IPSA Co., Ltd.

Client

IPSA CO., LTD.

A cosmetics brand born in 1986, offering skincare, base makeup, and point makeup in six countries and regions across Japan and Asia. For more than 30 years since its birth, the brand has continued to pursue the co-creation experience of "Recipe" — a prescription for creating beauty that handcrafts, from scratch, the way to bring out each individual's beauty. The brand name derives from the Latin meaning "self" and "spontaneous," and through its unique customization experience the brand expresses: "Be yourself. Express yourself."

Summary

Background and challenges of the engagement

• To keep providing new customer value that is always one step ahead, IPSA wanted to capture users' values and behaviors as they change with the times, and design customer experiences that span offline and online based on user insights and needs
• IPSA newly formed a hybrid CX design team in co-creation with Goodpatch, which has strengths in customer experience design and service design in the digital domain. The aim was for internal and external members to collaborate in a flat, flexible team environment, acquiring new capabilities and knowledge while accelerating business transformation
• Through the new stimulus and practice of collaborating with a partner, IPSA aimed to build a future-oriented, consumer-driven organization and foster its culture
• Targeting the Japanese market, IPSA sought to design a CX concept for maximizing customer experience value and to improve the UI/UX of customer touchpoints
• Points in Goodpatch's selection and evaluation included customer-centered experience design informed by the client's business strategy, UI/UX design and development for digital services, organization design, and the creative expertise and track record of the group, including its group company Studio Details

Overview of Goodpatch's support

• Jointly operated a lab exploring product planning through new approaches based on user insights and trends, within the development of a single product. Together with IPSA members who gathered voluntarily, jointly advanced the project through ideation, user research, experience design, and design
• Collaborated with the newly established CX design team, working alongside IPSA consistently from CX concept formulation to the e-commerce site redesign, UI/UX improvement of customer-facing digital services, examination of marketing measures and action plans, and creative production
• Coordinated with the IPSA marketing team to produce Japan-only creative centered on sales promotion. Launched a creative office (secretariat), optimizing the workflow for promotional materials, handling overall direction, and producing a large volume of creative, from key visuals to event materials, landing pages, and banners

Redesigning the Customer Image and Experience from a CX Starting Point

IPSA had long placed importance on customer experience centered on in-store counseling, but against the backdrop of advancing digital technology, the company was paying attention to the changing behavior of the young people who make up IPSA's customer base. To accurately capture the insights of ever-changing users and remain a brand that continues to be supported by customers, what experiences and value should be provided to customers? This is where IPSA turned its attention to CX design.

In addition to quantitative surveys of existing and potential customers, qualitative interviews were conducted and analyzed to uncover ways of thinking about beauty and latent desires, after which several representative targets were formulated. Customer behavior was also divided into four stages — "learn," "choose," "use," and "continue" — and the feelings and behaviors at each stage were organized.

The ideal experience for each target was then examined. Furthermore, toward improving existing initiatives and generating new ideas, the customer experience scenarios were put into words and diagrams, taking into account not only current in-store measures and digital touchpoints but also initiatives to be considered in the future.

Redesigning Touchpoints — Connecting Planning, UI/UX, and Creative

While drawing the overall picture of the brand's CX, individual touchpoints were redesigned and renewed in line with the concept. From here, we introduce the measures Goodpatch supported.

Redesign of the Official E-Commerce Site and Brand Pages

First is the redesign project for the e-commerce site and brand pages, the main digital touchpoints with customers. Goodpatch was responsible for project launch, UI/UX design, project management, and development, aiming to realize an e-commerce site that is more attractive and easier for customers to use. The concrete measures were as follows.

Project launch support

Toward launching the project, the current state was first assessed: organizing and analyzing the current site's issues, analyzing usage figures, understanding the system structure, and grasping stakeholders and the operational structure. Goodpatch also collaborated on building the initial project structure while conducting project planning and goal-setting together with IPSA members.

Understanding user behavior and formulating the ideal experience

Project members gathered from across IPSA's departments exchanged ideas on what kind of experience the site should provide for users and what specific improvements should be made.

Furthermore, user interviews were conducted to understand the differences between users who purchase products in stores and users who purchase on the e-commerce site. Based on the results, the work to be undertaken in the project was organized into the following items, and Goodpatch walked alongside each process:

1. Design renewal (improving usability and appearance)
2. Improving user flows and enriching product information based on insights gained from the interviews

Design renewal

For the design renewal, Goodpatch handled the design of usability (UX design), while Goodpatch's group company Studio Details handled the visual design (UI design).

The points of focus for improving the user experience were:

1. Improving information architecture, such as product categories, and searchability so users can reach the desired product in fewer clicks
2. Reducing the number of steps from adding a product to the cart to completing the purchase
3. Researching and analyzing the information users seek from the official site, and making product information more detailed and complete

In the UI design, to ensure fundamental quality, a design prioritizing smartphone display was adopted in line with actual user behavior, along with responsive design to improve development efficiency. Portions of the structure and expression that had been hard for some customers to understand were also revised, and a design library was put in place so that a consistent brand image can be maintained in future site improvements and new feature additions.

At the same time, "ABOUT IPSA," the brand site, was also revamped, conveying the brand philosophy IPSA holds dear and its convictions about product development in a form that is easy for users to understand (ABOUT IPSA). Goodpatch continues to provide support today, centered on UI/UX design and project management.

Raising Customer Engagement Through Planning and Ongoing Support for the "IPSA meets" Membership Program

IPSA had been running a "point program" that returns points according to purchase amounts, but with the aim of further strengthening customer loyalty, the company considered a "membership program" that develops the point program further.

Incorporating both the customer's and the brand's perspectives — what kind of relationship is nurtured as customers touch the brand offline and online, and what kind of involvement feels comfortable according to the customer's degree of attachment — the team deliberated broadly over story, visuals, stages (tiers), and rewards, expressing a worldview unique to IPSA and arriving at the renewal.

Main initiatives of the project:

Concept formulation

Starting from the brand, the team broadly diverged on the ideal state of customer relations and, while creating prototypes, designed the naming, key visual, and story.

Creative development

Based on the formulated concept, the team broadly developed the creative needed for offline and online communication, including customer-facing messaging, operational methods, and benefits/rewards. Particular effort went into planning and producing the gift items awarded to customers in the upper stages, expressing gratitude to customers who have loved the brand throughout the year through items and messages.

This membership program initiative is being used as a foundation for nurturing deep bonds between the brand and its customers, and Goodpatch continues to walk alongside it after the renewal.

Raising Awareness by Clarifying the Merits of Counseling and Improving Touchpoint Design

IPSA has provided high-quality "counseling (skin diagnosis)" since its founding, and the team regarded it as a key element shaping the brand experience. Meanwhile, as other companies expanded not only in-store counseling experiences but also digital counseling services, the team looked afresh at the merits of IPSA's counseling.

In addition, with in-store counseling experiences unavoidably restricted during the pandemic and opportunities for in-store counseling declining, especially among younger recipists, there was also the expectation of fostering a shared understanding of IPSA's counseling.

Against this backdrop, a project was formed to define the value of the counseling experience, in order to have more people learn the appeal of IPSA's products and experiences. Toward improving awareness and the counseling rate, the uniqueness and strengths of IPSA's counseling were defined and reflected in the design of key customer touchpoints.

Main initiatives of the project:

Renewing customer touchpoints through design

With the master statement created as the axis, a consistent approach to messaging was designed. Based on this design, the feature pages within the official brand pages were completely redesigned. Furthermore, multiple customer touchpoints — in-store handouts, POP displays, and web advertising — were renewed in a unified way, ensuring consistency in the brand message.

Continuous, data-based improvement

To measure the project's effects objectively, a method of effectiveness verification was designed and implemented. The data and customer reactions obtained were analyzed in detail, and the messaging points were optimized based on the results. By repeating this process, continuous improvement is being realized.

Through this project, the foundation was put in place for conveying the value of IPSA's strength — its counseling service — to more customers and having them experience it. Continuous improvement will continue in response to customer reactions and market changes.

UI Design Renewal: Online Skin Measurement

IPSA had launched a skin measurement service that lets customers easily check their skin condition online by taking photos with a smartphone and answering questions, but the drop-off rate on the photo screen and encouraging continued use were challenges. Goodpatch therefore carried out a design renewal focused on improving usability and making the results display appealing.

Main initiatives of the project:

Renewing the question and results screens

The text-heavy display was revised, making the graph expressions visually easier to understand. Based on IPSA's philosophy of "respecting each individual's beauty," the design avoids uniform good-bad expressions while clearly indicating points for improvement.

Improving the interaction of the photo screen

The team addressed the difficulty of taking photos, the main cause of drop-off. Check items for face position, orientation, and distance from the camera were added, visualizing when conditions are cleared, and a face-shaped frame was introduced to make accurate positioning easy.

Through these measures, the project contributed to reducing the user drop-off rate and encouraging continued use. In addition, a leaflet was created and distributed to raise awareness of the service among in-store users, linking online and physical stores.

In particular, on the final page displaying the skin measurement results, illustrations were placed to make it easier for customers to reach for product testers, and guidance text was displayed to make it easier for store staff to strike up a conversation.

By designing the screens with an in-store experience in mind — one that connects smoothly from skin measurement to actual service — a mechanism was built that, while using digital technology, naturally guides people toward actual product experiences and human service. The service is expected to convey IPSA's appeal effectively even in a short time and lead to acquiring potential customers, and the screens will continue to be updated as needed.

Gift Experience Concept Design and Touchpoint Design

With the recent growth in gift needs, gifts have also become an important point of contact between IPSA and its customers. The team therefore newly formulated the customer journey and concept for the gift experience IPSA should offer, designed gift measures both online and offline, and walked alongside the execution and advancement of each measure. Goodpatch was also involved in related creative production.

Main initiatives of the project:

To address operational issues with the paper gift wrapping on the e-commerce site, work began on considering a new wrapping design. To embody what makes IPSA IPSA and make the gift experience better, close discussions were held on shape, material, color, and cost.

As a result, a high-quality, reusable drawstring-pouch wrapping was designed. This design was later adopted as IPSA's standard gift wrapping for both in-store sales and e-commerce. Limited-period seed paper message cards and message card tags were also produced.

Creative

Centered on group company Studio Details, key visuals were produced for select Japan-only products and campaigns, along with in-store promotional materials and PR tools for social media that make use of them. The team was also broadly involved in the design of GWP products and the production of official site pages.

Furthermore, through photography direction and copywriting, the team brought out the products' appeal to the fullest and designed messages that resonate with the target audience. By integrating these diverse creative elements, the team contributes to enhancing the brand's value while maintaining consistency across the brand.

Main initiatives of the project:

A dedicated creative team office (secretariat) was launched, driving the optimization of workflows. This made production processes more efficient, enabling smooth schedule management and the delivery of high-quality creative.

• Ultimate series: production of the key visual and various promotional materials
• Gifts: production of the key visual and wrapping, among others

Credit

Goodpatch
Overall Project Supervision: Ryosuke Sakai, Rintaro Ogawa
Account Manager: Fumiyasu Urata
UX Designers: Mika Ehara, Hiroshi Nishimura, Mana Otani, Sakiho Kadoya, Mew Imashuku, Yukio Iizuka
UI Designers: Yukimi Tochio, Natsumi Obata, Yuesheng Han, Manami Tsuchida
Art Directors: Mitsuru Katayanagi, Aya Nakada, Umi Arisue
BX Designers: Yasuyuki Nakabayashi, Ayaka Okubo
Copywriters: Momoko Inada, Masumi Toyota
Design Strategist: Miwa Shiozawa
Design Researcher: Mai Yoneda
Project Managers: Chiaki Higashimurayama, Shintaro Tamaki
Studio Details
[Overall Project Supervision]
Creative Director: Keita Kozaru
[Brand.com Office]
Director: Keigo Konai
Designer: Yuka Ogura
Front-End Engineers: Yuki Sugiura, Ryosuke Oshima, Azumi Iwashita, Shiho Mizusawa, Ryosuke Morioka, Yuto Kakuta, Genki Iwai, Koya Iwasaki
[Creative Office]
Director / Copywriter: Yuto Fukuda
Designers: Seina Honna, Shinnosuke Shimayoshi, Minami Fukube, Honoka Okazaki, Kento Shirotsuka