iHome
Learn How We Helped iHome Turn an Alarm Clock Feature into a Sleep App Powerhouse.
Overview
iHome emerged as the leading manufacturer of hardware that connected with Apple products in 2008, riding the wave of iPhone mania that was poised to really blast off. Their name was getting bigger, but they had one idea they hadn't quite found a way to implement.
Key Points
- 1.7 Million impressions for iHome Sleep in its first month
- 90.72% revenue boost after we souped-up their website
- 6+ Years of making cool stuff together
- 703,259 pageviews after an appearance on the Today Show
Problem
iHome Lacked A Clear Solution to a Seemingly Simple Problem
Back in 2008, iHome was growing at a solid pace as the go-to manufacturer for Apple-compatible hardware. But they kept coming back to this one elusive idea: an iOS alarm clock app that would communicate with their hardware. What they envisioned didn't exist yet, but they knew it would be a big deal once it did.
After struggling with a third-party vendor, iHome's web presence remained scattered. Their parent company was juggling multiple brands with difficult UI, poor-quality imagery, confusing navigation, and faulty e-commerce. The digital experience simply wasn't living up to the quality of their hardware.
Solution
What Would Be a Great Bedside Alarm Clock Experience?
The 2008 version of Mobelux was very tiny, a four-person operation driven simply out of a shared desire to create cool things. When the iHome team asked what we could do for an alarm clock app, it was our first time tinkering with hardware. Their team gave us free rein to think about how we would establish the alarm clock user experience forevermore.
A Whole Sleep Experience
We started from scratch, heading north to New Jersey and pitching a slew of ideas. We iterated and iterated, incorporating their wishlist while crafting the look, feel, and features. It soon became clear this wasn't just an alarm clock app. It was meant to be an entire sleep experience.
Renovating iHome's Web Home
We took apart iHome's scattered digital presence and put something new together. In less than six months, we built a CMS that integrated across multiple business initiatives with tools to ensure everything ran smoothly.
Lights, Camera, Products
iHome was among the first clients to ask us for custom photography, allowing us to broaden our portfolio. We captured their products in a way that truly showcased their design and functionality, eventually expanding our photography talents into an entire Production department.
Results
Alarmingly Cool Success
Our partnership with iHome transformed both their digital presence and our own capabilities, creating lasting impacts that continue to evolve years later.
Setting the Standard for Sleep Apps
Six years later, Sleep is still iHome's top-grossing app, helping land them a spot among top tech innovators bringing hardware and software together in new ways. The core was so solidly designed and built that it's gone on to influence a whole segment of the industry. We're pretty proud of that.
A Growing App Ecosystem
What started with Sleep blossomed into a full suite of digital products. We went on to build iHome Set, our first co-licensed product iHome Zen, and the Marvel and Star Wars Creativity Studios. Each new project pushed boundaries in how users interact with connected home devices.
A Web Presence That Actually Works
Our e-commerce redesign and backend integration transformed how customers interact with iHome online, upping revenue by a whopping 90.72% in the first eight months. When their products hit the Today Show, we learned exactly how to scale a site to support those kinds of traffic spikes.
Product Lines That Shine
The new microsites represented their brand partnerships way better, with more immersive marketing experiences. Product photography that actually showed off what made their hardware special helped elevate the entire brand presentation across all digital touchpoints.
Takeaway
Where Hardware Meets Software – And Sparks Fly
What began as a simple alarm clock app evolved into a partnership that continues to break ground together. With each project, both companies expanded their horizons – our team at Mobelux ventured into web, e-commerce, and studio photography, while iHome redefined how users interact with connected home devices.
Mobelux brought a willingness and ability to truly learn about iHome's needs and grow with us, all while injecting a healthy amount of ingenuity to the challenge.
