Boutique Branding

Explosive success at Rumors, but not from a logo

When I picture my favorite restaurants and shops, I often visualize their logos. But with Rumors, I don’t picture a concrete graphic. Instead, a muddle of Instagram photos take over my mind. I picture Rumors’ outside patio area, which sits nicely between the Baxter Arcade and Beer Study.

Although Rumors has only been open in Chapel Hill since the fall of 2013 (there are two other Rumors shops – one in Florida and one in Virginia), it has seen explosive success on social media, both in followers and engagement. Rumors doesn’t rely on a memorable logo to drive its branding, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t using visuals. Consistent photos of outfit pairings and just-in merchandise flood Rumors’ social media accounts and continue attracting new customers.

 

LOGO

The closest Rumors gets to a logo is perhaps the lettering featured in its Facebook profile picture. This logo isn’t featured anywhere else – not on its other social media accounts nor its website. Considering Rumors’ wild success on social media, perhaps no logo is necessary. But to promote recognition and consistency, Rumors should at the very least consider matching its profile pictures across social media accounts.

 

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BUILDING SIGNAGE

Through its building signage, Rumors promotes itself as stylish and trendy yet vintage and classic. It combines thin and clean lettering on its window with an old-school sign bordered by light bulbs. This juxtaposition of new and old caters to Rumors’ youthful market of hipsters.

 


 

💜 It’s true 💜 Open 11-7 for ya come thru 😘 #rumors #shoplocal #thrift #chapelhill

A photo posted by Rumors Boutique Chapel Hill (@rumorsnc) on

 

WEB DESIGN

Rumors Chapel Hill shares its website with the two other Rumors boutiques, located in Miami and Richmond. This makes it difficult to establish itself as an independent shop and refer consumers to its social media accounts, but the web design is still consistent in some ways. It’s also easy to navigate and free of slow-to-load animations.

 

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The background of the homepage matches that of Rumors’ Facebook cover photo.

 

The website contains a few holes, however. With as much personality as Rumors shows in store and on social media, I would have expected it to keep up with a blog — content could range from posting merchandise to suggesting outfit pairings to offering money-saving tips to providing DIY tutorials. Alas, the Rumors blog is nonexistent.

 

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SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook – 6,119 likes
Twitter – 112 followers
Instagram – 5,529 followers (and 12,476 posts !!)

I can’t think of any local business that has made a bigger impression on social media than Rumors. It posts photos of its latest merchandise on Instagram several times a day, which aligns with the fast-paced social media culture of its younger target audience.

A lot of the success can be chalked up to Rumors’ consignment shop business model. When it’s selling authentic brands like Doc Martens at low prices, consumers are given a high incentive keep up with Rumors’ social media. But isn’t that what social media is all about — understanding your audience and providing a resource based on their interests? Rumors also engages with its audience and promotes authenticity by using locals for its models.

Another interesting aspect of Rumors’ social media strategy is its preference of Facebook and Instagram over Twitter. Rumors hasn’t posted original content to Twitter since October 2013, about a month after it opened. I suspect the shop owners realized quickly that Instagram and Facebook were more lucrative considering their younger consumer base and high volume of photos.

 

THE BOTTOM LINE

Since smaller businesses are often more limited by money and time, it’s important to prioritize certain branding efforts over others. Rumors has prioritized its Facebook and Instagram accounts over other aspects like logo development and blog writing. As it continues to grow and gain more resources, Rumors should consider expanding its branding efforts beyond Facebook and Instagram. But for now, its social media presence is impressive on its own.

Twinkling letters of Light Years

Light Years began as a small shop in 1985 and is still locally owned and operated today. Its specialization has always been and is still jewelry, but the shop also offers gifts, crafts and home accessories. On its website, Light Years promises to provide a unique selection, friendly service and great prices.

 

LOGO

Roman capital letters that are horizontally stretched form the Light Years logo. The unique arrangement and variation in size of the letters add a quirky touch to what otherwise might be a very simple word mark. The serifs (feet at the ends of each letter) almost twinkle like stars, contributing to the shop’s celestial name. Overall, Light Years’ logo is recognizable and fits with the shop’s unique personality.

 

logo

 

BUILDING SIGNAGE

Outside the Light Years on Franklin Street hangs a black awning. Its triangular shape protrudes onto the sidewalk and puts the logo at an advantageous angle to attract pedestrians passing by.

 

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Photo courtesy of Light Years.

 

But the logo’s distinct arrangement also makes for a striking sign outside its shop in Southpoint, shown below.

 

Photo courtesy of Light Years.
Photo courtesy of Light Years.

 

WEB DESIGN

Light Years’ web design has come a long way, especially considering this is what it looked like in 2008.

 

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The current design primarily highlights Light Years’ latest jewelry collection through a wealth of professional photos.

 

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Another feature of Light Years’ website is its blog, which has publicized new collections, sales and special events. Posting more frequently and about a greater variety of topics related to jewelry and local artisans might boost engagement. Francesca’s, a national boutique that sells similar merchandise, keeps up with a Tumblr. The blog extends beyond promotional material and often posts educational articles. While Light Years may not have the same resources, it could feature local jewelry artists, discuss trends, offer gift advice, etc.

 

SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook – 1,207 likes
Twitter – 184 followers
Instagram– 401 followers
Pinterest – 30 followers

Light Years has set up a good foundation on social media through strong visuals, but a few tweaks to its strategy could promote growth and more engagement. First, Light Years should alter the names of its accounts so that its handles are consistent across all platforms. Right now, Light Years’ Facebook and Instagram accounts have the highest following, and both are under the name of “lightyearsjewelry,” which is also the domain name for the shop’s website. By switching its Twitter and Pinterest names to conform, it will be easier for potential consumers to search and find any account owned by Light Years, and the consistency will avoid confusion and improve brand recognition.

Light Years posts sharp photos to its social media accounts that frame jewelry and other accessories in a warm and well-lit environment. But analysts have shown that top brands post more often than what Light Years averages, which is not quite once a day. Posting up to twice a day on Facebook, three times a day on Twitter and Instagram and five times a day on Pinterest is generally recommended, though it ultimately depends on the quality of the content.

Currently, Light Years posts the same content across platforms with the same descriptions, which can come across as lazy. While posting similar content can work if followers on every outlet will take interest, Light Years should consider providing a lengthier description of the same photo on Facebook while keeping things short and sweet on Twitter and Instagram.

 

THE BOTTOM LINE

Light Years has developed brand recognition with its simple but quirky word mark that can be adapted for the shop’s building signage and website. Its blogging and social media efforts have established a good foundation for building an online presence. Light Years has an opportunity to boost its following by posting more frequently and with a variety of educational and interactive materials that pertain to its audience. What would you like to see on Light Years’ blog?