A woman with short curly black hair wearing coral-colored wireless earbuds, touching one ear with her finger, against a plain gray background.

TicPods Free

Translating Brand DNA into Product Storytelling

YEAR

2018

Art Direction
Visual Design
Market Research
Project Management
Photography Production
Video Production

MY ROLE

BRAND Mobvoi US 
PHOTOGRAPHER Eduardo Figueroa
VIDEO PRODUCTION Glass & Marker
LINK TicPods Free on Indiegogo

CREDITS

Three cases of wireless earbuds in white, red, and navy blue, with the red earbuds outside the case, and the white case and navy blue case closed.

When Mobvoi, a Chinese AI company known primarily for Wear OS smartwatches, decided to enter the U.S. audio market with their first true wireless earbuds—TicPods Free—the challenge was clear: How could an emerging brand differentiate itself in a saturated market and build meaningful connections with American consumers through a crowdfunding campaign?

OVERVIEW

A collection of oval-shaped wireless earbuds in red, white, and navy blue, each in matching colored cases, arranged on a white background. One case is open showing the earbuds inside.

• $50,000 goal met within 4 minutes of campaign launch
• $2.8M raised in 90 days
• Positioned Mobvoi as a credible player in the wireless audio space

KEY RESULT

Close-up of a modern white wireless earbuds with transparent casing showing internal components against a gray background.

The approach began with consumer research through focus groups targeting three distinct segments: existing Indiegogo backers familiar with wireless earbuds, potential backers without previous campaign experience, and general consumers considering wireless audio options.

This research revealed critical insights that shaped the campaign:

  • Early adopters approach Indiegogo as explorers of innovation, willing to support solutions to genuine daily frustrations

  • Price sensitivity remained a significant concern

  • Fear of earbuds lacking secure fit was widespread among potential users

With these insights, the narrative aligned with Mobvoi's core mission: pushing boundaries in human-machine interaction. The campaign spotlighted the TicPods Free's intuitive touch controls—a distinctive feature that resonated with tech-savvy early adopters seeking meaningful innovation.

RESEARCH & INSIGHT

Red wireless earbuds resting on a dark wooden surface inside a car.
Young man in red athletic wear mid-air, balancing with arms crossed, on a plain gray background.

We aligned our storytelling with Mobvoi’s brand mission: pushing the boundaries of next-generation human-machine interaction. The campaign spotlighted TicPods Free’s intuitive touch controls—a standout feature—to connect with tech-savvy early adopters seeking innovation.

The visual and messaging strategy focused on three core themes:

  • Technology – Highlighting advanced AI-driven functionality

  • Interactive – Demonstrating intuitive user experiences

  • Movement – Communicating lifestyle integration and active usability

This direction ensured both the product and the brand narrative felt distinct, aspirational, and relevant to our audience.

STRATEGY

A pair of black wireless earbuds inside a black open charging case, placed on a beige car armrest near vehicle controls.
A pair of white wireless earbuds in an open charging case on a black surface next to a magazine featuring a black and white photo of a woman.
A man wearing black athletic clothes, black sneakers, and red wireless earbuds is posed in a running stance on a gray background with white vertical lines.
A woman with curly hair wearing black workout clothes, enjoying music with red wireless earbuds, dancing and smiling against a neutral background with light circular lines.
Fit young man in black athletic clothing stretching or dancing, with wireless earbuds, against a gray background with white wave lines.