We started Aura with a simple belief: photos can help us feel closer to the people we love.
We wanted to create a more personal way for families to share photos with each other, outside of social media. We also wanted those photos to become part of everyday life, not something you have to go looking for.
Ten years and 10 million users later, we're proud of how far that idea has come.
However, most people think of a digital frame as a gift for grandma. And that’s because it is a great gift for grandma. But we hear the same story all the time: people give one to their parents, see it in action, and end up wanting one of their own. In fact, roughly half of our sales come from existing Aura users.
Turns out, Aura is a way for everyone to remember the life that's happening right now.
Our new campaign calls attention to just that: the photos we already have can be everyday reminders of the people and moments that make life great. It seems like we could all use that sometimes.
We take photos of everything because we want to hold onto the memories: the birthdays and vacations, but also the random Tuesdays, missing front teeth, soccer games, messy kitchens and ordinary moments that won’t feel ordinary forever.
But most of those photos disappear into our camera rolls almost as quickly as we take them. Because pausing to organize and reminisce takes time we don’t have.
We think we all deserve better. We believe photos are a catalyst for connection. Their greatest value isn't sitting in an ever-growing camera roll. It's what those memories can do for us today.
They can create spontaneous conversations and moments that aren't confined to a set time or place. Some of the richest connections are the ones nobody planned on.
That's especially true for kids. Earlier this fall, we partnered with Dr. Chloe Massey, a parenting advisor and child development specialist, to discuss the challenges of back to school. She talked about how seeing and revisiting photos of themselves and their families gives kids a sense of belonging, and how even a few minutes of connection on a busy day counts. As she put it, "It's not just the photos. It's the photos and the conversation.
As we head into our tenth holiday season, this campaign is as much a thank-you as anything else.
Thank you for trusting us with your family's memories, for sharing them with the people you love, and for telling us what Aura has come to mean in your lives.
Your stories keep reminding us of what we believed when we started Aura ten years ago, and they'll keep shaping the features and products we build next.
Here's to the next ten years of memories.