Al-Futtaim Blue: From App Relaunch to a Connected Mall Experience

Loyalty · Retail · Experience Strategy

A shopper smiling at her phone in a mall, with the Blue ribbon around her

At a glance

May 2023

Blue app relaunched

phases: relaunch, ecosystem, connected mall

In-mall

mode in the Blue app

Context

Al-Futtaim's Blue Rewards ran on an expensive third-party platform with no personalisation, limited scale and slow change. In-store promotions were disconnected from the app, which limited personalisation and left staff without the right tools.

Phase 1: App relaunch

I led the experience strategy workstream for the new app:

Stakeholder workshops and requirements
Competitor and best-in-class review
Experience principles
Design sprints, user flows and wireframes

Phase 2: Ecosystem service design

A service blueprint for the Blue ecosystem, mapping customer actions, touchpoints, staff and systems across awareness, acquisition, revenue and referral.

Phase 3: A connected mall experience

I led the research and design track:

Customer research and personas
Journey maps before, in and after the store
Persona-driven concepts
UX for in-mall app features: location-based offers, in-mall mode, gamified product scanning and staff tools, linked to digital displays

The result

The new Blue app launched in May 2023, then grew into a connected mall experience that links the app, the store and staff.

Selected visuals

Three phases: app relaunch, the Blue ecosystem, and a connected mall linking app, signage and staff — Three phases: from app relaunch to the Blue ecosystem and a connected mall

Blue app screens: near by map with offers from Blue partners, and personalised offers on the home screen — The Blue app: a near by map with offers from Blue partners, and personalised offers on the home screen

Phase 2: Blue ecosystem service blueprint

In-store mode: location-based personalisation, scanning and cashier view

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