CASE STUDY
Defining FujiSpray
Using Human-Centred Design to Unlock Market Leadership
Fuji Spray is an award-winning Canadian manufacturer and designer of innovative and trusted spray systems for a variety of industries.
Client
FujiSpray
Category
Automotive Tools
Beauty Tools
Industrial Tools
Type of Work
Market Research
User Research
Product Development
Brand Strategy
Context
The Challenge
Swave Studios partnered closely with Fuji Spray's leadership team to develop innovative product and build the Fuji brand across 3 different market segments; spray tan, automotive and a broader spray system category.
Understanding the Spray Landscape
Through ethnographic research the team uncovered the human insights driving customer decisions, behaviors, and frustrations.
By understanding the broader context surrounding customers' work and business goals, we identified opportunities to improve experiences, strengthen market positioning, and inform future innovation investments.
User Insights
Understanding the User
Fuji Spray served multiple highly specialized customer groups:
Automotive Repair Professionals
Technicians working in demanding repair environments where productivity, precision, reliability, and training directly impact business performance.
Professional and Hobbyist Woodworkers
Users ranging from cabinet makers and furniture manufacturers to passionate craftspeople seeking professional-quality results.
Sunless Tanning Professionals
Salon owners and operators balancing customer experience, operational efficiency, training, and business growth.
Each market had unique needs yet all shared a common challenge: Products were often designed around technical capabilities rather than a deep understanding of the people using them.
Design Process
From Insight to Strategy
Research findings became the foundation for strategic decision-making across the organization.
Together with Fuji Spray leadership, we explored:
Product portfolio opportunities
Brand evolution
Customer experience improvements
Market expansion opportunities
Innovation roadmaps
Product ecosystem development
Future growth strategies
Rather than jumping directly to solutions, we used divergent and convergent concept development methods to explore multiple paths before aligning around the most valuable opportunities.
This reduced risk while increasing confidence in future investments.
Our work extended beyond individual products to focus on the broader ecosystem that shapes customer success. Together, we identified opportunities to improve product experiences, simplify workflows, strengthen customer relationships, and enhance the overall value proposition across key markets.
By connecting customer needs directly to business strategy, Fuji Spray was able to make more informed decisions about where to invest, innovate, and grow.
The Result
Results and Applied Learning
The partnership helped Fuji Spray strengthen its understanding of customers, align innovation efforts with real market needs, and create a more strategic foundation for growth through new products.
Human-centred design provided a framework for uncovering opportunities that competitors could not easily see—creating stronger customer relationships, clearer market differentiation, and a more resilient foundation for future growth.
More importantly, the partnership helped transform innovation from a product development activity into a business growth strategy.
