Preparing for the announcement of Freefly Systems' first consumer-level product was one of my final tasks while working with the marketing and branding team.
The obvious goal was to sell product, but moving from more expensive products aimed at filmmaking professionals (with prices starting at over $6,000) to an iPhone cinema robot meant for parents who like to shoot video of their kids, YouTubers, and even those in Hollywood (and with a price-tag of under $300), made for a branding and storytelling challenge we'd yet to face as an organization.
In just two months, our process produced a high-fidelity brand experience prototype we could use to test our approach before making any investments in development or launch. This is how you de-risk entrepreneurship.
Good strategy feels like common sense in hindsight.
With the new strategy and visual identity in place, we didn’t rush to manufacturing. First, we needed proof.
To validate the clarity of the positioning, we tested the brand with real home cooks using Voxpopme, a video feedback platform. The goal was to understand: Do they see what we see? Do they feel what we want them to feel?
We tested product images, colors, website mockups, and messaging across a spectrum of U.S. home cooks. The participants varied in age, location, family makeup, and brand awareness. Most cooked regularly for others. Some had never heard of Kizen, while others had considered buying but hadn’t yet committed.
The results confirmed our hypothesis:
Emotional resonance: Users felt empowered and relieved. The brand made them feel like they could “cook more often without fear,” and called out how it helped them “take the guesswork out of their tasks.”
Relevance across skill levels: Both beginners and seasoned home cooks saw Kizen as applicable to their needs. They found it trustworthy, helpful, and confidence-building.
Design validation: The clean, modern style of the brand and site increased interest. Feedback around color preferences and layout helped us fine-tune visual details before production.
Product clarity: Thermometers were seen as the anchor of the brand. Their clear utility gave context to the rest of the lineup and strengthened the positioning overall.
Pricing and credibility: Several participants noted the importance of reviews and price clarity to help with conversion—feedback we implemented into the eCommerce planning.
“The brand feels like it’s for me. Like someone finally got what it’s like to cook for real people.”
— Tara, 27, FL
Smart refinements before production
With feedback in hand, we implemented a few key refinements:
Dialed in colors to match stated preferences and improved perceived cleanliness and warmth.
Clarified value proposition in UI and messaging to emphasize ease, confidence, and reliability.
Reprioritized SKUs to focus on best-sellers and anchor the brand in what people loved most—our thermometers.
Only then did we move into the final sampling phase and prep for manufacturing—with a validated system, a confident direction, and a brand ready to win.
Clarity first. Coherence next. Beauty last (but not least).
That’s how we rebusinessed Kizen. And while this one never hit the market, it sharpened our conviction that design isn’t decoration—it’s alignment in physical form.