BUSINESS INNOVATION PRACTICUM
Under the mentorship of the Design Director of Reckitt’s Intimate wellness brands, my graduate school practicum was an opportunity for a research and innovation project. I focused my design practice to drive brand affinity by empowering sexual pleasure for the womxn* consumer.
*Womxn is an inclusive term comprising those born biologically female and those that identify as women in an emotional capacity.
PROJECT PLAN
A Strategic Approach to Shifting the Creative Lens
Moving the brand focus from wellness to pleasure, placing womxn at the core.
Secondary Research
A literature review and market landscape analysis to understand sexual experiences for womxn, with a focus on Confidence, Connection, and Communication as the core drivers.
Research Scope
Study of 25+ books, peer-reviewed journals, podcasts, and blogs.
Utilization of Atlas.ai to identify recurring themes in sexual experiences across geographies and time.
Comparative analysis between the USA, the oldest democracy, and India, the largest democracy in the world, to explore the influence of social and cultural contexts.
Sentiment analysis revealing key themes: gender gap, self-image, safety, and autonomy in sexual and life experiences.
CONSUMER RESEARCH
A deep-dive into attitudes, values, and behaviors of womxn in urban USA and India, focusing on sexual autonomy and pleasure.
How do womxn discover sex and define sexual pleasure?
What deep emotional drivers influence their desires?
How do they express their experiences of intimacy and pleasure?
IDENTIFYING PATTERNS & OPPORTUNITIES
To understand user behaviors and their interaction with Reckitt’s brands, an in-depth analysis included
Value Proposition Canvas
Market Opportunity Study
Competitor Analysis
Consumer Archetype Mapping
Psychographic Models
SYNTHESIS
Sensemaking & Translating Insights
Consumer Concept Maps
Instead of traditional archetypes, consumers were visualized as identity maps inspired by Kapferer’s Brand Identity Prism, mapping their emotional and behavioral dimensions.
THE INNOVATION OPPORTUNITY
How might Reckitt innovate to be a beloved brand for womxn on their journey of sexual pleasure and confidence?
Reckitt, as a leader in sexual wellness, excels in scientific innovation but communicates largely through cause-and-effect messaging. However, the emotional language of womxn consumers provides a whitespace opportunity.
The Functional to Feeling Innovation Toolkit
An interactive framework to reframe brand messaging, bridging scientific product development with emotional consumer insights.
Consumer
Identity diagrams mapping lived experiences.
Craving
Emotional desires and
pleasure-seeking motivations.
Concern
Emotional & physiological concerns of users.
Context
Opportunities for new products, services, and experiences.
PROTOTYPING AND USER TESTING
Simulating Pleasure-Positive Messaging for KY Jelly
A new messaging framework aligning with empowering womxn's pleasure, designed to enhance brand affinity and consumer engagement.
This research-driven innovation project provides actionable insights for Reckitt to elevate its sexual wellness brands by shifting from a functional, concern-based approach to an emotionally engaging pleasure-driven narrative. The findings pave the way for new product development, strategic brand storytelling, and a stronger relationship with womxn consumers.