New GameChanger Hair Care Launch
GameChanger played a major role in the launch of an exciting new line of hair care products that are being expanded this month.The line – Seed by Akimi – was developed by San Francisco entrepreneur Carolyn Luu over the past 5 years in her San Francisco Hair studio. The products are all based on an ancient Vietnamese ritual of using bo ket pods to provide softer, shinier hair.The Seed by Akimi line provides a unique soft, glossy texture to hair. The products work especially well for women with fine or thinning hair.GameChanger began working with Luu 12 months ago and helped her develop the packaging, positioning, business strategy and launch plan for this new business. We also developed and launched an e-commerce website for Akimi, which went live last week. Check it out at www.AkimiHairGallery.com.
The product line was featured in the San Francisco Chronicle last week. Below are some highlights…As a girl in Vietnam, Carolyn Luu would soak bo ket pods in water before using the water to wash her hair. The result? Soft, shiny hair and a light, fresh scent that she loved.
“It was just really simple, nothing fancy about it,” Luu explains of the locust bean plant, which grows only in South East Asia and Africa. “It just works.”But after moving to the States, she wasn’t able to find any products that gave her the same feeling.In her more than 20 years as a hair stylist and salon owner, Luu tried many different products to re-create her childhood experience. Once she realized nothing was quite right, she decided to develop her own. After five years of development, she finally found the right formula to provide that experience to her loyal clients at the Akimi Hair Gallery in San Francisco. “When I tried it, I said, ‘This is it!’ “Luu says. “It was exactly as I remembered.”Using carob beans in place of the bo ket pods, Luu’s custom blends for her clients soon became a hit. Clients praised the gentle products, which left their hair soft without drying out the scalp, and urged her to take the next step.Now, after making a few updates to the original formulas, Seed by Akimi shampoos and conditioners come in four versions, the sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners are made with low-foaming characteristics, which, Luu explains, don’t strip the hair or scalp. The products are produced entirely in California, and as a way to give back to the country that inspired her dream, a portion of the sales are donated to East Meets West’s anti-trafficking initiatives for young women in Vietnam.
“It was daunting, starting something of my own,” she says when she looks at the bottles lined up on shelves in the salon. “But I really believe you should follow your dream.
Read more about the article here, or go to her website at www.akimihairgallery.com, Link to the Chronicle: http://www.sfgate.com/style/article/Seed-by-Akimi-hair-care-hits-market-4058770.php#ixzz2ENu29pe3
