Research & Strategy

Research & Strategy

Research & Strategy

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Turning trends and user insight into design direction

Turning trends and user insight into design direction

Turning trends and user insight into design direction

With China–U.S. market experience, we study shifts in culture, lifestyle and consumer behavior to find brand opportunities and set the design direction for brands, products and spaces.

With China–U.S. market experience, we study shifts in culture, lifestyle and consumer behavior to find brand opportunities and set the design direction for brands, products and spaces.

With China–U.S. market experience, we study shifts in culture, lifestyle and consumer behavior to find brand opportunities and set the design direction for brands, products and spaces.

Team building a trend wall from research images

Trend Research

Track shifts in culture and lifestyle

User Insight

Understand motives and contexts of target users

Design Strategy

Define design themes and principles

ZIPPO

ZIPPO

ZIPPO

Research & Strategy

Youth audience expansion & product theme strategy

Youth audience expansion & product theme strategy

Youth audience expansion & product theme strategy

Business challenge

Carry the brand culture forward and reach younger consumers.

Research & insight

Gathered experts from 11 fields to distill 4 major trend directions.

Design delivery

An actionable CMF strategy, rolled out across 40–60 products.

2020–2025 trend research board and expert workshop
ZIPPO 12 Zodiac collection
Mecha-themed silver lighter
Gold wing lighter

SUCCESS STORY

84%

84%

84%

New users for hero products

45%

45%

45%

Gen Z user share

S-tier

S-tier

S-tier

Several products became best-sellers

View the full project →

STARBUCKS

STARBUCKS

STARBUCKS

Research & Strategy

Standardizing craft techniques for store artworks

Standardizing craft techniques for store artworks

Standardizing craft techniques for store artworks

Business challenge

Unify the brand’s art language while meeting craft quality and timelines.

Research & insight

Matched 15–20 decorative crafts and set standards through physical samples.

Design delivery

Reusable craft and application solutions, extended to in-store artwork production.

Artwork and its craft sample
Foil and gilding sample
Organza sample
Finished mural in store

SUCCESS STORY

Reusable art craft and application standards that keep brand art consistent across stores.

Reusable art craft and application standards that keep brand art consistent across stores.

Reusable art craft and application standards that keep brand art consistent across stores.

View the full project →

FOTILE Bochu

FOTILE Bochu

FOTILE Bochu

Research & Strategy

Whole-home customization experience strategy

Whole-home customization experience strategy

Whole-home customization experience strategy

Business challenge

Understand how families live today and set the direction for whole-home design.

Research & insight

Home visits, trend research and designer workshops.

Design delivery

Created the “Chaoju” concept, extended to showroom design.

Home-visit research boards
Designer workshop
Chaoju showroom design

SUCCESS STORY

Distilled the “New Chinese” home trend into the “Chaoju” whole-home concept, translated into spatial solutions and showrooms.

Distilled the “New Chinese” home trend into the “Chaoju” whole-home concept, translated into spatial solutions and showrooms.

Distilled the “New Chinese” home trend into the “Chaoju” whole-home concept, translated into spatial solutions and showrooms.

View the full project →

Contact Us

Instagram: @aolabdesign

RedNote: a⁠o⁠l⁠a⁠b⁠物⁠集⁠设⁠计 / a⁠o⁠l⁠a⁠b⁠物⁠集⁠设⁠计⁠实⁠验⁠室

New Business Inquiries:

Los Angeles

Shanghai

No. 1305-1, South Suzhou Rd. Huangpu District

Shanghai, China 200002

Scan to contact us on WeChat

© 2026 aolab. All Rights Reserved. 备案号:沪ICP备2021009081-1号

Contact Us

Contact us at

contact@aolabdesign.com

Instagram: @aolabdesign

RedNote: a⁠o⁠l⁠a⁠b⁠物⁠集⁠设⁠计 / a⁠o⁠l⁠a⁠b⁠物⁠集⁠设⁠计⁠实⁠验⁠室

New Business Inquiries:

Los Angeles

Shanghai

No. 1305-1, South Suzhou Rd. Huangpu District

Shanghai, China 200002

Scan to contact us on WeChat

© 2026 aolab. All Rights Reserved. 备案号:沪ICP备2021009081-1号

Contact Us

Instagram: @aolabdesign

RedNote: a⁠o⁠l⁠a⁠b⁠物⁠集⁠设⁠计 / a⁠o⁠l⁠a⁠b⁠物⁠集⁠设⁠计⁠实⁠验⁠室

New Business Inquiries:

Los Angeles

Shanghai

No. 1305-1, South Suzhou Rd. Huangpu District

Shanghai, China 200002

Scan to contact us on WeChat

© 2026 aolab. All Rights Reserved. 备案号:沪ICP备2021009081-1号