After four years developing and finessing their complex logistic operations, it was time to save Rinse from drowning in a tech blue sea of sameness and claim their brand’s rightful place as the leader that cares for everyone and everything.
The laundry industry has gone through a whirlwind of changes, and competition is multi-fold: mom-and-pop shops still exist, struggling, beside laundromats that are growing and evolving, while machines at home and detergents – even clothes – are constantly innovating.
Enter Rinse: a clothing care company founded by two friends, one of whom is the son of dry-cleaning immigrants. Rinse connects laundry needs with local businesses who have extra capacity. It’s a virtuous business model that empowers local business owners while easing customer pains.
By exploring the service through the customer’s experience as well as the intricate operations’ side, with cultural and consumer trends in mind, and driven by a strong founders’ story, we shifted Rinse’s positioning from a generic logistic platform to a knowledgeable companion, ever present and in touch with trusted experts for clothing care and more.
Rinse’s main focus has always been on providing the best service, but the old brandmark was relegated to a very simple blue droplet encapsulating the letter R. With recent expansion and scaling, it was time to take the brand to the next level and bring together the many parts that make Rinse what it is. The new R-shaped ribbon’s continuous and seamless flow represents the care and attention that runs through every detail. With so many moving elements, Rinse is more than the sum of its parts.
The new identity system was applied across main branded elements, like the bags and the valet shirts. These serve as discreet, but memorable presences that speak to the Rinse reassurance.
The biggest branding hurdle, however, came in the form of the mobile website. Instead of simply applying the visual identity, we thought about how the new brand positioning could be reflected in the user experience. The goal was to give a better understanding of the service and to ensure a first order. This challenge was addressed during a 5-day workshop conducted in Sprint Mode® with the Rinse team. After this intensely collaborative work session, we had a successful prototype that led to the final design of the website for this truly innovative brand.
The final results?
By focusing on the brand foundations first, they transformed the landscape of their industry and expanded their Bay Area start-up into seven more cities in under three years.
Rinse is a laundry pick-up and delivery service founded with the dual motive of solving major customer friction points, while rejuvenating a dying industry.
We love Rinse, and the feeling’s mutual. Read founder Ajay’s words over on Medium.
Check out Inc Magazine’s article featuring the Rinse rebrand.
