Waterworks

Parsons School of Design: Design Sprints Class

Goal

Strategic Storytelling to Define a Product at the Heart of Home

Role

Brand Strategy Lead and Wireframing

Tools

Figma

Outcome

Successfully pitched our strategy to the CEO of Waterworks, eliciting strong interest in its adoption

Who is Waterworks?

Waterworks is a company specializing in luxury kitchen and bath products. They offer high-end fixtures, fittings, and accessories, including faucets, sinks, bathtubs, showers, and tiles. Waterworks is known for combining craftsmanship, innovative design, and premium materials to create stylish and functional solutions for luxury homes and commercial spaces.

Assigned Brief

Waterworks is most successful in faucets and fixtures, but its cabinetry business currently accounts for just 3% of total sales and is not yet profitable. The goal is to reposition the cabinetry segment as a key component of the "ultimate bath and kitchen experience," with the aim of boosting sales, profitability, and market presence.

Final Integrated Brand Strategy Proposal

Add-on Concept: Quiz

Waterworks’ USP

Problem

Cabinetry Criteria

Current Brand Strategy

We Do Faucets.

Design Process

Waterworks provides the "ultimate bath and kitchen experience" by offering fully furnished, complete rooms, delivering a seamless, high-end solution that integrates design, functionality, and luxury.

Important Information about the Business:

50% of the cabinetry business comes from homeowners
Current homeowner outreach is passive
The cabinetry segment demands higher engagement than other business areas and must stand out by being "unexpected and inspiring" to all customers
Transitioning brand strategy from a reactive approach to a proactive approach is key

Despite claiming their USP is always contributing to the “ultimate kitchen and bath experience” and emphasizing the delivery of entire rooms, the Waterworks faces a brand perception challenge. From an external perspective, it is primarily seen as a faucet-focused company, which limits opportunities for category expansion and profitability, particularly in areas like cabinetry, where growth potential remains underexplored.

We Also Do Surfaces and Tiles.

And We Also Do Cabinetry.

Define

Proposed Brand Strategy

We Do Kitchens.

Ecosystem Brand Strategy

Framing a Powerful Narrative

Reframe the kitchen and bath as more than just functional spaces - emphasize their role as places where connections are made, celebrations occur, and lasting memories are built. By highlighting these rooms as hubs for nourishment, nurturing, and meaningful moments, we can foster a deeper emotional connection with homeowners and elevate the overall brand experience.

Benefits to Cabinetry Segment

Redefining ROI:

Return on Investment vs Return on Involvement

Increased exposure and demand arise as cabinetry becomes an integral part of the complete kitchen and bath ecosystem, leading to higher visibility.
Stressing the ecosystem approach creates cross-selling opportunities, as clients are more likely to purchase cabinetry as part of a complete space package.
Focusing on full-space solutions simplifies client decision-making, making it easier to upsell cabinetry as a natural complement to other products.
By positioning cabinetry as an integral part of Waterworks' full kitchen and bath ecosystem, the brand fosters a stronger association with luxury and design excellence. This not only enhances the overall customer experience but also drives increased loyalty, as clients are more likely to return for complete, cohesive solutions that align with their vision for the perfect space.

We understood that this initiative came at a cost, but we believed that by redefining ROI not just as a return on investment, but also as a return on involvement and engagement, the value became clear. The impact extended far beyond the initial cost, as we introduced the idea of fostering emotional connections with customers that would drive long-term growth. By creating immersive experiences, we placed emphasis on building important relationships that would contribute to sustained success and loyalty, ensuring a deeper, more meaningful connection with the brand for years to come.

Brand Strategy: Essential Touch Points

Ideate and Prototype

Touch Point #1: Website

Before: Current Brand Strategy

Product-Centric: We specifically focused on what homeowners would see first when visiting the website. Currently, they are greeted with stunning images of stone bathtubs and sinks, creating an immediate visual impact that highlights the luxury and craftsmanship of Waterworks' single product offerings.

Step #1: Enter Showroom

After: Applied Ecosystem Brand Strategy

Room-Centric: We aim to explicitly convey brand storytelling by first showcasing images of complete rooms, paired with narrative elements that set the tone. From there, we narrow down to specific categories, gradually revealing the brand's holistic ecosystem and how each element seamlessly integrates into the overall design.

Prototype I: Low-Fidelity

Prototype II: High-Fidelity in Figma

Touch Point #2: Showroom Experience

Before: Current Brand Strategy

Step #1: Enter Showroom

After: Applied Ecosystem Brand Strategy

Step #2: Visitors walk-through fully designed kitchens and bathrooms with attached product categories

The Power of Partnerships

Moving From….

Product Placement

Step #2: Visitors walk-through fully designed kitchens and bathrooms

Case Study: Cabinetry

Step #3: Visitors end in dedicated section showcasing a variety of cabinetry styles, colors, and finishes

Proposed Integrated Showroom Experiences

Create an immersive in-house café experience where customers can interact with a fully functional Waterworks kitchen, blending luxury design with everyday utility to help them envision living in a Waterworks space.
Create a luxurious, semi- functional bath space where customers can immerse themselves in a spa-like experience, featuring Waterworks’ premium bath fixtures and cabinetry, complemented by exclusive collaborations with luxury bath product brands for hands-on testing and indulgence.

Touch Point #3: Marketing

Step #3: Visitors end in dedicated sections highlighting specific product categories

We saw a huge opportunity to leverage the aspirational nature of culinary content by specifically targeting homeowners, particularly those who watch cooking shows. Rather than the traditional model of showcasing products behind the scenes, we can create immersive, experiential engagement. By transforming showrooms into a functional Kitchen Studio, featuring top culinary talent like Bon Appétit, Jamie Oliver, or Nara Smith, we can highlight Waterworks kitchens in action—demonstrating both their beauty and superior functionality. This approach integrates the brand into widely popular culinary content, positioning Waterworks kitchens as luxurious yet essential, while organically reaching millions of viewers and driving home the message that Waterworks belongs in their homes.

Waterworks’ Kitchens in Action

Step #2: Cabinetry sets are showcased in kitchen and bathroom designs

Focus on Aesthetics

Focus on Seamless Functionality

Reflections

While profitability was a primary focus, it became clear that storytelling and brand narrative play an equally crucial role in gaining initial traction, especially in a segment like cabinetry, where Waterworks lacks direct outreach to homeowners. Crafting a compelling narrative not only helps establish an emotional connection with potential customers but also positions the brand more effectively within the market, paving the way for long-term growth and engagement.
Although it seemed logical that Waterworks' brand strategy did not fully reflect its overall unique selling proposition, it became clear that this perspective was not as evident to the company itself. Offering an ecosystem-based brand strategy provided valuable insights, demonstrating the power of strategic storytelling and cohesive product integration in shaping brand perception and driving growth. This experience underscored the importance of bridging internal and external viewpoints to unlock new opportunities and create a more compelling market presence, an approach that the company was eager to consider.