Creating the World's First Flash Loyalty Platform at Evolv
Evolv was conceived with the goal of transforming brand engagement through innovative gamification. Our mission was to deliver a user-friendly, no-code platform that enables brands to launch interactive campaigns effortlessly, fostering instant user participation and deepening brand loyalty. As pioneers of the first flash loyalty platform, we sought to redefine the landscape of time-sensitive marketing, making every event a memorable experience for users and a branding triumph.
Background
Evolv Studio is a no-code platform for brands, IPs, and builders to create and deploy gamified consumer applications for reward and engagement campaigns for their events.
Problem Statement
The challenge was to develop a flash loyalty platform that engages users during time-sensitive events, incentivizing immediate participation and enhancing brand loyalty. This market was uncharted, with various implementations but no standardized solution.
Objectives
Develop a B2B SaaS platform enabling brands to deploy these web apps to boost engagement.
Ensure the platform's adaptability to various event scenarios and business needs.
Ensure the platform is user-friendly for brands, facilitating seamless deployment.
Process and Approach
Research
Having already created the mobile app component, we needed a platform that businesses and event organizers could use to deploy these apps easily. We engaged with organizers of some of the biggest music festivals in Southeast Asia and members of the Malaysia Football League. Using FigJam, we conducted whiteboard sessions with card sorting and other design activities to understand their expectations.
User flow
With a basic information architecture in hand, we created a user flow in collaboration with potential clients, integrating multiple flows received from different clients. We sought a middle ground to cater to various scenarios.
UI & Prototype
I designed UI for essential screens and prototyped them. Our focus was on functionality, ensuring that information and flows aligned with client expectations. We conducted limited design tests and feedback sessions, making necessary tweaks before finalizing the UI structure.
Beta Testing
The platform was developed with the design and feedback in mind. We released it for testing with select clients, gathering feedback on improvements and additional features. These early clients were crucial in providing feedback on expectations and identifying friction points.
Problems Identified and Solutions
Quest Creation Complexity
Users encountered difficulties crafting quests due to an overly flexible creator that offered boundless possibilities, leading to decision paralysis.
Solution
We distilled client insights to identify the top 10 quests and crafted direct forms for these, abandoning the previous flexible model. This streamlined quest creation and minimized the effort required by organizers.
Artifact Setup Overhead
The initial approach to artifact creation was labor-intensive, relying on procedurally generated digital collectibles that lacked personalization and was time time-consuming.
Solution
We innovated a novel digital collectible format, featuring a canvas where brands can affix stickers linked to rewards, gamifying the user’s unlocking journey. This approach also significantly reduced setup time, as default reward images were utilized for stickers, allowing brands to customize at their discretion.
Brand Setup Effort
Brands identified the repetitive setup for recurring events as a major pain point. Organizers often had to set up event gamification repeatedly, making it a redundant and frustrating experience.
Solution
We introduced event templates with preset quests and rewards, enabling near-instantaneous setup. Organizers can now effortlessly replicate these templates across multiple events, offering diverse variations with ease.
Results
We’ve successfully developed a comprehensive SaaS platform that addresses client pain points. To date, we’ve secured commitments from over 10 organizers who intend to leverage our platform for more than 500 events in the coming year.
Learnings
The journey entailed designing a SaaS platform from the ground up, elucidating requirements through stakeholder dialogues, and conceptualizing innovative features that challenge conventional industry norms.
Summary
Developed the world’s first flash loyalty platform, Evolv, to enhance user engagement and brand loyalty.
Created a no-code platform for brands to deploy gamified consumer applications quickly and efficiently.
Conducted extensive research with major festival organizers and sports leagues to understand user needs and expectations.
Simplified the quest creation process and reduced artifact setup time, making the platform more user-friendly for brands.
Launched beta testing with key clients, leading to valuable feedback and subsequent improvements.
Secured commitments from over 10 organizers for more than 500 events, demonstrating the platform’s effectiveness and potential.
Gained insights into SaaS platform design and stakeholder engagement, with plans to incorporate AI-driven personalization in the future.
