Backstage

Backstage is the largest chain of beauty salons in Kyiv. We have developed a new strategy, brand identity, and a creative platform.

Usually, beauty salons talk only about their services, their communication is about pilling, eyebrows lamination, and keratin filling of eyelashes. We find this approach one-sided and human touch lacking.

On the focus group workshops, we have noticed that all Backstage clients have something in common. No matter who they are: businesswomen and moms, housewives, and beauty-bloggers -- all of them have a lot on their minds and little free time. We've realized that they visit Backstage not just for beauty, but also for relaxation.

The Backstage strategy is a small vacation in the middle of a working week (either not the working week, or just because I want to and can). With an airplane mode on, chatting with a master, or just chilling with your eyes closed, you can relax in the beauty salon. That's why we've rethought Backstage from a beauty salon into Refresh Spot — the place, where you come to update and recharge the batteries.

We quickly realized that Backstage deserves a better identity. We wanted to convey the story of beauty & refresh not on the level of direct reference, but on the emotional level, so the style turned out to be soft, smooth and chill, like a wave. Any text could become wave-shaped, not just a logo, it allows us to stay light yet recognizable at any point of contact.

One of the main principles of beauty is symmetry, that's why the reflection of the photo became a signature technique. Obviously, it is difficult to imagine a beauty salon without a mirror, so we found a place for it in the brand's identity.

Thank you, Karina Dubinina and Viktoria Dekker for participating in the project.