Sonotoki

Sonotoki identified an opportunity to create a differentiated social video platform that prioritizes live streaming and creator monetization while offering the engaging short-form content experience users love. The vision: build a global stage where anyone can become a creator, connect with audiences in real-time, and earn money doing what they love. MeetLabs delivered end-to-end: product strategy, brand identity, UI/UX design, and full platform development, creating a comprehensive creator ecosystem where video content, live streaming, social features, and monetization mechanics work together seamlessly.

Sonotoki needed to compete in the crowded social video space while carving out a distinct identity focused on live streaming and creator earnings. The platform required robust video creation tools recording, editing, filters, AR effects, music library that match or exceed competitor offerings. Live streaming infrastructure needed to handle thousands of concurrent broadcasts with low latency worldwide. The virtual gift economy required careful design to feel rewarding for creators and engaging for viewers. Multi-device streaming support (smart TVs, projectors) demanded architecture beyond typical mobile-only apps. The interface needed to feel familiar enough for users coming from other platforms while establishing Sonotoki's unique personality. Social features following, messaging, comments, notifications had to be rock-solid from day one, as they form the foundation of creator-audience relationships.

Strategic Consulting

Objective: Define a creator-first platform strategy that differentiates from existing social video apps. We mapped the creator journey from first video to full-time streamer, identifying monetization milestones and engagement patterns that drive retention. We defined the platform's core value proposition: "Create, Stream, Earn"—positioning live streaming and virtual gifts as primary rather than secondary features. Multi-device casting was identified as a key differentiator for watch parties and shared viewing experiences.

Market Research and Business Strategy

Objective: Validate market positioning and identify opportunities in the creator economy. We analyzed the competitive landscape across short-form video (TikTok, Instagram Reels), live streaming (Twitch, YouTube Live), and Asian-style gift economies (Bigo Live, 17Live). Research confirmed growing demand for platforms that make monetization accessible to creators at all levels not just top influencers. We identified underserved creator niches and geographic markets where Sonotoki could establish strong early presence.

Brand Identity & Visual Strategy

Objective: Build a brand that feels energetic, creative, and globally appealing. The Sonotoki identity captures the excitement of live performance and creative expression. The name derived from Japanese "sono toki" (that moment) emphasizes capturing and sharing life's moments. The visual system uses vibrant gradients and dynamic motion to convey energy and creativity. The logomark suggests both a play button and a spotlight, reinforcing the platform's dual focus on video content and live performance. Color palette balances bold accent colors with dark mode foundations optimized for video viewing.

UI/UX Design

Objective: Create an intuitive experience that balances content consumption, creation, and social interaction. We designed a tab-based navigation separating the feed, discovery, creation, notifications, and profile. The main feed uses full-screen vertical video with gesture-based navigation swipe to scroll, double-tap to like, tap for comments. The creation flow integrates camera recording, music selection, video editing, filters, and AR effects in a streamlined sequence. Live streaming gets prominent placement with dedicated discovery sections and real-time viewer counts. The virtual gift interface makes sending gifts feel celebratory and immediate, with animations that reward both sender and creator. Profile pages showcase both uploaded videos and live streaming schedules, establishing creators as complete entertainers.

AI-Powered Automation and Prototyping

Objective: Enhance content discovery and creator tools through intelligent automation. We prototyped AI systems for content recommendation based on viewing behavior and engagement patterns, automatic content moderation for live streams and uploaded videos, and smart video editing suggestions. The Beauty filter uses AI-powered facial recognition for real-time enhancement. AR effects leverage machine learning for accurate face and body tracking. Future features include AI-assisted music matching and automated highlight generation from live streams.

Mobile App Development

Objective: Deliver a performant mobile app with professional grade video creation and streaming capabilities. We built a React Native application with native modules for camera access, video processing, and AR rendering. The video editor supports cropping, flipping, rotation, speed adjustment, and multi-track audio. The music library integration enables easy song selection with proper licensing handling. AR effects render at 60fps using GPU acceleration for smooth real-time preview. Live streaming uses adaptive bitrate encoding to maintain quality across network conditions. Chromecast and AirPlay integration enables casting to smart TVs and projectors. Push notifications keep users engaged with follower activity, comments, and live stream alerts from favorite creators.

Database Architecture & Cloud Deployment

Objective: Support massive video storage, global content delivery, and real-time streaming infrastructure. We architected for video-platform scale: CDN distribution across multiple geographic regions for low-latency playback, scalable video transcoding pipelines for uploaded content, and WebRTC-based live streaming infrastructure supporting thousands of concurrent broadcasts. Real-time databases handle live chat, virtual gift transactions, and viewer counts. The infrastructure auto scales during peak usage periods and handles viral content spikes without degradation.

Backend Development & Integration Systems

Objective: Enable secure social features, monetization, and third-party integrations. We implemented comprehensive social features: user registration with email and social login, follow/follower relationships, direct messaging with edit/delete/unsent/reply/block capabilities, and notification systems. The virtual gift economy includes gift purchase flows, creator earnings tracking, and payout systems. Music library integration handles licensing and royalty tracking. Social sharing APIs enable cross-posting to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms. Analytics systems provide creators with real-time data on views, engagement, and earnings.

MeetLabs built Sonotoki as a comprehensive creator platform where video content, live streaming, and monetization converge. The mobile app delivers professional grade video creation with extensive editing tools, filters, and AR effects. Live streaming infrastructure supports global broadcasts with real-time virtual gift economies that let creators earn from their first stream. Social features following, messaging, comments, sharing build the community foundation essential for creator success. Multi-device casting extends the viewing experience beyond mobile, enabling shared viewing on smart TVs and projectors. The result is a platform where anyone can create compelling content, build an audience, go live, and earn all in one place.

1. Branding

Sonotoki's brand identity captures the energy of live performance and the creativity of video expression. The name evokes immediacy and presence "that moment" when creator and audience connect in real-time. The visual system uses dynamic gradients transitioning from deep purple to electric pink, signaling creativity, entertainment, and premium positioning. The logomark combines a stylized play symbol with spotlight rays, reinforcing the dual focus on video content and live performance. Motion design principles bring the brand to life through app transitions, notification animations, and gift effects. The dark-mode-first approach optimizes for video viewing while the vibrant accents ensure the interface feels alive and energetic. Typography balances readability with personality, using bold weights for impact and regular weights for extended reading.

2. Mobile App

Sonotoki's mobile application serves as the complete creator and viewer experience. The main feed presents full-screen vertical videos with smooth gesture navigation swipe up for next video, double-tap to like, tap right side for profile, left side for sharing. Before signup, users can preview popular content to understand the platform's value. The creation hub integrates camera recording with real-time AR effects, an extensive music library for lip-sync and dance content, and a full video editor supporting crop, flip, rotate, and speed adjustments. The Beauty filter and various AR effects glasses, hats, hair color changes, animated stickers let creators enhance their content with one tap. Live streaming gets first-class treatment with dedicated discovery sections, real-time viewer counts, and the virtual gift interface that makes monetization immediate and visible. Viewers send gifts that trigger celebratory animations for both sender and creator, creating a positive feedback loop. Creators see their earnings in real-time during streams. Social features are comprehensive: following and followers with activity feeds, direct messaging with full edit/delete/unsent/reply/block capabilities, likes and comments on all content, and customizable push notifications. Profile pages showcase video grids, live streaming schedules, and follower counts. Chromecast and AirPlay integration e

3. Strategic Consulting

An in-depth analysis of the creator economy, social video platform dynamics, and live streaming monetization models was conducted to define Sonotoki's positioning. We studied successful platforms across different markets Western short-form video apps, Asian live streaming platforms, gaming-focused services to identify best practices and whitespace opportunities. This shaped a product strategy that makes monetization accessible from day one rather than gating it behind follower thresholds. The roadmap prioritizes features that drive creator retention and earnings growth: Duets for collaborative content, Reactions for engagement, challenge-based Hashtags for virality, QR code following for in-person growth, Geolocation for local discovery, and Real-Time Analytics for creator empowerment.

Sonotoki successfully launched as a differentiated creator platform in a competitive market. The live streaming infrastructure achieved 99.9% uptime with sub-second latency across global regions. Creator adoption exceeded projections, with 40% of registered users uploading their first video within 48 hours. The virtual gift economy generated meaningful earnings for creators at all levels not just top influencers validating the accessible monetization strategy. Video creation tools received strong user feedback, with the AR effects and Beauty filter cited as key differentiators. Multi-device casting usage indicated strong demand for shared viewing experiences, particularly for live streams. The platform is now positioned to roll out planned features: Duets for side-by-side collaborative videos, Reactions for video response content, challenge-based Hashtags for viral campaigns, QR code scanning for easy following, Geolocation for local creator discovery, and comprehensive Real-Time Analytics for creator insights.