Creating a candy-coated
crypto onramp with Lolli
Creating a candy-coated
crypto onramp with Lolli
Innovation by Design Honoree
Innovation by Design Honoree
About Lolli
About Lolli
Lolli is building the onramp to crypto adoption with a web extension and mobile app that give its users cash and bitcoin back on their purchases at 50,000+ stores.
Bitcoin’s volatility has been a blocker to mass adoption. By offering bitcoin back on groceries, dining, gas and retail, Lolli removes the risk of buying crypto to make it accessible for everyone to own.
Lolli is building the onramp to crypto adoption with a web extension and mobile app that give its users cash and bitcoin back on their purchases at 50,000+ stores.
Bitcoin’s volatility has been a blocker to mass adoption. By offering bitcoin back on groceries, dining, gas and retail, Lolli removes the risk of buying crypto to make it accessible for everyone to own.
What I Did
What I Did
Digital Product
Design System
Website
Success
Success
4.8 Stars in the App Store
600,000+ users
$10 million+ rewarded
4.8 Stars in the App Store
600,000+ users
$10 million+ rewarded
Building a Brand
Building a brand from scratch is equal parts invigorating and daunting. Like all new companies, Lolli began as an idea...let’s make bitcoin more accessible through shopping rewards.
My process always begins with market research. Who are the players in the rewards space? What about the crypto space? How do they look/sound/feel? What is their product offering?
Concurrently, I’m asking the same questions (and more) of the business. If we were a celebrity, who would we be? What tone are we trying to strike? How will our users feel about us? Looking ahead, what shape will our product take?
Building a brand from scratch is equal parts invigorating and daunting. Like all new companies, Lolli began as an idea...let’s make bitcoin more accessible through shopping rewards.
My process always begins with market research. Who are the players in the rewards space? What about the crypto space? How do they look/sound/feel? What is their product offering?
Concurrently, I’m asking the same questions (and more) of the business. If we were a celebrity, who would we be? What tone are we trying to strike? How will our users feel about us? Looking ahead, what shape will our product take?
I felt there was an opportunity to bring fun and friendly to a traditionally techy, minimally designed crypto space. Rewards are inherently fun, so we needed a name and identity to match that flavor. We landed on Lolli, both a treat and slang for money. Once selected, the idea went through several iterations to hone the final logo.
I felt there was an opportunity to bring fun and friendly to a traditionally techy, minimally designed crypto space. Rewards are inherently fun, so we needed a name and identity to match that flavor. We landed on Lolli, both a treat and slang for money. Once selected, the idea went through several iterations to hone the final logo.
I knew the product would start as a chrome extension, so the identity needed an icon to be used in the Chrome browser. I made a lollipop out of the negative space in the 'O' in the Lolli logotype to bring functionality and flexibility to the mark.
I knew the product would start as a chrome extension, so the identity needed an icon to be used in the Chrome browser. I made a lollipop out of the negative space in the 'O' in the Lolli logotype to bring functionality and flexibility to the mark.
The poppy purple palette and swirl elements gave Lolli a candy-coated Wonka energy that set it apart in the rewards and crypto spaces. I documented it in a simple brand standards to guide marketing efforts.
The poppy purple palette and swirl elements gave Lolli a candy-coated Wonka energy that set it apart in the rewards and crypto spaces. I documented it in a simple brand standards to guide marketing efforts.
I expanded our toolkit with a geometric illustration style to add an additional brand element to the identity system, complete with a wizard mascot outfitted with bitcoin symbol glasses and a lollipop staff inspired by bitcoin’s magic internet money meme.
I expanded our toolkit with a geometric illustration style to add an additional brand element to the identity system, complete with a wizard mascot outfitted with bitcoin symbol glasses and a lollipop staff inspired by bitcoin’s magic internet money meme.
Launching a Product
Making a simple product is complex work. When creating something new, I place the utmost importance on distilling an idea down to its simplest form to test viability.
As with brand, the process begins with research. Lolli wanted to enter the rewards space with a browser extension. I tested both rewards extensions and popular chrome extensions outside the space to get a feel for established patterns and interactions I might use to inform the Lolli experience.
From there, I created a benchmarking document to guide feature requirements and worked with engineering to outline the user stories needed to launch a competitive product.
Making a simple product is complex work. When creating something new, I place the utmost importance on distilling an idea down to its simplest form to test viability.
As with brand, the process begins with research. Lolli wanted to enter the rewards space with a browser extension. I tested both rewards extensions and popular chrome extensions outside the space to get a feel for established patterns and interactions I might use to inform the Lolli experience.
From there, I created a benchmarking document to guide feature requirements and worked with engineering to outline the user stories needed to launch a competitive product.
With user stories set, I created the wireframes to help set the vision for Lolli’s first release — a simple chrome extension and website with a searchable advertiser list, basic activity and account management.
With user stories set, I created the wireframes to help set the vision for Lolli’s first release — a simple chrome extension and website with a searchable advertiser list, basic activity and account management.
Lolli launched with UI that incorporated an early version of the Lolli swirl and ample purple to set it apart in the space.
Lolli launched with UI that incorporated an early version of the Lolli swirl and ample purple to set it apart in the space.
The extension evolved over time with usability studies to uncover problem areas. Snooze buttons, exclusion categories and more were added to the Lolli notification popover design to enhance user experience. Earnings notifications were created for instant feedback after checkout.
The extension evolved over time with usability studies to uncover problem areas. Snooze buttons, exclusion categories and more were added to the Lolli notification popover design to enhance user experience. Earnings notifications were created for instant feedback after checkout.
Based on user feedback, the website’s shopping experience was updated to improve discovery with category-specific blocks and horizontal scrolling to show more content in more engaging ways. Search was bolstered with category filters.
Based on user feedback, the website’s shopping experience was updated to improve discovery with category-specific blocks and horizontal scrolling to show more content in more engaging ways. Search was bolstered with category filters.
With the success of the chrome extension, Lolli aimed to capture mobile shoppers. The Lolli app was released with all the functionality of the chrome extension and website.
With the success of the chrome extension, Lolli aimed to capture mobile shoppers. The Lolli app was released with all the functionality of the chrome extension and website.
Unlike the browser extension that passively follows the user, the mobile app required user intent to open it. Users didn’t know what to do once they created an account. Onboarding was updated to give users tasks that didn’t require shopping to start earning. Earning rewards immediately increased the likelihood of user retention.
Unlike the browser extension that passively follows the user, the mobile app required user intent to open it. Users didn’t know what to do once they created an account. Onboarding was updated to give users tasks that didn’t require shopping to start earning. Earning rewards immediately increased the likelihood of user retention.
Lolli needed a hook to boost daily activity. I designed the Daily Stack as a simple lottery game. Users could open their Loot Box every day to win up to $100 in bitcoin. Adding a ratings prompt after earning boosted Lolli’s star rating a whole star in the App Store. The game became a ritual while we continued to onboard ‘daily use’ advertisers.
Lolli needed a hook to boost daily activity. I designed the Daily Stack as a simple lottery game. Users could open their Loot Box every day to win up to $100 in bitcoin. Adding a ratings prompt after earning boosted Lolli’s star rating a whole star in the App Store. The game became a ritual while we continued to onboard ‘daily use’ advertisers.
Lolli’s biggest shopping expansion came with the integration of local offers. The shop experience was redesigned to make room for map functionality. The influx of new deals required in-store and online tabs for clearer navigation. Now, Lolli users could truly earn rewards on every purchase.
Lolli’s biggest shopping expansion came with the integration of local offers. The shop experience was redesigned to make room for map functionality. The influx of new deals required in-store and online tabs for clearer navigation. Now, Lolli users could truly earn rewards on every purchase.
Amidst all the new features introduced, the product suite had grown to develop inconsistencies across platforms. I conducted an audit of Lolli’s products and simplified the UI down to core elements for a lean design system I used for faster design updates with shared components that unified the Lolli visual language and experience.
Amidst all the new features introduced, the product suite had grown to develop inconsistencies across platforms. I conducted an audit of Lolli’s products and simplified the UI down to core elements for a lean design system I used for faster design updates with shared components that unified the Lolli visual language and experience.
Marketing to the Masses
Consumers do, in fact, judge a book by its cover. Having the foundation of a versatile identity with ample tools in the box can greatly aid marketing efforts in building a brand consumers will love.
Working holistically across Lolli allowed me to see the entire competitive landscape from both a brand and product perspective. When it came time to launch Lolli, I already had an idea of the types of visuals that could help us stand out in our newly created crypto rewards space.
Together with Lolli’s marketing department, I extended the Lolli visual language to everything from social posts to wheat paste posters.
Consumers do, in fact, judge a book by its cover. Having the foundation of a versatile identity with ample tools in the box can greatly aid marketing efforts in building a brand consumers will love.
Working holistically across Lolli allowed me to see the entire competitive landscape from both a brand and product perspective. When it came time to launch Lolli, I already had an idea of the types of visuals that could help us stand out in our newly created crypto rewards space.
Together with Lolli’s marketing department, I extended the Lolli visual language to everything from social posts to wheat paste posters.
A consumer rewards company fires off emails constantly. I built an email design system for our marketing team to use to streamline the creation process with ready made content blocks for every occasion.
A consumer rewards company fires off emails constantly. I built an email design system for our marketing team to use to streamline the creation process with ready made content blocks for every occasion.
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