Perple is an all-natural sports drink and endurance mix created to challenge the synthetic, ultra-processed products that dominate the sports nutrition market. As the brand prepared for launch, the core challenge was twofold: educating a misinformed consumer base while positioning Perple as a credible, science-backed performance alternative.
Working closely with the CEO, Founder, and Chief Brand Officer, I translated Perple’s bold brand identity into an immersive digital commerce experience. My role was to define the art direction, tone of voice, and buying experience for the online store, intentionally moving away from the dark, “no pain, no gain” visual language typical of the category, and instead introducing a fresh vision of performance and pleasure.
Initially appointed as Lead UX/UI Designer, I was quickly brought on as E-Commerce Manager, taking ownership of Perple’s end-to-end digital commerce strategy in preparation for a staged launch (soft launch in January, followed by a public launch aligned with Sebastian Vettel’s PR activity).
My responsibilities spanned brand consistency across all digital touchpoints, Shopify 2.0 store management, email marketing automation, marketplace launches (Amazon and TikTok Shop), logistics, fulfilment, and customer service. The commercial objective was clear: drive early revenue traction, build brand credibility, and generate momentum ahead of Series A fundraising.
To ground the strategy, I ran a brand immersion and discovery workshop focused on three pillars: improving core eCommerce KPIs, building trust and brand awareness, and creating a clean, friction-free customer journey. We identified two primary audiences — endurance athletes and shorter-distance / lifestyle athletes — and aligned product messaging, UX flows, and site structure accordingly. This research informed the information architecture, customer journeys, wireframes, and visual direction used across the entire digital ecosystem.
Using Figma, I designed and delivered all Shopify templates, balancing performance-led UX with strong art direction and photography to reinforce Perple’s premium positioning. Alongside the build, I developed and optimised the full eCommerce tech stack, including email and SMS flows (Klaviyo), subscriptions, reviews and incentives (Reviews.io), analytics and tracking (GA4, Hotjar, Meta Pixel), and customer service automation.
Data insights directly informed key UX decisions, including the creation of the “Why Perple?” page — designed to move users from awareness to consideration through ingredient education and performance proof. Beyond DTC, I led Perple’s expansion onto Amazon and TikTok Shop, overseeing product listings, A+ content, imagery, and conversion optimisation.
To support brand awareness, we also activated offline community partnerships with running and cycling clubs, pairing in-person sampling with trackable digital incentives. Operating within a fast-moving startup environment, I adopted a sprint-based, agile workflow to prioritise high-impact tasks, iterate quickly, and maintain momentum across multiple launch channels.
Perple successfully launched as a new challenger brand within the sports drink category, achieving strong early traction across DTC and marketplaces. Key outcomes included a record revenue day post-launch, conversion rates exceeding 5%, a 60% customer return rate, and 140+ customer reviews averaging 4.85 stars. Offline activations further strengthened brand awareness within endurance communities, driving new customer acquisition and social growth.
This project reinforced a key principle of FMCG eCommerce: success comes from doing the fundamentals exceptionally well. By establishing a strong digital foundation — clear positioning, frictionless UX, and education-led storytelling — Perple created the space to move beyond launch execution and focus on long-term brand growth.
Whether you have a clear brief, a loose idea, or just a sense that something isn’t quite clicking, it starts with a conversation.
A focused 30-minute call to understand your product, your goals, and your customers. From there, we shape the positioning, clarify the journey, and design an experience built to convert.
No pitch deck. No pressure. Just clear thinking, a defined outcome, and a path forward that makes sense for your business.
