How an innovative kids’ tech brand really discovered their customer
TL;DR
Customer iQ partnered with an innovative kids’ tech brand that captured the ‘keep my kids screen-free’ market that was experiencing explosive growth from the beginning of the COVID lockdown. However, with this success came a lack of basic understanding of who their customers were and therefore how they could effectively communicate with them.
Through global customer research (UK & US) combining insight from quant and qual, we mapped their entire customer landscape – profiles, motivations, attitudes, and product usage patterns. This foundational research transformed how the business understood and marketed to their audience, directly informing brand positioning and marketing strategy during a critical growth period.
About the client
This global kids’ tech brand creates innovative audio products designed to give children screen-free entertainment and learning experiences. During the COVID-19 pandemic, their products struck a chord with families navigating lockdown life, leading to extraordinary sales growth across multiple markets.
But success created an urgent challenge. The business was scaling much faster than their understanding of their customers. Marketing decisions were made on instinct rather than insight. Brand positioning felt uncertain. Without a clear picture of who their customers were and what drove them, the company risked making costly strategic mistakes just when momentum mattered most.
The challenge we accepted
The business was experiencing a problem many companies dream of – rapid growth! Sales were soaring across multiple countries, but the leadership team realised they were operating in the dark about their most fundamental asset: their customers. Questions that were flying around the business included:
- Who were these people buying their products?
- Were they the same across different markets?
- What motivated the purchase – pandemic desperation or genuine product love?
- How did families actually use the technology?
- What language resonated with them, and what fell flat?
The marketing team needed to make critical decisions about brand positioning, key messaging, and product development. Every choice carried risk. Position too narrowly and alienate potential customers. Message incorrectly and waste marketing spend. Develop features nobody wants and lose competitive edge.
The pressure was real. Competitors were watching their success. Investors wanted sustainable growth, not just a pandemic spike. The window for establishing strong brand foundations during this growth phase wouldn’t stay open forever.
How Customer iQ partnered with the client
Working closely with the marketing and product teams, we designed a two-phase approach combining quant reach with qual depth. A survey gave us statistical confidence to really ‘see’ their global customer base, while an online community allowed us to really dig into the emotional and practical realities of how their products fitted into family life.
We involved key stakeholders throughout the process – not just in briefing and reporting, but in refining questions, reviewing early findings, and testing hypotheses. This collaborative approach meant insights landed with immediate relevance rather than requiring translation.
The research was designed for speed, delivering actionable insights within weeks to match the pace of business decision-making.
What we discovered
We’re not at liberty to divulge our client’s secrets!
Suffice to say we delivered a robust and in-depth set of insights that led the marketing team to develop a strong brand positioning and were fortunate enough to continue working with the client to help them develop new products and their online store.
What happened next?
The research gave the business something they’d been operating without: a shared understanding of their customer base that could inform every strategic decision.
Immediate Actions:
- Marketing teams restructured messaging frameworks based on customer segments and authentic motivations
- Brand positioning was refined to emphasise enduring value rather than circumstantial benefits
- Product development priorities were influenced by actual usage patterns and unmet needs identified in the research
Cultural Impact:
The research created a common language across teams. Rather than debating based on assumptions or anecdotes, conversations about customers now referenced specific insights and segment characteristics. The customer understanding became foundational to how the business approached marketing planning and brand development.
Customer insight moved from a nice-to-have to a strategic asset. The research demonstrated the value of understanding customers deeply, establishing a precedent for evidence-based decision-making during the company’s critical growth phase.
Why this partnership worked
Speed and scope made the difference. We designed research that moved at the pace of business need while maintaining rigor across global markets. By combining quantitative confidence with qualitative depth, we delivered both the “what” and the “why” that strategic decisions require. The collaborative approach ensured insights connected directly to live business challenges rather than becoming shelf-ware.
Ready to unlock YOUR potential?
Are you facing a similar challenge with understanding your market opportunity or customer potential?
Whether you’re preparing for expansion, seeking funding, or planning your next growth phase, customer intelligence can transform uncertainty into confident action.
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