Brand Experience: From Copenhagen to North America
Outside of the in-the-know crowd, HAY is relatively unknown in the US while the brand has a cult-like following in Europe and Asia. When Herman Miller acquired a stake in the company in 2018, our challenge was to grow brand awareness and excitement for HAY in a new market.
Brand Strategy
It was critical the HAY brand experience maintained its cool, fresh, European vibe. HAY is optimistic, in the moment, aspirational, and attainable. It’s fresh, youthful, colorful, and never takes itself too seriously. Our role was to identify the target audience in the US market that would become advocates for this beloved Danish brand.
Creative Strategy
For launch, we needed to translate the brand’s look and feel to an e-commerce site, digital marketing communications, and brick and mortar retail.
Retail Design
Looking to the HAY House flagship location in Copenhagen, we carried over key design features to make the US stores align with the brand look and feel. Elements like herringbone oak flooring, built-in oak millwork combined with the signature New Order fixture system, and layered visual merchandising, give the retail experience a fresh, nordic vibe.
