Addiction Tokyo
Creative Strategy, Branding, Website DesignThe AskAddiction Tokyo, a Japanese cosmetics brand under the Kosé corporation, asked Merkle to ignite brand heat in the U.S. market by engaging and inspiring first-time visitors who are just discovering the brand through digital platforms.
The OutcomeIn phase 1, we crafted and proposed a repositioning strategy and revitalized creative direction, including new, uniquely-treated typography and a bolder color palette, to inspire and empower everyday artists to express their creativity with Addiction Tokyo's products.
In phase 2, we designed and implemented enhancements and new features to their current website that addressed the brand’s more urgent need to increase revenue and sales, while also improving overall user experience to build customer loyalty.
TeamMerkle / Dentsu
Initially, we were asked by Addiction Tokyo to create future concepts for the brand. Addiction Tokyo, a Japanese cosmetics brand under the Kosé corporation had recently launched in the United States back in September 2023, and needed expertise on the American beauty and cosmetics market.
Phase 1 aimed to develop future state branding and design concepts for Addiction Tokyo’s U.S. brand that aimed to be distinct yet still cohesive with the global brand based in Japan.
Phase 2 focused on simple yet effective enhancements that could be made more immediately to the current Addiction Tokyo website in order to drive revenue and customer loyalty.
In Phase 1, we were tasked with generating a selection of future state branding and design directions to best position Addiction Tokyo in the U.S. market.
With this final direction tag-lined “Be Your Own Muse,” we crafted and proposed a repositioning strategy and revitalized creative direction, including new, uniquely-treated typography and a bolder color palette, to inspire and empower everyday artists to express their creativity with Addiction Tokyo's products.
After future state work was put on hold, Addiction Tokyo asked us to implement a second phase of the project that would focus on site enhancements that could be designed, developed, and released within a relatively short amount of time.
This phase aimed to achieve quick wins that would address the brand’s more urgent need to increase revenue and sales, while also improving overall user experience to build customer loyalty.
We introduced a new palette builder feature to the website that allows customers to select eyeshadow and blush shades to customize their own compact or choose from a selection of curated palettes from the brand.
One of the brand’s unique offerings is its wide range of eyeshadows, with over 99 shades. This new “build your compact” feature promotes the brand’s dedication to artistic expression and encourages customers to try more shades.
The brand’s creative director is Kanako Takase, a world-renowned makeup artist with an impressive career in the beauty and fashion industry. Addiction Tokyo is also a brand loved by makeup artists in the fashion world, so there is great opportunity for incorporating high quality inspiration content to the site.
To better align the brand’s online experience with the key values of self-expression and self-disovery, we wanted to redesign the “recreate the look” makeup tutorial template by cleaning up the interface and incorporating more photography and video content.