Overview

Uh oh! Someone forgot the ice.

Challenges into Triumphs with the Cool Cubes App

As the Creative Director overseeing the Cool Cubes app project for Liptons, I had the privilege of guiding an incredible team through a journey filled with both challenges and rewarding successes.

Our mission was to create a mobile app that would captivate young adults and teenagers, promoting Liptons’ new Iced tea Products. Here’s how we navigated the complexities and turned obstacles into opportunities.

Embracing Project Complexity

From the outset, I knew the Cool Cubes app would be complex. It wasn’t just about developing a basic app; we needed advanced interactive game features, social media integration, a robust backend and our app developemnt company of choice was based in Germany. Recognising this, I worked closely with our project managers and those at the German team to set a realistic and detailed timeline, allowing us to tackle each intricate aspect meticulously. My role involved constantly evaluating our progress and ensuring that our approach was both thorough and adaptive. This proactive approach was crucial, especially when some of the technical components proved more challenging than anticipated.

Leveraging Team Size and Expertise

I was fortunate to lead a highly experienced team. With specialists in UI/UX design, front-end and back-end development, and quality assurance, we had all the skills necessary to bring this project to life. My responsibility was to harness this expertise effectively, facilitating collaboration and ensuring clear communication across all departments. Our coordinated efforts allowed us to move easily from one phase to the next, ensuring every detail was crafted with precision and creativity. When we faced unexpected technical issues, I relied on our team’s expertise to quickly devise effective solutions, keeping the project on track.

Navigating Client Feedback and Approval Cycles

Maintaining clear and open communication with Liptons was a cornerstone of our project management approach. I had regular design reviews and development updates, which kept the client engaged and ensured their vision was accurately reflected in the app. However, there were moments when feedback and approval cycles introduced delays. To manage this, I set up more frequent check-ins and streamlined our feedback process, ensuring we could incorporate their input without significantly impacting the timeline.

Overcoming Unforeseen Challenges

Like any complex project, we encountered our share of unforeseen challenges. One significant hurdle was a late-stage scope change requested by Liptons, which required us to add new features just weeks before the planned launch. This could have derailed the project, but I worked closely with our team to turn this into an opportunity to enhance the app further. We re-prioritised tasks, organised additional work sessions, and successfully integrated the new features without compromising the launch date.

Celebrating the Outcome

Despite the complexities, feedback delays, and unexpected challenges, we successfully brought the Cool Cubes app to life within a remarkably short timeframe. The dedication and expertise of our team were key to navigating the intricacies and delivering a product that exceeded expectations.

The Cool Cubes app launched successfully on both the App Store and Google Play, achieving over 50,000 downloads in the first month. User engagement was high, with an average session duration of 11 minutes and a retention rate of 35% over 30 days. The app received glowing reviews, with average ratings of 4.5 stars on the App Store and 4.2 stars on Google Play.

Interactive features within the framework of the game and promotional offers saw tremendous engagement, with over 30,000 coupon redemptions. The app also gained significant social media traction, with users sharing content over 15,000 times within the first month. Its technical performance was strong, with minimal crashes and consistent metrics ensuring a seamless user experience.

Most importantly, the app had a significant market impact, increasing brand awareness and contributing to a 10% rise in Lipton Iced Tea sales within the first quarter post-launch.

Looking Ahead

The success of the Cool Cubes app was not just a win for Liptons but also a major milestone for our team. Recognising the potential of our development capabilities, Edelman decided (with a nudge) to acquire the 3rd party app development business. This strategic decision expanded our service offerings and solidified Edelman Digital’s position as a leader in digital solutions.

Reflecting on the Cool Cubes app project, I was proud of how we turned complexity into simplicity, challenges into triumphs, and an ambitious idea into a well received and awarded app. It was a testament to our collective vision, expertise, and resilience, and an example of what can be achieved through dedication and teamwork.