Libratone: Building a pixel-perfect website

About the project

Libratone has created wireless sound technology, from noise cancelling headphones to smart speakers since 2009.

In 2018, it was time to deal with the headaches Libratone’s website was suffering from. A sluggish loading time and an overly complex CMS and e-commerce platform had led to high maintenance and development costs. As the business thrived, the website setup had become increasingly complex with different websites for different markets.

Challenge: Making a truly global website

The ambition was to build a truly global website that was more in tune with the strategy for a broader online presence, focusing more on branding, storytelling and both online and offline sales. It had to become a global multidomain and multilanguage website, meeting the highest standards of technology, UX and design - entirely in line with what the brand represents. They were also looking for a powerful, scalable and flexible CMS with a backend that is easy to maintain and can be accessed in all regions.

We also had to make sure that the elements we programmed matched the graphic vision. An unusual layout and specific behaviour demanded a creative approach from the developers. Even tiny details can have a considerable effect on how a page loads, which elements appear first and what happens next. For example, if the first animation in the slider is different than the next, the page flow is not going to be smooth.

To ensure the best possible result, the whole site was built from scratch with heavily customized code. All modules were checked literally millisecond by millisecond and pixel by pixel in the context of the whole page.

Our approach: A CMS with a modular setup

After going through Libratone’s specific needs with our magnifying glasses and a microscope, NoA Ignite and Hello Great Works (a Danish design partner within the North Alliance) joined forces. Tapping into our expertise of CMS platforms, we tugged their sleeve and recommended Umbraco, a Danish CMS platform.

This turned out to be a match made in heaven, meeting the requirements of Libratone perfectly. Umbraco allows Libratone to manage all language versions of the website in one place. The modular setup makes it easy to use for editors without a technical background.

For a smooth user experience in different countries, we used geolocalization and local-free URLs to direct users automatically to their local language version as well as a smart language switcher. We also set up integration with Ucommerce in preparation for a future shop experience on the site.

Result: A pixel-perfect website

The project was a joint venture between NoA Ignite, which brought the technical expertise, and Hello Great Works, which took care of the design. Collaborating within the North Alliance group, this multidisciplinary Polish-Danish dream team turned out to be the perfect setup to provide a tailor-made solution for Libratone’s needs.

We worked in an agile environment with our arm around the client’s shoulders to make sure we fully understood what they wanted. Thanks to this - and the solid cooperation with Hello Great Works - we delivered a high-quality product within a tight time frame. The website has greatly improved customer experience as well as simplified the content management process. The result is a website with cutting-edge user experience with an appealing look, slick Scandinavian design and a bold presentation of Libratone’s products.

On 15 September 2018, the website’s excellence was acknowledged as Libratone.com was selected website of the day by Awwwards.com. This is a global online platform for digital professionals who rate websites in terms of design, usability and user experience.

NoA Ignite, Hello Great Works and Libratone stick together, continuing our collaboration and planning the next phase of the development for 2019.