How Light Is Breaking Big Tech by Creating an Anti-Attention Smartphone

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Check out our new podcast ‘Ripples’ on Microcultures from the links 🔗 below 👇

  • 🎙️ Listen on Apple podcasts here
  • 🎧 Listen on Spotify here here

In this episode, Kaiwei Tang, CEO & Co-Founder of Light, reveals how a 10-year-old “anti-smartphone” brand has cultivated a dedicated community by doing less. Light’s flagship product, the Light Phone, eliminates data-hungry apps, social media, and constant notifications—replacing them with practical tools and pure utility. Kaiwei shares how organic word-of-mouth, celebrity shout-outs, and unwavering brand values fuel Light’s growth in a world where “paid ads” often dominate the startup playbook.

From experiencing the anxiety of leaving your smartphone at home to feeling the freedom of minimal tech, this conversation uncovers how Light stands apart from Big Tech’s attention-driven business model. If you’ve ever wanted a more balanced relationship with technology—or you’re just intrigued by how a brand can shape culture through less, then this episode is for you!

Watch the video version of this podcast on Youtube ▶️: https://youtu.be/3hXkhcYlNlc

🖊️Mentioned in the show:

Scratch is a production of Rival, a marketing innovation consultancy that develops strategies and capabilities to help businesses grow faster. Scratch is hosted by Eric Fulwiler, and in this episode, he’s joined by Kaiwei Tang, CEO & Co-Founder of Light.

Find Rival online at www.wearerival.com, LinkedIn, Twitter

Find Eric on LinkedIn.

Find Kaiwei on LinkedIn.

Say hi at media@wearerival.com, we’d love to hear from you.

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