Together, product design, marketing can ensure a seamless, user-centered experience. Whereas marketing identifies user needs through research and data, product design brings these insights to life. User feedback helps refine product design as well as marketing messages. Consistency between what marketing promises and what the product delivers builds trust and loyalty among customers. Hence, effective product launches come from collaboration – between design and marketing.
We hosted ComFusion – Ideon Science Park Marketing & Communication Sessions Series – and invited Paul Nylund to share why marketers and UX designers should work together and to showcase a few examples from his experience.
Paul is a Design & Experience Director at Epode, based in Lund. He has worked closely with brands such as LEGO, Volvo, Bosch, Alfa Laval and others on core innovation projects – both independently and on behalf of consultancies like EY Doberman and UsTwo.
“Good UX equals a well-designed user experience ihat appears to be invisible. It feels natural, intuitive, and, even in complex systems, effortless. ”, says Paul.
Why do marketing and UX need to work together
“They are two sides of the same coin. They both create and deliver value to users in a meaningful way. When aligned, they ensure that what is being built not only works well but is also positioned, understood, and desired by the right people”.
When they work together, there is a continuous feedback loop between what users want and how the product delivers.
Here are Paul’s tips on how UX can support marketing:
- Let the Experience Sell the Product
Meaning:
A great product should not need a hard sell. The experience itself should show its value and convince users through seamless interaction.
How:
- Minimize friction: Every step from discovery to activation should feel intuitive.
- Emphasize “aha” moments: Design onboarding to quickly reveal the product’s core value.
- Use empty states wisely: When no data is available, guide the user with helpful visuals or examples.
- Trigger delight: Subtle animations, helpful microcopy, or contextual nudges build positive emotion.
Example:
Slack’s interface shows its utility immediately, users are nudged to create channels, invite teammates, and test messages, selling its value without needing explanation.
- Create Moments That Matter
Meaning:
Design emotional high points in the user journey where delight, surprise, or relief create a lasting impression.
How:
- Identify key journey moments: Think sign-up, first success, solving a pain point, receiving help, completing a goal.
- Design for emotion: Use visuals, messaging, and timing to create impact.
- Celebrate wins using gamification: Use badges, animations, or well-written messages to recognize progress or achievements.
- Handle setbacks with care: Turn errors, delays, or waiting into thoughtful interactions (e.g., witty error messages or helpful retries).
Example:
Duolingo celebrates learning streaks with animations and rewards, reinforcing daily use with emotional connection.
- Make the Product a Billboard
Meaning:
Let the product itself broadcast your brand, purpose, and uniqueness through design and interaction. Make it “screenshotable” – something that people will want to share, here and how.
How:
- Design with personality: Use typography, tone of voice, and micro-interactions that reflect brand character.
- Be instantly recognizable: Think color schemes, iconography, or layout patterns that users associate with you.
- Use UI as marketing: When someone shares a screenshot or screen recording, what story does it tell?
- Maintain visual consistency: Across devices and channels, the product should look and feel unmistakably yours.
Example:
Notion’s clean, flexible canvas is instantly recognizable, and users sharing their Notion dashboards become free marketing.
- Make the Brand Speak Your Values
Meaning:
Your product should reflect and embody your core values, not just say them in a mission statement.
How:
- Embed values in UX decisions: If you value inclusivity, ensure accessibility. If you value sustainability, reflect that in tone and functionality.
- Write like a human: Let your brand voice come through in every word—tooltips, errors, confirmations.
- Be ethical by design: Respect user privacy, avoid dark patterns, and promote transparency.
- Design for trust: Make important information (like data use or pricing) easy to find and understand.
Example:
Patagonia’s online experience is aligned with its mission: clear sustainability messaging, repair-first ethos, and no upsell pressure.
Summary: From Pillar to Practice
| Paul’s Pillars | UX Focus | Tactics |
| Let the experience sell the product | Flow, clarity, early value | Intuitive onboarding, helpful microcopy, empty states |
| Create moments that matter | Emotion, timing, memory | Celebrate progress, humanize errors, surprise & delight |
| Make the product a billboard | Branding, shareability | Visual identity, UI tone, personality in interactions |
| Make the brand speak your values | Authenticity, trust, ethics | Accessible design, transparent language, brand voice |
