The Barber Collective
When launching your first solo venture as an inclusive, queer-friendly barbershop during a pandemic, you need a solid brand identity to grab eyeballs and a rock-solid website to serve as your digital marketing hub. Georgette Watje partnered with PRÜF to turn that into reality.
Client
Role
Branding
CMS Implementation
eCommerce
Merch
Web Design
Year
2021-present
The Challenge
Creating a queer-friendly barbershop brand that reflects the tradition of the craft and the modern values of Tacoma, WA — with a DIY ethos.
The Solution
As an LGBT-owned barbershop, The Barber Collective (TBC) has a specific target audience. We created a brand that directly speaks to TBC’s customers: outdoorsy, LGBT-friendly digital natives who deeply appreciate a PNW-twist to a traditionally male-dominated industry. Georgette built her shop right out of her garage in her own backyard, so we sought to highlight her DIY aesthetic in the imagery we developed for and with her.
tbc-logo-cover
Elements
Bold Design Elements to Set Expectations
To let customers know what a garage barbershop looks like without seeing it in person, we incorporated bold design elements. The Barber Collective’s DIY aesthetic comes with industrial grit and a punk rock ethos, so PRÜF designed TBC’s custom WordPress block theme to reflect the physical elements of the TBC shop: barber’s tools, shiplap, sheet metal, and exposed concrete.
Integrated Features
We integrated 3rd-party online booking, an Instagram feed, testimonials, and equipped the site with easy-to-update pricing and news posts. The entire theme relies on WordPress’s new Gutenberg block paradigm, allowing Georgette to rearrange sections or add new pages easily.
Results
The comprehensive brand identity and robust website allowed The Barber Collective to launch successfully despite the challenging circumstances. PRÜF’s design and development work ensured that TBC’s online presence was as distinctive and dynamic as its physical space.
Merchandise Collaboration
To complete the brand experience, PRÜF collaborated with Georgette to create a limited run of apparel, including a 6-panel hat and hand-screenprinted shirts by The T-Shirt Men, extending the brand’s reach beyond the digital and physical space of the barbershop.
As a one chair barbershop, in an alley with no foot traffic and as an owner with little knowledge of marketing, PRÜF has helped send more business my way than I could’ve imagined. They built my barbershop a great website that really helps current and potential customers get a good feel for who I am, as an individual and as a business owner. The reaction to my new web site has been overwhelmingly positive as my customers have noticed the small, personal details. If you are on the fence about your website needs, I can’t recommend PRÜF Creative enough.”
Georgette Watje
Owner, The Barber Collective Tacoma
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