Design director Jess Neil and brand co-founder Michael Pollack discuss how updating the fast-growing skincare franchise’s current branding will impact customer experience and aid in its plan to reach more clients than ever before in 2022.
Heyday has made a name for itself in the beauty industry by offering affordable, customized facials, curated products and industry-leading expert advice, but now the skincare franchise is further separating itself from competitors with a bold brand redesign. The franchise’s highly visual new branding will roll out across franchisee- and corporate-owned locations nationwide, while still allowing each store to maintain it’s unique, market-specific touches.
Jess Neil, Heyday’s design director, says the brand went about transforming the look of its stores. The Heyday design team first created some consistency with the shapes used in designs and around the stores, like the imperfect circles, which draw reference from the shape of a dollop of product coming out of a tube. Next, they introduced consistent brand colors, like sage, honey, terracotta, ocean, wheat and peony, that weren’t too invasive and could easily have accent colors introduced if desired. This base palette allows each store to have the brand identity of a Heyday franchise but allows individual owners to have some flexibility for the vision of their own location.
“We are keeping the foundation of our stores because it’s timeless,” Neil said. “Heyday is like a really great little black dress; we are providing the accessories to style it and evolve with the trends of today.”
Having successfully launched Heyday’s first ten locations, Michael Pollack, Heyday’s co-founder, says the franchise is now honing in on which design aspects worked best and which can be elevated to appeal to a broader base of customers.
“We never evolve just for the sake of evolving,” Pollack said. “Skincare is much more in the cultural conversation than it used to be and that encourages us to stay in the conversation and move along with it. It all goes back to our roots of keeping things simple and un-intimidating in a category that can be very confusing for people. As a result, we are changing along with our customers to have a conversation that feels very ‘now.’”
The redesign includes a number of infrastructural changes as well, including full walls between retail and treatment spaces, which will allow private and quiet skincare treatments and a more social setting at checkout. The redesign will also offer enhancements to the customer-facing iOS app and online experience. Overall, the redesign aims to create consistent branding that provides a sense of comfort and accessibility for customers.
“Music is a part of our brand and the space — it's not traditional spa music,” Pollack said. “Clients are continually asking for our playlists and we even have curated Spotify playlists that we share with our guests. Our customers are curious; they want to know everything. That’s a huge part of our brand.”
Neil says the primary components of the new design will be completed by the end of March, starting with a new location in Alexandria, Virginia. And the change is already under way on the brand’s social media channels.
“Alexandria clients will soon see the first iteration of our window treatments and the evolution of the brand messaging in shop signage,” Neil said. “There will also be finishing touches that really add that extra wink to a location like a wallpaper in a bathroom or a backdrop when you're taking a selfie. We want each Heyday to be a unique, creative environment that still has inherent brand identifiers.”
Other updates coming to Heyday’s locations will include light fixtures, updated price displays, external vinyl window decals, and even an LED video screen in Bethesda, MD that has looping branded content and updated A-frame signs.
The updated design rollout will continue Heyday’s mission to create a warm, welcoming and upbeat environment for clients while they take time to care for their skin. Neil expressed that the simple updates of a change in color palette and new signage will make each location lighter, brighter, and more inviting from the minute they open the door.
“It will be very clear to clients when they check into an appointment exactly where they need to go, what products are offered and how much they are,” Neil said. “We always want customers to feel at home and at ease, and this design update will take Heyday to that next level of customer service as we continue to grow across the country.”
Heyday’s startup costs range between $574,000 to $755,500, depending on which market the store is located. Other factors like design, configuration and labor costs will also impact the total investment. Click here to see the full cost breakdown.
