• by Sarah Mahoney , Yesterday

For many kids, a fresh cut is just as important on the first day of school as new kicks or a great outfit. This year, more parents are looking for ways to save time and money while getting those locks in line — and Great Clips, JCPenney and Supercuts are all working slightly different angles.

Supercuts is aiming its new work squarely at Gen Z's "loud budgeting" trend. Called "Confidence Without Compromise," the campaign — from the Infinite Agency — turns a single guest's reaction, "Supercuts? Supercuts!", into a literal domino effect through a neighborhood. It's running on streaming, social and digital channels. The key insight: People don't expect a style that's quick and affordable to also be something you'd brag about, let alone turn heads with.

"For 50 years, our guests have known what more and more people are discovering: you don't have to choose between quality and value," said Susan Lintonsmith, CEO of Supercuts parent company Regis Corp., in a statement announcing the campaign. "Every day, our talented stylists help guests leave the salon feeling like the best version of themselves, and we're honored to have earned our Google rating through the trust they place in us."

The push also includes a brand refresh for the Minneapolis-based chain, which now has 1,800 locations and an average 4.8-star Google rating. That work includes a redesigned website and new visual identity, extending to in-salon materials, franchise marketing and recruitment in the coming months.

For Great Clips — also Minneapolis-based, and the largest salon brand, with 4,400 franchise-owned salons — the message is all about timing. The company is invoking a little sleight of hand, partnering with magician Justin Flom. Known for his optical illusions and physical gags, Flom and his two daughters star in a playful video reminding parents they don't need complicated tricks to get the right back-to-school look — just the Great Clips app. The campaign also features influencer families from the U.S. and Canada.

That app push centers on Online Check-In, which lets parents check in multiple family members at once, offering real-time wait times and notifications when it's their turn for a haircut. The company says the app has been downloaded 27 million times, and starting later this month, it will offer both Apple and Android users a new Live Updates feature, sending check-in status and estimated wait times directly to a customer's lock screen.

JCPenney, meanwhile, is going straight for parents' wallets with the simplest pitch of the three: a campaign pushing $12 haircuts through mid-September.