Smile Makers
- UX/UI design
- Front-end development
- Shopify Plus development
- Copywriting
Smile Makers are the female pleasure pioneers who brought vibrators out from behind the doors of sex shops and into everyday beauty stores.
With sex toys stocked in Sephora, Urban Outfitters and Beauty Bay, Smile Makers had broken mainstream retail. But its current website wasn’t geared up for e-commerce.
The challenge
For such a forward-thinking brand, Smile Makers had huge potential when it came to selling globally online. But dated functionality, an inconsistent look and feel, and poor UX and SEO were seriously holding the brand back.
Our approach
We refined Smile Makers’ verbal identity to make it fit for the brand and digital, and built a website worthy of a market leader. Our vision was a premium Shopify site – fully optimised for technical SEO and designed to inform, inspire and – most importantly – convert.
Design
Sex toy shopping (minus the stigma)
We pushed the boundaries of product page design, creating a premium e-commerce site that’s playful, functional and encourages anyone and everyone to discover themselves. We’re talking shopping experiences peppered with fun facts, vibrator comparison charts, and how-to tips around pleasure-first sex.
TOV
Changing the narrative around sex talk
One thing the current site didn’t lack was content. But multiple authors meant a lack of consistency and authenticity. Through persona and TOV workshops, we defined a new verbal identity that better aligns with Smile Makers’ empowering, pleasure-first narrative and celebrates the joy of sex.
SEO
Ticking all the SEO-shaped boxes
With strict regulations around the paid promotion of sex toys, SEO was always going to be a top priority. From initial wireframing to migrating metadata, we collaborated closely with our SEO expert from start to finish. The result: a fully optimised website rich in keywords and packed with personality.
Build
From Typeform quiz to bespoke digital experience
We overhauled the matchmaker quiz, creating a multi-step user flow that pairs users with the perfect vibe based on pleasure preferences. An Omnisend integration lets users receive their results by email, while a custom Google Analytics/GTM setup captures useful insights around audience, products, and pleasure perspectives for the Smile Makers team.
Motion
Creating a site that moves and shakes
We tapped into Smile Makers’ joyful brand image with subtle, playful animations. Think confetti explosions, bouncing sex toys, and lightweight, floating movements on scroll. And we had to have some fun with flying vibes on the 404.
Migration
Migrating from WooCommerce to Shopify
Ahead of go-live, we migrated all blogs and sex ed content to the new Shopify site. A custom script ensured the content aligned with the brand-new design and Shopify article structure. Plus, all customer and order information and Yotpo reviews were transferred over ahead of launch.
The team took the brief (and our brand) and pushed it further than we thought possible. It’s been an incredible journey so far – and I can’t wait to see what we can achieve with our brand new digital platform and elevated identity.
Head of E-commerce, Smile Makers
Recognition
- Awwwards
- Honourable Mention
- Awwwards
- E-commerce of the Year (Nominated)
Team
- Senior Designer
- Ellie MacLeod
- Developer
- Fi Bennett
- Copywriter
- Bobbie Hiscock
- Project Manager
- Kieran Halford
- Design Director
- Simon Fairhurst