“Be the Sun” is so named because of a talk the owner (a psychologist) gives about becoming a center of positivity for others. At its heart, the brand is quirky, yet practical and empathetic. The consensus was that the overall look should feel somewhat bespoke and elicit surprise and delight with its presentation. The store needs to be linked to related materials on the site, and extremely easy to use. Visual conventions favored by older audiences should apply, as should WCAG guidelines.
The consensus was that the overall look should feel somewhat bespoke and elicit surprise and delight with its presentation. The store needs to be linked to related materials on the site, and extremely easy to use. Visual conventions favored by older audiences should apply, as should WCAG guidelines
The initial round of branding was conducted concurrently with website development, and quickly evolved into merchandising concepts. Focus testing for the brand identity was conducted separately using third-party services. Once developed, the look of these was adapted further for the website visual design, with initial raw design components created in Figma and made interactive for prototyping purposes as the project progressed.
These personas also played a central role in testing language, visuals, and engagement tactics. We used them as proxies in both internal workshops and streamlined concept testing sessions, helping the team stay anchored in human needs while keeping pace with tight timelines and constrained resources.
In short, they acted as a creative shortcut to empathy—giving the campaign emotional depth and behavioral relevance before we had access to other sources of validation.
User testing for Be the Sun, Not the Salt was largely successful, with participants responding positively to the concept, tone, and emotional resonance of the campaign. The personas we used helped us explore a wide range of reactions and refine the experience for different mindsets and life stages.
However, when it came to purchase intent, we encountered a common barrier: without actual merchandise designs in place, many users found it difficult to visualize what they were being asked to consider. While they appreciated the spirit of the message and said they’d “probably buy something,” the lack of tangible products made it hard to move from interest to action.
This insight was critical—it confirmed the campaign’s conceptual strength, while also highlighting the need for real product previews to turn curiosity into conversion.
Although we had used detailed animation in the prototypes, the load times and potential conflicts revealed during functional testing led us to decide that some of them should be left out for the final launch version. Regardless, the new site outperformed the old one in virtually every single KPI. Event bookings increased and the new merchandise seemed relatively popular.
However, the success of the site spotlighted a larger challenge. Because the client was using content as a lure, there was pressure to produce new material at a cadence that the “talent” was unaccustomed to. Currently, they are investigating white label solutions for content development, along with further refinements to the site.
© 2023 Jon Gifford