ALBION x Ochiai Haruka
To relaunch ALBION’s iconic Skin Conditioner for a digitally native audience, I designed an interactive web mini-game collaborating with Japanese illustrator Ochiai Haruka. By replacing static promo pages with an intuitive "swipe-to-reveal" botanical discovery mechanic, the experience blended premium fine art with gamified UX. This transformed passive browsing into an engaging conversion funnel, driving immediate revenue while elevating the luxury brand's heritage.
PROJECT TYPE
Web design, Interactive gamification, motion graphic
YEAR
2021
ROLE
UXUI Designer
TEAM
Developer, Project manager
TOOLS
Figma, Photoshop, After effects
Challenge
The primary challenge was to take ALBION’s heritage product, the iconic Skin Conditioner, and relaunch it to a younger, digitally-native audience. The brand wanted to distribute promotional discount codes, but traditional coupon pop-ups or static landing pages would cheapen the aesthetic. I had to figure out how to seamlessly merge the fine-art style of Japanese illustrator Ochiai Haruka with an interactive digital experience that felt like an organic brand discovery rather than a aggressive sales pitch.
Impact
The campaign proved that high art and high conversion can coexist beautifully. The interactive game completely redefined user engagement for the relaunch, delivering a staggering 15% increase in sales. By replacing static advertising with active participation, we achieved extraordinary commercial results while simultaneously elevating ALBION’s premium brand perception in the digital space.
Problems
User Experience Perspective
From a design standpoint, the friction lay in balancing artistic integrity with intuitive usability. Ochiai Haruka’s complex botanical artwork is stunning, but using it as the core interface threatened to overwhelm the user or obscure the call-to-action. I needed to design a "soft-motion" interaction layer that felt fluid and immersive, guiding users through a gamified discovery process without causing cognitive overload or interaction fatigue.
Business Perspective
From a business standpoint, the brand was facing passive user browsing and low conversion rates on standard promotional campaigns. They needed immediate revenue generation and measurable social media engagement from the relaunch. The business problem was converting standard, passive traffic into active participants who were motivated enough by the digital experience to complete a purchase using the promo codes.
Solution
I designed a bespoke, web-based mini-game centered around a "swipe-to-reveal" mechanic, driving traffic directly into the experience via strategic social media posts and in-store QR codes. Once inside, users were invited to interactively explore Haruka’s botanical artwork to "find" hidden Skin Conditioner products. By transforming the traditional static social post into a gamified discovery funnel, the brand’s herbal messaging unfolded naturally. Once a user successfully uncovered a product, the system triggered a promotional discount code, creating a seamless, rewarding path to purchase that bridged the gap between social media awareness and on-site conversion.
Key Takeaway
Collaborating with fine artists introduces strict aesthetic restrictions and unique design constraints, requiring a delicate balance between artistic vision and UX functional needs. However, shifting the campaign strategy from standard, passive social posts to an interactive mini-game proved that even small behavioral interventions can make a massive impact. It taught me that introducing a thoughtful, gamified micro-interaction can dramatically boost both brand awareness and commercial conversion, proving that restrictions often drive the most creative solutions.