I successfully re-positioned a peculiar musical instrument.
I was a Product Marketer at Artiphon, a company known for creating unique electronic musical instruments.
I stepped into the role from my initial position as the company's Sound Designer.
My deep understanding of the company's product technology and applications, combined with my firsthand experience using similar products, made this role a perfect fit.
One of my biggest feats during my time at Artiphon was my leading a successful re-positioning of Chorda, a product that wasn't performing to expectations a year after its launch.
I initiated a complete strategic repositioning with my team that was centered on deeply researched user personas and market fit—resulting in a significant improvement in ad performance and user engagement.
The Problem
Chorda’s original tagline, “the instrument for everyday life,” was too broad and ambiguous, failing to resonate with any specific group. As a result, the product lacked traction and underperformed compared to Artiphon’s other launches. We needed to sharpen the product’s message, clarify its value proposition, and identify an audience with a real need for its features.
Strategy and Approach
Conducted extensive market research and persona development to understand who Chorda could truly serve best.
Identified a gap in the music producer market, particularly among MIDI controller users, who were already looking for expressive and portable gear.
Built a set of refined sub-personas such as:
The bedroom producer (home studio, limited space, creativity-first tools)
The electronic performer (live looping, mobile setups, portability-focused)
Aligned the product messaging and marketing assets with these personas—emphasizing Chorda’s use as a versatile, expressive MIDI controller rather than a standalone instrument.
Worked cross-functionally with design, content, and performance marketing teams to roll out the new strategy across our channels.
Execution and Process
Revised core product messaging, website copy, and product positioning documents.
Produced new marketing assets including photos, videos, and ad copy that highlighted use cases aligned with our target personas.
Optimized paid media strategy to bid against other MIDI controllers and gear used by music producers.
Updated our internal documentation to reflect the repositioned product narrative and shared it across marketing and support teams to ensure consistency.
Results
Although I don't have access to every metric, I do know that my team and I saw a clear and measurable improvement in click-through rates and ROI on targeted advertising.
In addition, audience engagement, especially on YouTube, increased as messaging became more relevant to the needs and language of music producers.
The internal team gained clarity around how to talk about Chorda, leading to a more unified brand voice, and the repositioning gave Chorda a second life in the market.
Takeaways
A focused target audience is far more powerful than a broad one, even for a product capable of serving many markets.
Listening to what the market is actually searching for leads to smarter strategy, not just louder marketing.
Cross-team alignment is extremely important for portraying a cohesive brand identity.