Elevate Studios Tapped For Global Digital Work From Haircare Megabrands Redken And Matrix And National Work For L’Oreal USA And Mario Tricoci
Oct. 2, 2013 – Two L’Oreal Group fashion/haircare brand properties — Redken 5th Avenue NYC and Matrix — have recently tapped 15-employee, Chicago-based, privately held digital agency, Elevate Studios, for help with their global online presence. Elevate Studios will also be working on national programs with L’Oreal USA and Mario Tricoci, and it recently moved into a larger, urban contemporary-style office in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood with three times the space to continue servicing existing and new accounts.
Redken Global Websites (27 Countries)
L’Oreal-owned Redken recently hired Elevate Studios for the massive undertaking of creating an international suite of websites for consumers and salon professionals in each of its 27 countries of operation (each country website can be accessed through a single non-Elevate Studios designed landing page, http://www.redken.com/international).
With the goal of unifying 27 unique country websites with a consistent brand expression, Elevate Studios went about creating a cohesive brand story through content strategy, information architecture, user experience design, visual design, front-end development and content entry. Additionally, Elevate Studios was responsible for typographically handling 13 different languages and carefully classifying/organizing hundreds of pages of content into a blueprint for success at each stage of the process, all with the goal of creating tailored and localized content to provide the most relevant information to 27 unique markets. To date, redesigned websites in 19 countries have launched with another eight scheduled to launch in the next several months. Post site launch, Elevate Studios regularly populates the websites with fresh content surrounding new product updates/launches and works through ongoing website additions.
“Elevate Studios really understands how to think strategically on a global scale and position our brand to be a leader in the digital arena,” said Lea Koussoulis, Assistant Vice President, Global Interactive Marketing at Redken and Pureology.
Matrix Global Mobile Websites (36 Countries)
Matrix, another L’Oreal haircare brand property, recently hired Elevate Studios to design its mobile experience for the brand’s presence in 36 countries (the mobile experience can be accessed through http://matrix.com/mobile). In order to provide a cohesive visual and brand experience for users across various devices, Elevate Studios utilized mobile best practices to create a user experience that coupled exploratory browsing with quick access to specific content. Agency responsibilities included content planning and strategy, information architecture and design. Matrix Global did not conduct a national agency search prior to awarding the business to Elevate Studios.
“When tackling these projects, strategically, we needed to think through not only pushing and reinventing the Redken and Matrix brands locally and digitally in these international markets, but also how to enable the countries to be brand stewards,” said Larry Bak, President at Elevate Studios. “Localization of content is key.”
L’Oreal USA Women In Digital Website
Parent company L’Oreal USA recently enlisted Elevate Studios to design the inaugural website for its Women In Digital program (http://lorealwomenindigital.com), which supports female digital entrepreneurs who have created innovative online companies. The agency was again tapped to refresh the website and recognize the 2013 recipients of the program’s Next Generation Awards, honoring women entrepreneurs of digital businesses. Both times, Elevate Studios was responsible for the strategy, information architecture, user experience design, visual design, front-end development and back-end development, as well as creating the voting form and votes collection mechanism. L’Oreal USA did not conduct a national agency search prior to awarding the business to Elevate Studios.
Mario Tricoci Hair Salons and Day Spas Website
Elevate Studios was recently tapped by Chicago-based Mario Tricoci Hair Salons and Day Spas to support its 15 Chicagoland locations with a complete website redesign and technical integration with its point of sale and appointment booking system (www.tricoci.com). Responsibilities included information architecture, user experience, visual design, front-end development and back-end development.