Taco Clout
A Brand Refresh
Taco Clout lives at the intersection of Toyota culture and off-road capability. Built for enthusiasts, not just shoppers, the brand curates hard-to-find parts and trail-ready gear for Tacomas, 4Runners, and Tundras. It’s not just a store—it’s a platform for getting your rig dialed in.
What I did: Led the visual rebrand during our migration from BigCommerce to Shopify. Oversaw everything from palette and typography decisions to email design, mobile interactions, and dev handoff. Balanced brand equity with UX upgrades to create a cleaner, more confident experience.
What I learned: A rebrand doesn’t always mean loud changes. Sometimes it’s about removing friction, modernizing where it counts, and making sure every visual cue supports trust, speed, and clarity—especially for users shopping on mobile in a highly specific niche.
The Challenge
Transitioning from BigCommerce to Shopify wasn't just a platform switch; it was an opportunity to revamp our brand's visual identity. The move aimed to reduce operational costs, enhance scalability, and improve vendor syncing. However, it also presented challenges:
- Data Migration: Ensuring a seamless transfer of product data, customer information, and order history without loss or corruption.
- Design Consistency: Maintaining brand recognition while updating visual elements.
- Developer Collaboration: Working closely with developers to implement design changes without disrupting site functionality.
One of the biggest challenges with this project was making sure I didn’t lose any of the SEO value I’d already built. For pages that were ranking well and had solid design, I made it a priority to carry that over as closely as possible when moving everything to Shopify.
The Process
- 1. Audit & Strategy
We began by auditing our existing brand assets and identifying areas for improvement. This included analyzing customer feedback, reviewing analytics, and assessing the competitive landscape.
- 2. Design Overhaul
While retaining our logo, we updated our color palette to reflect a more modern and cohesive look. This involved selecting colors that resonated with our target audience and aligned with our brand values.
- 3. Email Marketing Revamp
Our email templates were redesigned to match the new visual identity, ensuring consistency across all customer touchpoints.
- 4. Developer Collaboration
We worked hand-in-hand with our development team to implement the new designs on Shopify. This included customizing themes, adjusting layouts, and ensuring responsive design across devices.
- 5. Testing & Feedback
Before the full launch, we conducted thorough testing to identify any issues. Feedback from a select group of customers was instrumental in fine-tuning the final design.
Results That Matter
The rebrand and platform migration yielded significant improvements:
- Conversion Rate: Increased by 22%, indicating a more engaging and user-friendly shopping experience.
- Bounce Rate: Decreased by 15%, suggesting that visitors were more inclined to explore the site.
- Customer Feedback: Positive responses highlighted the site's improved aesthetics and ease of navigation.
- Net Promoter Score: While it's still early, we are seeing positive trends to a better score, which means happier customers.
Lessons Learned
- Collaboration is Key: Close cooperation between design and development teams ensures that visual updates are effectively implemented without compromising functionality.
- Customer-Centric Design: Understanding and addressing customer needs leads to a more intuitive and satisfying user experience.
- Improvement through Iterations: Regularly revisiting and refining design elements keeps the brand fresh and aligned with evolving customer expectations.
