+20%
Bookings in month 1
80%
Capacity reached
$20/day
Starting Google Ads spend
90 days
Brand revival window
The Mission
The Gentry is a premium barbershop in Auckland's business district. Adrian, the owner, runs an excellent in-person experience. Online, the brand had gone silent — the Instagram hadn't been touched in over a year, the booking flow was unclear, and previous attempts at boosted posts and Google Ads had produced nothing measurable.
The Challenge
"We're better than this, so why aren't people showing up?" was Adrian's actual question. The shop was operating at well under capacity despite being demonstrably better than nearby competitors. The disconnect between in-shop quality and online presence was the entire problem.
The Strategy
We rebuilt the Instagram from scratch around a black-and-white gentleman aesthetic with cinematic reels. Studied the local market, audience habits, and direct client feedback to map what messaging actually moved the booking needle. Launched Google Ads at a controlled $20/day, doubled the budget after 30 days once the data was clean.
The Results
Bookings rose 10% in the first weeks, then 20% by the end of month one. By month three the shop was hitting 80% capacity consistently. Clients started tagging the shop, sharing reels, and competitors began copying the aesthetic. The brand transformed from invisible to community-default inside a year.
The Aftermath
Adrian eventually said "we're good, let's hold this level" — the shop was at the capacity he wanted, and we shifted from growth mode to retention. The system is still running and the social presence is still owned by the brand, not by paid promotion.
“Prior to working with Basile our social media accounts had died. Since working with him our socials have gone from zero to a hundred.”
Adrian E · Owner, The Gentry