I’ve just taken on a re-branding project for a barber shop in Bedfordview, Johannesburg. Here’s how I helped The Humble Barber by creating great branding and visuals for this growing market. The Humble Barber wanted to tap into the retro or vintage style and take on a very graphic nature using hand drawn elements. They also asked me to create a scheduling app for appointments. I built an App very easily for them which has improved their productivity and overall customer satisfaction since booking and appointment-making is now so easy.

Besides two amazing owners Brett and Holden, the shop oozes appeal and cool. Their strategy is to be different but also authentic. What are they doing right?

  • Great logo – It has a vintage fun feel to it that is memorable
  • Online Scheduling – They have an app to schedule appointments
  • Free coffee or craft beer – They give you a free coffee or craft beer at every appointment
  • Exclusivity – Their client list is secret (and impressive). Clients are guaranteed privacy.

Since the Humble Barber appreciates their elusive “underground” status, they were not at all interested in a website. Brett told me that his clients weren’t the ‘Google search for things” kind of people and that these people valued word-of-mouth referrals above all.

“If you’re the kind of person who drives with security entourage, you’re not going for a haircut at a barber in the mall…we have to be invisible but visible”, says Holden.

The App made perfect sense as a means of efficient communication without hassling over the phone with a call, an SMS or Whatsapp (which is so unprofessional!) I can’t tell you how to find The Humble Barber, their location is as secretive as their client list.