, or even a subtle update to a privacy policy can offer alternative ways to provide context about the transition, reinforcing the connection for recipients who might be questioning the source of the emails. Remember, the goal is to reduce ambiguity without directly violating the client's request. This multi-channel approach can significantly bolster the success of your email efforts during a hidden rebrand.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Gradually introduce the new brand name and visual identity in a consistent manner over time.
Use a clear and concise 'From' name that reflects the new brand, and keep it consistent.
Segment your list and start by sending to your most engaged subscribers first to build positive signals.
Ensure all email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is correctly set up for the new sending domain.
Continuously monitor your email deliverability metrics and sender reputation through tools and postmaster insights.
Common pitfalls
Sending a large volume of emails to an entire list from a completely new domain without any context.
Ignoring recipient feedback, such as high unsubscribe rates or spam complaints.
Failing to update DNS records for SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for the new sending domain.
Not maintaining consistent branding across all customer touchpoints, leading to further confusion.
Underestimating the importance of subscriber recognition in maintaining email engagement and deliverability.
Expert tips
Consider using a transition period where both old and new branding elements are present if possible, gradually phasing out the old.
Implement a 'you're receiving this because' statement in the email footer to subtly address the change.
Leverage other marketing channels (e.g., website, social media) to announce the rebrand, even if email is restricted.
Engage in a slow and careful domain warming process for the new sending domain, focusing on high engagement.
Prioritize list hygiene before sending, removing inactive or unengaged contacts to minimize negative signals.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says that if the brand is different and products have new packaging, recipients will react as if the emails are spam, which will lead to negative signals for spam filters and likely a deliverability disaster.
2024-10-02 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says that in the US, while it may be legally permissible to email a list after a rebrand without re-permission, the deliverability consequences of seemingly shady practices could tank sender reputation long-term, especially without name recognition.
2024-10-02 - Email Geeks
Bridging the brand gap
Emailing a list after a rebrand, especially when intentionally obscuring the old brand, presents significant deliverability challenges. While legal consent might not be an issue in certain jurisdictions like the US, recipient perception and engagement are paramount for inbox placement. Starting with a new domain means building a new sender reputation from scratch, making careful domain warming and authentication critical.
The most effective strategy involves subtle cues in email content and design, a cautious segmentation strategy to target engaged recipients first, and including a discreet contextual sentence in the footer. Continuous monitoring of deliverability metrics and proactive management of email authentication records are essential. By focusing on maintaining trust and providing immediate value, even without explicit reintroduction, you can navigate this complex scenario and preserve your email program's health.
Google and 
Yahoo, rely heavily on sender reputation to determine inbox placement. A sudden change in domain, sender name, or content style, without any context, can appear suspicious. This can lead to a drastic drop in inbox placement, with emails landing in spam folders or being outright rejected. The negative signals from recipients will exacerbate this issue, making it harder to establish a positive reputation for the new brand.
