LYF @ Jio: Pioneering a Billion-Dollar Smartphone Brand

Spearheaded the strategic design and brand development of LYF, a disruptive smartphone OEM brand. From the ground up, we built LYF into a powerhouse - priming the first million customers of Reliance Jio, achieving a remarkable $1 billion valuation and securing the position of India’s third largest smartphone selling brand in a mere six months. This success is a testament to the leadership team’s unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation. Special kudos to Isha Ambani and Caroline Seifert.

Objectives

1. Create a disruptive smartphone brand from ground up
2. Prime the first million customers for Reliance Jio
3. Develop comprehensive brand and design strategy
4. Build an integrated ecosystem of devices and services

Key Initiatives

1. Brand Development

• Created brand naming and identity
• Developed comprehensive packaging design
• Established print and digital applications
• Implemented cohesive brand strategy

2. Design Innovation

• Led trendspotting and speculative design
• Created intuitive user experiences
• Developed comprehensive service design
• Integrated ecosystem approach

3. Connected LYF Ecosystem

• Mapped landscape within Jio ecosystem
• Integrated smartphones with network infrastructure
• Developed smart device integration
• Created seamless service connectivity

Team Leadership

Led a talented team of designers including: Abhishek Verma, Arjun S, Chander Kohli, Jit Mukherjee, Jose Barrera, Rhitam Das, Rohan Talwalkar, Roman Wratschko

Collaborated with cross-functional teams:

• Marketing
• PR & Communications
• Devices
• Sales
• Internal & External Partners

Innovation Impact

The team’s work resulted in:

• $1 billion valuation achievement
• India’s third-largest smartphone brand position
• Successful launch of first million Jio customers
• Comprehensive ecosystem development
• Industry-leading brand establishment

Outcome

Through strategic design leadership and innovative thinking, we successfully built LYF into a powerhouse brand that not only achieved remarkable market success but also set new standards in the smartphone industry. The seamless integration with Jio’s ecosystem created a lasting impact on India’s digital landscape.