Chopping Scottish Labour’s historic red rose will not on its own shift a single vote to Anas Sarwar’s party.
Labour is not in third place north of the border because of a logo and its problems run deeper than image.
But rebranding has been shown to play an important role in altering views about political parties - if linked to a wider set of reforms.
When Labour dumped the red flag for the red rose in 1986, it was one of a number of steps by Neil Kinnock and latterly Tony Blair which eventually led to three general election wins in a row.
Under David Cameron’s leadership of the Tories, the Thatcher-era “freedom torch” was replaced with an oak tree and helped soften his party's image.
By any yardstick, Scottish Labour is already autonomous and calls its own shots.
Sarwar’s party determines its policies and selects the candidates it wishes to stand in elections.
The problem is some voters do not see it this way and the visual side of the party’s communication offering is decades out of date.
National identity is central to Scotland’s political culture and Labour is sometimes perceived as an adjunct to a larger organisation.
Sharing the same emblem as England’s national flower jars with basic political realities.
Replacing the red rose with a thistle has the advantage for Sarwar of conveying, once and for all, a modern and distinctive Scottish identity.
Sarwar’s left wing critics will likely disparage the move and liken it to ex-leader Jim Murphy changing the party constitution to include a ‘patriotism’ clause - a move that failed to prevent an electoral hammering.
This argument should not be completely dismissed, as rebranding is no substitute for a policy and messaging strategy designed to target SNP voters.
Success is also not an overnight occurrence, as Kinnock ruefully admitted when he looked back on the introduction of the red rose.
“The decision to make the change from flag to flower was entirely mine. Pity it took another 11 years to achieve full bloom," he once said.
Sarwar’s challenge is to persuade voters his bold reform will be the first stage of a radical modernisation plan.
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