Nakamoto Forestry: Website Rebrand and UX/​UI Redesign 

The Overall Problem

The Nakamoto Zourin Group is headquartered in western Japan and is the largest manufacturer of Yakisugi in the world. William Beleck, the general manager of Nakamoto Forestry North America, is a master tradesman and has an expert understanding and respect of the Japanese culture surrounding Yakisugi siding. He is passionate about educating western buyers and enthusiasts about the true process behind Yakisugi. In the US, “Shou Sugi Ban” is the most common term associated with burnt wood siding. Yakisugi is technically a “heat treated cypress”, while the term “Shou Sugi Ban” is a mistaken mixture of chinese and Japanese, not recognized in Japan. A DIY culture currently exists in relation to “Shou Sugi Ban” regarding wood-burning techniques This was causing headaches for Bill and his team, inundating them with unqualified leads.

The messaging issue was not the only problem, Nakamoto also lacked modern brand guidelines and a solid UX structure. Their old website design missed aspirational elements and cheapened their product perception. Small imagery, cluttered layouts, and unrefined interactions didn’t carry the desired impact for quality leads.

Nakamoto’s potential customers required significant hand-holding because of the high level of customizations and education needed throughout the buying process. Nakamoto Forestry’s support staff was inundated with calls from buyers who were lost in their shopping journey and many times didn’t meet the financial requirements to buy the minimum amount of product.

After user studies, workshops, and a deep dive into Yakisugi, the GRAYBOX creative and marketing teams developed an elevated Nakamoto Forestry website that spoke to real potential buyers with clarity and authority.

Our Solution

Implementing priorities

Nakamoto Forestry had 3 messages and personas to reach. These personas were architects (and designers), homeowners, and contractors. GRAYBOX needed to prioritize messages for different aspects of the buyer journey. After workshops and customer studies, GRAYBOX determined their primary persona were architects based on their influence impact on the other personas and focused the content structure accordingly.

Constructing a new product paradigm

Yakisugi is available in 3 different surfaces, Suyaki, Gendai, and Pika Pika. The surface textures are created based on the amount of brushing applied to the charred cypress. Different finishes can be applied to each surface type creating a unique visual appearance and color.

The original website described its products in a very linear (and copy-heavy) manner. While helpful in educating potential customers on what the product is, it missed the mark on showing how beautiful and varied the different finishes were. GRAYBOX recommended flattening the hierarchy and showing the mix of Suyaki, Gendai, and Pika Pika finishes intermixed with educational content blocks. This visual imagery dramatically improved the shopping experience for potential customers.

Building on a foundation

Brands are manifestations of companies and products. GRAYBOX pushed Nakamoto Forestry to look inward and focus on who they are as a company and how they want to be seen. Analyzing the competitive landscape and other leaders in luxury products, GRAYBOX developed and refined a dynamic brand that leads with confidence, compassion, and intention.

Partnering for success

A respected partnership is vital to creating a satisfactory product. GRAYBOX and Nakamoto Forestry continue to collaborate and iterate within today’s changing landscape. Engaging in healthy conversations with necessary push and pull, GRAYBOX partners with Nakamoto Forestry to create enhanced solutions and strategic goals for future implementations.