Design as strategy – How Ticket Design helped Urban Company’s Native purifier compete with established brands
Design today plays a direct role in shaping business outcomes. For new brands competing against legacy players, design shapes consumer trust usability and long-term engagement. Ticket Design has demonstrated how thoughtful design influences outcomes and the Urban Company Native Water Purifier is one such example.
When Urban Company, a leader in home services, decided to launch its first physical product range, the stakes were high. The water purifier category was already dominated by established players. Ticket Design’s challenge was to create a product experience that could earn trust and reflect Urban Company’s premium tech-forward identity. Native established its position within two years and delivered sustained growth in a competitive category.
Creating products that inspire trust
Ticket Design approached Native with a clear goal. Design needed to communicate simplicity. From form to function, decisions were driven by observed consumer pain points and everyday usage patterns. The clean geometry refined proportions and restrained aesthetic allowed the purifier to integrate naturally into Indian kitchens of different sizes.
In homes where kitchens are compact and visual clutter is common, an intrusive appliance quickly becomes undesirable. The design approach focused on adaptability and neutrality so the product felt appropriate across varied settings. Trust was embedded through clarity of form and function which supported adoption for a new entrant.
Strategic integration of technology and user experience
Usability played a central role in the design strategy. Consumers needed purified water along with clarity and confidence in how the system worked. The interface and visual cues were integrated into the product form and aligned with a consistent design language.
Through clear placement and visibility, users could understand system status at a glance. Integration with the Urban Company app extended the experience beyond the product and supported monitoring and service. The result was a coherent physical and digital system that supported everyday use.
Through clear placement and visibility, users could understand system status at a glance. Integration with the Urban Company app extended the experience beyond the product and supported monitoring and service. The result was a coherent physical and digital system that supported everyday use.
Durability and low-cost ownership as design decisions
The strategy extended into the internal architecture of the purifier. Component layout service access and filter placement were resolved to support durability and ease of maintenance. These decisions addressed a key concern in the category which is ownership cost over time.
This approach positioned Native as a cost-efficient RO purifier in India, a status confirmed by Redseer in 2024. Design choices directly shaped how the product was understood and positioned in the market as reliable, efficient and practical for long-term use.
Driving market impact through design strategy
Native recorded 303 percent year-on-year revenue growth reflecting strong adoption and repeat usage. Consumers engaged with the product trusted it and recommended it through everyday use.
Design was positioned as a business differentiator grounded in experience ease of use durability and system integration. The form factor and app-linked ecosystem aligned with Urban Company’s premium brand direction and evolving consumer expectations. These decisions shaped perception performance and long-term usability in a crowded market.
Imagining the new through design thinking
The collaboration between Ticket Design and Urban Company demonstrated how design can support the creation of new business verticals. Native formed the foundation of Urban Company’s physical product strategy through disciplined design decisions.
The learning extends beyond water purifiers. Strategic design enables brands to improve usability build trust and establish relevance in competitive categories.
Looking back
The Native project illustrates design as strategy in practice. Ticket Design’s approach across form usability technology and durability supported Urban Company’s entry into a mature market.
By focusing on real consumer behaviour and long-term use, the project shows how design can support trust engagement and sustained growth. Native reflects how considered design decisions influence both products and business outcomes.
