HiQ gets to grips with Fitch’s store design

Goodyear Dunlop’s fast-fit retail division HiQ is about to roll out its new store design, created by Fitch.

The group’s rebranding work with tyre manufacturer Goodyear helped it to net the contract, says Fitch design director Simon Moriarty, but ‘there is no visual connection between the brands,’ he says. Fitch also redesigned HiQ’s identity last year.

The shop design features black-and-white hand-drawn illustrations of staff, and statements in speech bubbles. Intended to reassure customers, the concept was informed by market research carried out on behalf of HiQ, which found that customers do not trust fast-fit companies.

‘Customers often feel anxious about things like price and duration of each job. They don’t appreciate technical jargon and feel there is a lack of empathy for the customer. We wanted to address this in our rebrand,’ says HiQ managing director Neil Burrows.

Moriarty adds, ‘The challenge was to change the consumer perception of the fast-fit car care market. We wanted to position the brand as approachable, trustworthy, knowledgeable and friendly and present an environment that reassured customers.

‘We pursued these objectives by introducing a reassuringly no-nonsense and direct tone of voice and style to the environment,’ he says.