NZXT
INTRO
My Role
Executive leadership
Cross-functional collaboration
Resource and budget management
Creative direction and brand strategy
End-to-end experience strategy
User research and product strategy
Client/Context
NZXT
Year
2020-Present
Category
PC Gaming Hardware Manufacturing
Credits
Nothing on this page was possible without the world-class designers, writers and researchers who make NZXT a recognized leader in design.
NZXT Packaging System (Credit: Hardware Canucks)
Building The Brand
Design means more than making it look good
Design is a strategic strength for NZXT, part of my role is to ensure that it isn't just window dressing but that it permeates the culture. Not just how NZXT designs but how the company operates. Nothing is off the table from the design of office environments to events, customer service, voice and tone, social media, unboxing, emails and more.
Over the last 5 years, we have introduced refreshed company values, a social mascot (Pucci), an updated purpose ("Anyone can be a PC gamer") and a framework for improving the end to end experience.
Photos from NZXT's product launch at Computex 2024 in Taipei
Everything contributes to brand
At NZXT, we take the End-to-End Experience seriously because every detail shapes how our products connect with people. For me, that means staying close to the product, the employees, and the customer. That’s part of why I lead the Research & Insights function, overseeing NPS and CSAT evaluations, customer surveys, usability testing, brand health tracking, and overall experience assessment.
I believe a big part of leadership is about bringing my whole self to work—whether it’s designing NZXT’s global offices, bringing in coffee, or engaging directly with our community. In fact, I’m one of the top commenters on our subreddit (u/SHAWNZXT), learning about sentiment, experiences, pain points then fostering direct conversations with customers.
Empathy is at the heart of great design and brand building—there are no shortcuts to it.
First Day in NZXT's Monrovia HQ and Taipei Offices and Influencer/Social Media Collage
Launching World-Class Campaigns
Evolving into POV marketing
The PC hardware industry has traditionally been feature-focused, with marketing centered on Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) and technical specifications. However, at NZXT, we recognized that our brand had a distinct point of view (POV)—one that went beyond specs and features. Rather than following industry norms, we saw an opportunity to connect with customers on personal level - one that respected their journey.
Over the years, I led the creative team in collaboration with marketing to transform our campaigns, shifting the focus from technical details to how NZXT fits into people's lives. By embracing storytelling and brand identity, we built campaigns that resonated emotionally, making NZXT more than just a product—it became a part of our customers’ journey (This didn't just raise our visual standards but it contributed to our rise to market dominance achieving #1 market share in PC Cases, #2 in AIO CPU coolers and Top 5 spots in other component categories).
Lifestyle photograhy across various campaigns (2021-2024)
Campaign video stills across various campaigns (2021-2024)
Emails across a variety of events, campaigns and promotions
From Industrial Design to User Experience
A design DNA that spans the entire experience
NZXT’s design ethos is rooted in our thoughtful industrial design and product philosophy. In my role, I helped refine and apply the core values and design principles that unify our products, making them undeniably and proudly NZXT. Internally, we often called this - The Design DNA.
Top-selling products like the Kraken Elite aren’t just successful because of their iconic minimalism and obsessive attention to detail—they stand out because the same design values extend across hardware. software and firmware. Every interaction is a reflection of our purpose: anyone can be a PC gamer. To make that vision a reality, we ensure that PC gaming is simple, accessible, and effortless at every touchpoint.
Celebrated NZXT industrial designs and various NZXT CAM supporting desktop software screens
My Takeaways
Teach in Frameworks
Learning new skills or unlearning bad habits is hard. Sometimes half the battle is remembering the steps. Give people tools, not directions.
Executive clarity
Executives are doing a million things constantly. Time is short and clarity over complexity is king. Present key information to drive decisions.
Empathy is Key
Business goals are nothing if you don't understand your employees or customers. There is no shortcut to understanding their struggles, highlights and their journey. You must actually care.
Listen, Question, Guide
Telling people what to do is easy. Listening and learning is hard. Effective employees don't need directives, they need agency and guidance.
