# Aura — Under After

Digital picture frames had a cheap, novelty reputation. Under After named the product Aura and designed a minimal brand identity for a gesture-controlled smart frame that made Oprah's Favorite Things three times.

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Digital picture frames had struggled with a cheap, novelty reputation since the early 2000s: low-resolution screens, complicated setup, and limited connectivity. The founding team built a gesture-controlled smart frame with an ultra-high-density display and wireless photo sharing between family members' devices, positioning the product as a premium connected-home device that could become a recurring gift category.

The team needed a name that conveyed wistfulness and nostalgia without feeling sentimental or gimmicky. Under After led the naming process with stakeholders and proposed several options. The selected name, Aura, captured the emanation or essence of personal photographs, with intangible qualities that connect to memory and emotion. Under After then designed a minimal brand identity that reflected the product's elegant functionality and intuitive experience.

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*Published by [Under After](https://underafter.com), a brand strategy and design studio founded in 2008.*