The Challenge

Male users wanted to appear serious while maintaining privacy, but minimal profiles struggled to attract attention. With Ashley Madison's credit-based chat system, first impressions were valuable—users needed a way to quickly establish credibility to make their messages count.

The Goal

To address the gap between profile privacy and engagement, our goal was to design a premium visibility feature that would help users stand out and establish trust—without compromising discretion.

Research

• Short decision windows – Female users spent under 7 seconds deciding whether to engage with a profile
• Authenticity matters – Profiles without clear trust signals (profile images or greetings) struggled to generate meaningful interactions
• Visual distinction – Users needed a way to stand out instantly without compromising privacy

Solution

MVP Strategy

Rather than developing complex premium features, we focused on impactful visibility enhancements. We explored several options such as priority placement in search results, expanded profile real estate on the discovery page (which could contain more user information), and repeated profile placement on the discovery page. Ultimately, we settled on a gold profile border as the most effective solution.

Design Rationale

• Subtle but Effective - The gold profile border ensured profiles stood out without overwhelming the UI
• Symbol of Premium Status - The design signaled credibility and exclusivity
• Seamless Integration - Worked across various devices and UI elements without disrupting platform functionality

By focusing on a single, high-impact visibility change, we delivered a premium experience with low development complexity.

Monetization Strategy

Prime was designed to complement Ashley Madison’s credit-based revenue model without disrupting it. Since the platform lacks a traditional shopping cart, preserving the focus on credit purchases was critical. To avoid diverting attention, we explored alternative channels to offer Prime.

Purchase Channels

• Post Credit Purchase Add-On - Prime was offered as an optional add-on during credit purchases; a natural, high-intent moment in the user journey.
• Through In-Platform Ads - Targeted ads in profile browsing areas reminded users of Prime’s benefits without interfering with core transactions.

This approach ensured seamless integration, minimized development complexity, and maintained the integrity of the main revenue flow.

Pricing Strategy

We introduced a tiered model to drive adoption and retention:

• $29.99/month - For short-term visibility
• $59.99 lifetime - A high-value option that breaks even after two months, reducing friction and encouraging long-term use

The pricing leveraged value anchoring to make the lifetime plan an attractive, commitment-free choice for users seeking sustained visibility.

Results

After launch, Prime significantly outperformed expectations:

• 43% increase in messages received (vs. 20% target)
• 6% adoption among active users (vs. 3% target)
• Higher profile views – Users reported having their profile viewed more
• Strong monetization performance — Prime became a meaningful revenue stream which supported future development

Lessons Learned

• Simple, focused features can outperform complex ones - A single visual cue, the gold border, beat both adoption and engagement targets with minimal engineering effort
• Protect the core revenue flow - Introducing Prime through existing credit purchases and ads avoided disrupting Ashley Madison's primary monetization path
• Short decision windows reward visual clarity - With under 7 seconds to capture attention, a subtle but consistent signal proved more effective than adding complexity

Next Steps

With the validation of Prime as an effective visibility feature, the next phase explores two strategic paths: expanding Prime’s value or evolving some features into a separate premium product.

• Tiered Offerings - Enhance visual cues tailored to different user segments
• Priority Placement - Boost profile visibility to drive higher engagement
• Credit Discounts - Exclusive perks for high-intent, frequent users
• Free Actions - Unlock normally paid features (e.g., Winks, Private Key Requests) to enhance engagement

Additional Screens