Branding. It’s who you are at your company’s core and it’s how people are going to recognize and remember your business. Effective, memorable branding creates the foundation for everything you do and everything you stand for. A perfect example of a brand that’s doing it the right way is a well-known local brand, Stag House.
Stag House and its counterpart, Doe.Tique, are a barbershop and salon located right in Bergen County, NJ. Created by Christine Modica and Rachel Israel, the iconic, local Stag House brand is changing the way personal grooming is done while simultaneously paying homage to the timeless craft. When you see a fresh cut, and you step through their doors, you’ll know it’s Stag. Not only are the decor and vibe unique, but so is their brand.
When going through the development process for their brand identity, Christine and Rachel knew they wanted their brand to invoke “Americana” and tap into the nostalgia of barbershops. Stag House needed to highlight the essence of the barber craft and infuse a unique personality while remaining timeless. There also was an opportunity in the Bergen County salon market to create a place where edgy, yet sophisticated women could go, too. Christine and Rachel saw an opening in the market and they seized it by expanding the Stag House brand to fill that gap with Doe.Tique. A true power move.
With new generations and entrepreneurs opening up companies of their own, Stag House had to create not only a unique visual identity, but a memorable experience. The concept for their store combines rustic, outdoor elements like taxidermy decor, juxtaposed with antiques displayed in a modern, edgy environment.
While their signature decor and a logo and visual identity that mirrors the same sentiment certainly turn heads when guests walk through the doors, it’s the overall branded experience that keeps people coming back time and time again. The “3 c’s”— cleanliness, consistency, and cool music, truly set Stag House apart. As veterans of their craft, Christine and Rachel know in the service industry the experience you provide must remain consistent and tie back into your brand. If the guest experience doesn’t align with the brand, it creates uncertainty, rather than trust and loyalty. Stag House and Doe.Tique are truly extensions of who Rachel and Christine are as people, which makes it easier to maintain that desired consistency and cohesion because it’s genuine and authentic. In establishing their standards, they make sure that these are maintained by every member of their staff and felt by everyone who steps foot into their shop.
The combination of a unique identity and consistent service is how the Stag House brand name continuously gets recommended throughout town. It’s how they’ve established a devoted base while also reaching new people who are interested in seeing for themselves what Stag House is all about. It’s how they’ve earned a reputation for the coolest atmosphere and most superior guest experience around—a true testament to the power of hard work and the magic of remarkable branding.
