Speedo On

The challenge

Develop a digital solution that allows Speedo to better connect with swimmers

Speedo is the kind of global brand that needs little or no introduction. It’s well-known, highly regarded and you know what you’re getting – the latest and very best in swimming excellence.

That sense of innovation, however, hadn’t been evident in its approach to digital, which was typically very matter of fact and very product-driven. It lacked the same sort of creativity that the likes of Nike and Adidas have become known for and, perhaps more importantly, it had been unable to develop a deeper relationship with its customers.

Speedo knew this all too well and, in response, initiated a ‘digital transformation process’. Mediablaze was approached to be part of this effort.

The brief? To inspire, educate and equip swimmers in a smarter, more tech-focused and ‘always on’ way ... and to put content at the heart of that experience.

The approach

Creative collaboration
between digital and editorial teams

It become clear early on that the ultimate aim was to create a new digital product that was separate to, but supportive of, its ecommerce efforts ... that much we knew. What that would look like wasn’t so clear unclear.

It made sense then to approach this project in an agile and collaborative way. And that meant that at every stage of the process, from ideation and design to build and content development, all stakeholders were involved.

Working closely together was vital in creating the conditions necessary to collectively conceptualise a highly original and purposeful idea that made sense from both a digital and brand perspective. It was a melting pot of digital, design and content expertise – Mediablaze – and swimming heritage, innovation and technical know-how – Speedo.

Being agile also offered us the opportunity to test and learn throughout the process, as well as the ability to react to unexpected developments – good and bad – in the moment.

It was an effective approach. In just three months we had developed a beta version of what would eventually become the Speed On app, and identified the types of content that would be needed to support and enhance the user experience: videos, articles and tips.

The audience

Engaging with all types of swimmers in a new way

As the concept of Speedo On evolved, it became clear that the customisable nature of the platform would appeal to, and work with, all types of swimmers – especially if the experience was highly personalised.

That was a key moment in the discovery phase of the project – a digital offering that would feel unique to each user. Moreover, this would also benefit Speedo. So, while swimmers receive high-quality tailored content and unique performance data, and the world’s biggest swimwear brand gets access to anonymised data that provides insight into user behaviour. In short, a meaningful value exchange is achieved.

For Speedo, the data gathered and analysed is essential in being able to deliver essential and ongoing updates that ensures the app can continue to be relevant to its users – i.e. achieve the kind of ‘stickability’ we see with the likes of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. And when it comes to marketing, the data also allows Speedo to produce timely marketing messages that are purposeful.

Additionally, we realised that the sense of community that was missing from Speedo’s digital marketing efforts could be realised via the platform, that it could act as a ‘social network for swimmers’ all around the world. It didn’t have to be a solitary experience.

The UX

An intuitive experience
that keeps you connected

A seamless, effective and rewarding experience … that’s what we wanted users to think every time they logged into and used the app. This overarching objective was central to our thinking, helping inform our UX design process. The result was a clean, easy to navigate and stat-focused platform that was both useful and elegant.

It was also designed to underscore the community aspects of the app, as well as draw out elements that were gamified, meaning you can easily sign up to a challenge – and see how you’re performing – view your collection of badges, monitor your training plan progress and receive feedback and messages of support from friends and fellow swimmers.

The content

Personalised content for every type of swimmer

Good content resonates and connects with its audience, providing a desired outcome that not only satisfies a more immediate need, but also, little by little, helps build trust in a brand – especially if the content consistently delivers results. For Speedo On, we wanted the content to feel personalised and accessible – without them needing to actively seek it out.

Our developers created the framework needed for the platform to generate tailored content to each and every user in a way that was based entirely on their distinct activity. The output was a personal feed, one that would be constantly updated with a wide range of relevant content, from training plans and how-to videos to inspiring blogs and genuinely helpful tips.

In addition to relying on existing content, some of which was updated and optimised, we developed all the swimming drill videos and tips from scratch. I worked closely with a swimming coach and Speedo to identify a core batch of videos to launch with, helped shape the style and structure of the videos, and rewrote all the technical scripts so that they would work on screen and be easy to follow.

The results

A swimming app that has created a more engaged audience

Within the first few months of launch, Speedo On was a success, developing a highly engaged audience that was receptive to all aspects of the app. As for Speedo, the brand was able to quickly uncover some interesting insights into user behaviour, such as swimmers being highly active in analysing the data their activities have generated.

Key stats

• 15 million: number of metres that were logged within months of launch

• 32%: increase in basket value for content-consuming ecommerce customers

• 97%: initial positive user feedback

• 85%: initial user retention rater

Assets belong to Speedo and Mediablaze respectively.