As businesses and brands are rethinking how they offer value beyond product benefits, design thinking methods continue to help bring fresh perspectives and new ways of doing things. It allows them to consider innovation not just for the sake of creating a new product, but to solve real problems or open new avenues of engagement:
Serving greater needs (that could be social or environmental)
Enabling individual involvement & participation, not just consumption
Building experiences and communities
The following three projects leverage design methods to propose solutions in line with these principles.
My Roles:
Design Strategist, from research to development
SERVING GREATER NEEDS WITH SERVICE DESIGN
Colgate-Palmolive: Human-Centered Commerce Hub
The Insight
The new generation of professionals and family heads are increasingly conscious consumers interested in “do-good” enterprises. They are also tech-savvy multitaskers using a wide variety of digital platforms.
The Opportunity
Colgate-Palmolive (CP) is strategically positioned to leverage these behaviors:
• Industry leader with a caring reputation
• Social responsibility trajectory in place
• Well-established online presence supported by e-commerce partnerships
The Solution
A human-centered commerce hub bringing together e-commerce, social responsibility, and brand loyalty translates into a digital service that invites consumers to be a part of something bigger, bringing to life Colgate’s caring mission.
How It Works
Consumers purchasing products via this commerce hub, a digital retail partner, or in-store will have the option to donate to one of the 3 featured social initiatives they care about. The customer journey will be one of convenience and social responsibility, allowing them more engagement with the Colgate-Palmolive brand while also actively involving them as conscious consumers.
ENABLING INVOLVEMENT & PARTICIPATION WITH EXPERIENCE DESIGN
Con-Edison: Experience Ecosystem
The Insight
Consumers think about their electric service when they have issues. It’s an “us versus company” relationship, that is perceived as painful.
On the other hand, with a foundation rooted in innovation by Thomas Edison in the 1880’s, ConEd’s mission has been about making life better for all.
The Opportunity
To reposition the company in a dynamic, competitive environment via an improved experience and innovative interactions. To bring back the essence of the company while creating active and friendly engagement between provider and users. Ultimately, building ConEd as a good news brand.
The Solution
Establish ConEd as a community partner that is relevant in the everyday, not just when there are issues:
• Improving their experience, offering consumers practical tools that allow more direct engagement
• Empowering clients with relevant information and innovative tools
• Encouraging and highlighting community initiatives
How it Works
A redesign of their experience, including digital, content, experiential:
• Use of data visualization to tell a simpler, more human story
• Integrate relevant local partnerships
• Experiential tactics supporting energy efficiency and green innovation
BUILDING EXPERIENCES & COMMUNITIES WITH EXPERIENCE DESIGN
Gatorade: Total Sports Fuel System
The Insight.
For athletes and athletic enthusiasts, performance is in the process and their support system - not just the final score.
The Opportunity.
Build fitness communities with local scalability to drive sales of Gatorade Total Sports Fuel System:
• Local athletes behave like a tribe, and relate to larger international communities
• Engage in a cult of their practice
• Are embracing technology to support and socialize their practice (self-monitoring apps)
• Are thirsty for competition and recognition
The Solution.
An omni-channel platform designed to support fitness community-building by embodying Gatorade’s vision: Innovate, Elevate, Inspire.
It integrates 3 product innovation proposals:
Mobile platform
Dispensing machines connected to mobile
Digital display to foster new behavior, multi-pack consumption
How It Works.
Gatorade’s Total Sports System enhances fitness lifestyle with tools that facilitate the local practices and fuel performance in a social way:
Mobile Platform - Profile, tracking, community, professional trainers
Points of Sweat - Gatorade branded fitness sessions with a PR component
Points of Sweat (digital) - Gatorade dispensing machines connected to the Mobile Platform
Events - Introduction of the “G Troop”, an athletic performance expert consultation
Special Activations - Digital displays to generate brand interaction and new consumption
Scalable at Retail - POS kits and year-round promotional programs
