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For years, the concept of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) has been a staple in product development. The idea was simple: build just enough to test assumptions, validate demand, and iterate based on feedback. But in 2025, MVPs are no longer enough. Users today are overwhelmed with choices, and a merely “viable” product doesn’t cut it anymore. To win, you need to build a Minimum Lovable Product (MLP).
Why MVPs Are Losing Relevance
A Crowded Market — Every industry is saturated with competing products. A bare-bones MVP often fails to stand out.
Customer Expectations Are Higher — Users expect polished, intuitive experiences from day one.
First Impressions Matter — You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. A lackluster MVP can turn potential users away for good.
AI is Raising the Bar — With AI-driven experiences becoming the norm, users expect intelligence, personalization, and automation even in early versions of a product.
The Shift to Minimum Lovable Product (MLP)
Instead of focusing solely on viability, MLPs aim to create an emotional bond with users from the start. An MLP is a product that:
Solves a real problem effectively
Has a delightful user experience
Elicits excitement and advocacy from early users
How to Build an MLP
1. Find the Core Delight Factor
What makes your product unique? Identify the feature that will make users love your product, not just tolerate it.
Example: Slack wasn’t just another chat app; it made team communication feel effortless and enjoyable.
2. Prioritize User Experience from Day One
MVPs often ship with clunky interfaces, assuming UX can be improved later. MLPs prioritize ease of use from the start.
Example: Notion gained traction because its UI was intuitive and beautiful from launch.
3. Create a Strong Brand & Narrative
People connect with stories, not just features. Position your product with a compelling mission.
Example: Superhuman didn’t just sell an email client; they sold “the fastest email experience ever.”
4. Launch with a Community, Not Just a Product
Early adopters should feel like they are part of something special. Build exclusivity, beta programs, and engaged user groups.
Example: Clubhouse thrived on its invite-only launch, making users feel privileged to be part of it.
The Business Case for MLPs
Higher Retention & Engagement — Users stick around when they genuinely love a product.
Stronger Word-of-Mouth Growth — Delighted users become your best marketers.
Increased Willingness to Pay — People don’t just buy functionality; they buy great experiences.
Faster Path to Product-Market Fit — When users fall in love with a product, the path to PMF is clearer.
Switching from MVP to MLP: The Story of Brand Center
When we set out to build Brand Center, our goal was clear: simplify digital media buying and campaign management. Initially, we built an MVP — functional, lean, and focused on the bare essentials. Publishers could list inventory, advertisers could transact, and workflows were in place. It worked. But something was missing.
Early feedback was eye-opening. Users weren’t excited. The platform felt transactional rather than engaging. It was viable but not lovable. And in a world where AI-driven insights, automation, and seamless workflows are becoming standard, an MVP wasn’t enough.
So, we pivoted. We went beyond “viable” and aimed for “lovable.” We redesigned the UI to make navigation effortless, built a seamless workflow that felt intuitive. We didn’t just create a product; we crafted an experience.
The impact? Brand Center became demoable. Potential users finally “got it” within minutes, and sign-ups started rolling in. This wasn’t just about functionality — it was about experience. And now, with that boost, we’re set to turn Brand Center into a full-fledged product.
The Takeaway
MVPs help test ideas, but they no longer guarantee adoption. In today’s landscape, where AI is raising user expectations, simply being “viable” isn’t enough — you need to be lovable.
An MVP gets you feedback, but an MLP gets you fans.
Users don’t just adopt great products — they advocate for them.
The fastest path to scale isn’t just functionality — it’s experience.
Brand Center’s journey proves this. By shifting from an MVP to an MLP, we turned a functional product into an engaging one. The moment we focused on making it delightful, intuitive, and instantly valuable, we saw real traction — users signing up and actually wanting to use it.
The future belongs to products that users love, not just tolerate. Are you building something viable or something unforgettable?