BACKGROUND
Premier Barber Studio, an established fixture in Cleveland's barbering scene for over two decades, recently expanded with a new location in Ohio City. The team approached me to establish a distinct brand identity for the Ohio City location that still feels harmonious with existing branding across other locations. The team emphasized the studio's commitment to being a welcoming and inclusive space for clientele from diverse backgrounds.
// FINDINGS
To my surprise, the majority of users expressed a preference for booking through third-party platforms rather than directly on the website. While they appreciated exploring website updates, they were accustomed to the convenience and familiarity of existing platforms for actual bookings.
Users found discrepancies between the advertised pricing on the website and the actual prices listed on individual barber booking pages. This discrepancy stemmed from the fact that pricing varied based on each barber's years of experience and specialties. To address this, users expressed a desire for a clearer explanation of service offerings without specific prices, allowing them to view barbers' profiles and understand the range of services available.
Another important insight was the lack of representation for women and children in typical barber studio settings. Users expressed a desire to see both visual representation and inclusive language throughout the website to ensure they felt welcomed and catered to. Customers also described a need for a section of the website dedicated to answering questions about shop policies.
User reviews emerged as a crucial factor in decision-making. Users valued the opinions of others when choosing where to book their appointments, indicating the importance of integrating customer reviews into the booking experience.
// RESEARCH
To inform our approach to appointment booking, I analyzed other barber studio appointment booking platforms and conducted interviews and user surveys with existing and prospective customers. This allowed me to understand the conventional structures and functionalities that we should integrate into our system.
// CHALLENGE
I was not able to initiate a full-scale rebranding effort. Rather, I had to revitalize the current type and color system to accommodate the existing signage.
// IDEATION
Given the diverse demographic of their clientele, I determined that a refined and approachable design system would best represent the studio’s welcoming atmosphere. I envisioned a type-based solution with a sub-mark embodying shears, a universal tool across all barber services.
// SOLUTION
Departing from conventional depictions of delicate shears, the submark design is derived from the typography itself. The shears also serve as a representation of crossed swords, embodying the studio's dedication to strength and protecting the community.
1001 px+
751px–1000px
350px–750px
