The companies that pulled ahead were not the ones that spent most. They were the ones that said the same thing for eighteen months.
Rebranding is usually avoidance
A refresh is often easier than the harder conversation about whether the offer is differentiated. New colours will not fix a claim that competitors could make word for word.
Say the specific thing
Write down what your product refuses to do. Constraints are more memorable than capabilities and give a brand an actual edge to stand on. Then repeat it everywhere, for longer than feels comfortable.
Consistency compounds
Recognition is built by repetition, and repetition is expensive to restart. Every identity change resets the meter. The brands that win are frequently the ones that were simply willing to be boring about staying the same.