Rebranding Hair Salon Chain
Kitadoko Hair Salon, evolving from a 150-year-old barber shop, aims to redefine itself as a modern salon. Facing challenges like outdated brand perception and limited visibility due to its underground location, the goal is to revitalize its identity and customer experience to align with the owner's contemporary vision.
The Ask
Reimagine Kitadoko Hair Salon’s brand and service to align with a modern aesthetic, increase female customers and enhance customer repeatability.
Kitadoko started as a barbar in 1871 and has an outdated appearance.
Before & After
Before
After the new branding
The Impact
Kitadoko Hair Salon’s transformative rebranding has yielded remarkable success across key metrics:
The client gender ratio has evolved from 10% female to 50% female, effectively meeting their target demographic expansion.
The repeat client rate has surged from 0% to 90%, demonstrating a significant increase in customer loyalty and satisfaction.
A notable boost in clientele, with monthly visits for a principal stylist increasing from 30 to 200.
Introducing a new brand identity and store design has enhanced employee and customer satisfaction, invigorating the salon experience.
Strategy & Research
Efforts behind the design
The overall process includes research, strategy, design, and relaunching the brand.
Customer Experience
I conducted an innovation boot camp with the CEO and the leadership team to visualize the existing customer experience and surface pain points. We generated a persona and customer journey map, conducted interviews, and identified key findings.
Brand Audit and Brand Strategy
We conducted co-designing workshops with the leadership team to envision the new brand direction.
Business Model Design
I facilitated a Business Model Design workshop, leveraging tools such as the Business Model Canvas and Business Tactics Cards. Through this collaborative process, we redesigned Kitadoko’s business model to provide customers with ongoing services, fostering a more sustainable business approach and nurturing lasting customer relationships.
Service Design
Inspired by our new brand tagline, “Kitadoko as a group of personal hair stylists,” we sought to bring this vision to life by designing a service flow that truly personalized the customer experience.
Materializing the Brand Vision through Brand Identity and Space Design
I led the creation of a new brand identity aimed at attracting female customers without alienating our male clientele. Using selected typefaces, we designed unique letterforms and established a visual language for our store interiors, which an interior design firm implemented in several renovations.
What is this about?
History: The salon, formerly a traditional barber shop established over 150 years ago, was recently inherited and transformed into a modern hair salon by a new owner.
Challenges:
Brand Perception: The brand feels outdated and misaligned with the owner's vision.
Design Mismatch: The store's design does not reflect the intended modern aesthetic.
Visibility Issues: Located underground, the salon is not visible from the street, often leading to customer confusion and lost clientele.
Staff Engagement: There is a lack of confidence and motivation among staff members, impacting the quality of service.
Marketing Restrictions: Campus guidelines restrict signage and flyer distribution, limiting marketing opportunities.
Goals:
Revitalize Customer Experience: Align the new hair salon's customer experience with the owner's vision.
Local Community Engagement: Attract clients beyond university students and staff.
Deliverables/ Key Contribution
Experience Strategy
Customer Journey Map
Service Blueprint
Brand Strategy
Brand Identity
Store Design
My Role
Creative Director
Design Strategist
Team
Client leadership team
Interior Design Company
