During my time at Quirky, an exciting opportunity arose when GE approached us. Together, we embarked on a journey to reinvent their brand and technologies for a new generation of digitally savvy consumers. Through our collaboration, we successfully created a full line of connected smart products, a standout achievement being the world's smartest air conditioner, Aros.
Created at Quirky, NYC
A QUIRKY INVENTOR
The inspiration for Aros came from Dr. Garthen Leslie, who had a frustrating experience with his dysfunctional air conditioner. He envisioned a smarter solution aligned perfectly with our expanding range of smart home products. With the support of 2,238 influencers from Quirky's online community, we transformed Garthen's idea into a tangible product in just a few months. Working closely with GE's appliance division, we leveraged their existing resources and incorporated smart technology, resulting in an exceptional design.
BEAUTIFUL DESIGN FOR A MUNDANE OBJECT
Air conditioners have typically been dumb, ugly, and noisy objects, which have been the same since their origins. As a design and tech-led company, we had a unique opportunity to create a beautiful, smart object you wouldn’t want to hide in your house. Our design needed to be stunning as well as practical. The touch controls on the front were intuitive and easy to use, and the upward stream of air was effective and preferable to those that blow straight out. It was also GE’s first entry into the smart product universe, and we wanted to enter the market with a big splash.
“It learns from your budget, location, and schedule to keep you cool while saving money.”
—Wall Street Journal
ICE COLD MARKETING
Aros garnered significant attention with features like learning from user preferences, location, and schedule to provide cooling while saving money. The marketing campaign for Aros was uniquely Quirky, with our team donning Hawaiian shirts and personally delivering and installing air conditioners from Aros-branded ice cream trucks throughout New York City. Additionally, a city-wide advertising campaign was launched during the summer of 2014.
Leveraging GE platforms, Quirky process, and a great community idea… we designed and delivered the world’s smartest air conditioner in less than 100 days.
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Designed at
Quirky, NYC
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Creatives
Quirky in-house team
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Photography + Videos
Quirky in-house team
Marshall Troy -
Advertising
Partners & Spade
Quirky's in-house teams