The Challenge
Verve's founders had secured seed funding to build a therapy app targeting university students and young professionals, but they were entering a saturated wellness market. Existing therapy apps either felt too medical and sterile or too "self-care aesthetic" without substance. They needed a brand that Gen Z would actually trust with their mental health - authentic, approachable, and genuinely helpful rather than performative.
Our Approach
We built the brand around "real talk, real progress" - positioning Verve as the anti-toxic-positivity wellness app. The visual identity uses warm, grounding colors (terracotta, sage, soft purple) paired with honest, conversational copy that acknowledges struggle without sugarcoating it. We developed an illustration style that feels personal and hand-drawn rather than corporate stock imagery.
The Solution
The app experience prioritizes simplicity and safety. We designed a matching algorithm that connects users with therapists based on specific needs and communication styles, not just availability. The mood tracking uses gentle check-ins rather than clinical surveys, and the interface adapts its color palette based on user emotional state. We created a waitlist campaign that generated buzz through Instagram and TikTok partnerships with mental health advocates.
The Results
Verve's waitlist hit 24,000 sign-ups before launch, with 6,800 converting to paid subscribers in the first month. The app achieved a 4.8-star rating with users praising its "actually helpful" approach to mental wellness. Three major universities partnered to offer Verve as part of student health services. Month-two retention sits at 81% - significantly higher than the wellness app average of 38%.
