Designing a tool that reduced customer acquisition costs.
At Cradlewise, capturing high-intent emails is a critical step in our journey to eventually sell smart cribs. However, marketing costs were rising, and the Cost of Acquisition (CAC) was becoming a challenge.
Instead of increasing ad spend, I proposed a tool that would attract expecting parents organically, provide genuine value, and naturally collect emails during the process.
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Balancing emotional, personal journeys with smart data capture
Research & Audience Understanding
I started with target audience research, surveys, and legal analysis, identifying what matters most to parents (name meanings, uniqueness, emotional connection).
Also conducted a competitive audit across 8+ platforms to identify gaps.
Personalization & Delight
Built two engaging flows:
Swipe Mode (like/dislike names Tinder-style)
Advanced Filters (origin, meaning, gender-neutrality, syllable count, etc.)
Character Design: Bringing Coco to Life
I explored multiple mascot directions — from dragons to elephants — aiming for a character that felt joyful, approachable, and universally lovable.
After many trials, Coco the Frog stood out. Coco's big expressive eyes, cheerful smile, and vibrant green made the experience feel more personal and delightful, instantly creating a bond with the user.
Smart Email Capture
Rather than gating the experience, I designed soft, contextual nudges:
Share personalized name reports post-email capture
Prompt users to save favorite names after they had engaged
Offer "Names of the Day" email subscriptions as a bonus feature
