Client Case Study

head to toe brands at mufc 2025 – multi-brand franchise activation

  • Client: Head to Toe Franchise Brands (Home to The Lash Lounge, Frenchies Modern Nail Care, and Bishops Cuts/Color) | A Riverside Company

  • Industry: Franchising • Beauty & Wellness • B2B Marketing

project overview

At MUFC 2025, Head to Toe Brands set out to ignite conversation, build franchisee relationships, and showcase the power of multi-unit franchising in the beauty space. With a custom-designed booth, targeted marketing strategy, and tactile, memorable experiences, the goal was clear: position Head to Toe as the premier platform for scalable, multi-brand ownership in the beauty and self-care sector—featuring The Lash Lounge and Frenchies Modern Nail Care.

the goals

  1. Position Head to Toe Brands as the go-to platform for multi-unit beauty franchising
    Showcase HTT’s unique value prop: empowering entrepreneurs to scale with confidence across complementary beauty brands.
  2. Create a tactile, unforgettable brand experience
    Build a booth that wasn’t just eye-catching, but immersive—inviting attendees to feel what it’s like to be part of the HTT ecosystem.
  3. Drive pre-scheduled meetings and post-show leads
    Launch a multi-touch marketing strategy that nurtured interest before, during, and after the event—turning booth visits into business development wins.
  4. Use design to tell a bigger story
    From LEGO keychains to branded zones, every touchpoint was crafted to reflect the modularity, creativity, and growth potential of HTT’s franchise approach.

the challenge

  1. Breaking Through the Noise at MUFC
    With hundreds of exhibitors vying for attention, Head to Toe Brands needed to create a booth experience that didn’t just attract foot traffic—but stopped attendees in their tracks.
  2. Clarifying a Multi-Brand Narrative
    Communicating the value of owning multiple distinct beauty brands—under one franchise model—meant avoiding confusion while still highlighting each brand’s unique personality.
  3. Converting Curiosity into Real Conversations
    Beyond aesthetics, the goal was to generate meaningful interactions with qualified leads—franchisees genuinely interested in scaling with HTT’s platform.
  4. Maintaining Brand Integrity in a Compressed Space
    Translating the in-store environments of The Lash Lounge and Frenchies into a modular 10×20 booth required clever spatial design and material storytelling.

tools and technology

SketchUp supported the 3D booth design process, enabling real-time layout testing and branded spatial planning reflective of in-store experiences.

ChatGPT was used to develop and refine copy across touchpoints—booth messaging, email content, CTAs, and strategic language for social media and outreach.

Lexica was used for curated brand image generation, helping define tone and visual direction during early booth concepting and email asset development.

WebAIM ensured accessibility across the MUFC landing page, validating visual contrast, type sizing, and hierarchy in accordance with WCAG guidelines.

design strategy

lego keychains boosted recall

Gold LEGO keychains tied directly to HTT’s modularity message. The playful, tactile moment stood out as a conversation-starter on the floor and was frequently referenced in post-event follow-ups—cementing the booth experience as both clever and memorable.

The LEGO storefront builds and gold LEGO keychain giveaway became instant conversation-starters—bridging playful engagement with meaningful brand storytelling around modularity, scalability, and creativity.

digital assets reinforced the brand

Coordinated email headers and a landing page echoed booth visuals across channels. These assets drove event awareness, supported lead capture, and ensured that every brand interaction—digital or physical—felt cohesive, intentional, and conversion-ready.

immersive booth experience

The booth was envisioned as a modular, immersive beauty environment, crafted to reflect the experience of walking into an actual HTT brand location. Every design detail was intentional—from material choices to spatial layout.

The booth design directly referenced the interior environments of The Lash Lounge and Frenchies Modern Nail Care. Lash Lounge’s warm oak tones, soft whites, and natural finishes brought a calm, elevated feel to its section of the booth—mirroring its spa-like, high-touch studio experience. Frenchies, on the other hand, leaned into its signature bright blue palette and clean modern accents, reflecting its cheerful, health-conscious nail care atmosphere. Accent shelves on the exhibit walls proudly presented a curated selection of care products, emphasizing the life-like, mini store experience.

Each brand was given its own spotlight. Frenchies featured a vibrant blue accent wall and polish-focused displays, while The Lash Lounge leaned into natural palettes and product-based storytelling.

“Build Your Beauty Empire” served as the overarching narrative, tying together both experiences under Head to Toe’s multi-brand opportunity model. This narrative was shared across all communications, branding, and even on the apparel of booth representatives.

Marketing strategy: pre, during, and post-event engagement

pre-event: personalized hype

Ahead of MUFC, Head to Toe Brands deployed a thoughtful campaign strategy to generate awareness and drive booth traffic:

pre-event: personalized hype

Ahead of MUFC, Head to Toe Brands deployed a thoughtful campaign strategy to generate awareness and drive booth traffic:

targeted linkedIn outreach

Custom LinkedIn messages were sent to hand-selected attendees, building early rapport and brand familiarity. This approach created personal touchpoints pre-show, priming qualified leads for deeper conversations once they visited the booth.

personalized social promotion

Show participation was promoted across all brand channels, with additional posts from Head To Toe’s CEO adding credibility and excitement. This brand-led storytelling built awareness and positioned Head To Toe as a forward-thinking, multi-brand opportunity in beauty.

teaser emails with ctas

Two pre-event emails teased the booth experience, highlighted giveaway incentives, and showcased the Head To Toe model. Clear CTAs invited prospects to pre-book meetings—warming leads and increasing foot traffic from engaged attendees on Day 1.

geo-targeted display ads

Localized Google Display Ads ran before and during MUFC, targeting attendees near Caesars Convention Center. Ads featured the booth number and value prop, driving awareness and traffic to the activation through simple, geo-smart messaging.

conference landing page

A dedicated landing page supported the campaign with brand storytelling, visuals, and integrated lead capture. It echoed the booth design, reinforced messaging consistency, and gave visitors a seamless digital touchpoint before, during, and after the event.

unified brand messaging

“Build Your Beauty Empire” became the rallying cry across every platform. From email subject lines to signage and booth apparel, the line unified the campaign and helped attendees quickly understand Head To Toe’s multi-brand franchise vision.

during the event: real-time brand activation

The team shared live social media posts from the event floor, celebrating foot traffic, key interactions, and the booth’s visual impact. Messaging centered on:

  • High-retention, membership-based franchise models

  • Multi-brand scalability in a single location

  • The rising value of the beauty/self-care sector in franchising

post-event: relationship-first follow-up

A final email blast and personalized messages followed the event—recapping booth highlights, thanking attendees, and inviting deeper conversations about partnership opportunities. Initiatives included:

  • Thank you e-blast to the full list of attendees, inviting them once more to connect for an introductory call.

  • Individual outreach to the booth visitors captured via lead scanner devices.

  • Utilizing the attendee list in retargeting advertising on Google.

Why It Worked: strategy Meets Storytelling

The activation worked because it wasn’t just a trade show presence—it was a fully branded experience. Every element told a story.

Branded Environment

The booth design mirrored real-world interiors and used visual cues from each franchise to immerse attendees in a space that felt authentic and franchise-ready.

Unified Storytelling

A co-branded setup demonstrated how multiple HTT brands could coexist, while messaging and outreach tied everything together in one clear, scalable narrative.

Tactile Metaphor

Gold LEGO builds brought the brand’s modularity message to life—sparking curiosity, conversations, and emotional connection through a playful, memorable giveaway.

check out our other work for head to toe brands

A unified digital identity built for scale—bringing clarity to Head To Toe’s multi-brand platform while celebrating the distinct feel of each beauty franchise.