Differentiating Consumer Electronics through High-Fashion

With the initial success of their Ladybug iPod speakers, which addressed the femme fatale market with a fresh perspective, Vestalife saw the opportunity to create an impressive follow-up with an entire new portfolio of compelling ear buds, head phones and docking stations. The company challenged RKS to design offerings that would expand both their product line and target audience in sophisticated ways.

To commence the research process, the team thoroughly analyzed the competitive landscape of iPod accessories that were sold in various retail locations and in particular Apple stores. By mapping out competitors’ products, the team realized that the market was dominated by sporty and masculine products. This revealed an excellent opportunity to design for the feminine, fashion-forward consumer segment.

RKS designed a range of speaker and headphone products targeting the female iPod user to enable Vestlife to successfully differentiate in a saturated market. The overall look and feel of these high perceived value headphones and speakers resembled colorful jewelry rather than following the common appeal of consumer electronics in this space. Furthermore, brand appearance and packaging were optimized for Apple store retail placement which resulted in breakthrough market performance with retail orders far exceeding the company’s most optimistic projection.