Do you know that term it takes a village? It also applies to large digital projects. Taking a “best-of-breed” approach instead of an “all-in-one” approach can yield great results. Just ask Hardinge, the leading international manufacturing provider of advanced metal-cutting solutions.
Manufacturing companies are getting ready for the changes Industry 4.0 will bring to the market. Marketers are preparing for these changes by revamping their brand and creating a sales-ready website.
Red Javelin, 3 Media Web, and MotionPoint teamed to make this project a success. This project was a big one, consolidating 25 disparate web properties around the world into one global sales-ready website that would unite all the Hardinge brands. The three organizations worked together as one team to make this project a success.
- Hardinge selected Red Javelin to spearhead the project and to develop a global content strategy with new messaging, new content and an ongoing public relations and blog program.
- Red Javelin partnered with 3 Media Web to design, build, deploy, and support the web site.
- MotionPoint was brought in to translate, deploy and operate the Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Japanese and Korean versions of the site.
Let’s take a closer look at the project. A version of the case study was originally published on 3 Media Web’s website here.
The Client
Hardinge, Inc. is the leading international manufacturing provider of advanced metal-cutting solutions. The company provides a full spectrum of highly reliable CNC turning, milling, and grinding machines, as well as technologically advanced workholding and machine tool accessories. Its global footprint spans 65 countries and 6 continents and works in the aerospace/defense, automotive, medical, and mold & die industries.
The Challenge
As part of a new corporate communications program, Hardinge wanted to develop a consistent corporate message and increase visibility for the company with a public relations program. With rapid growth and a series of acquisitions, Hardinge's message was inconsistent across more than 25 different websites operating as standalone entities across a number of regions across the world. Hardinge wanted to unite the brands into one global website with a clear and succinct message and provide one global brand identity. A key goal was to centralize its various sites, improve key customer touch points, and make it easier for customers to do business with them.
The Solution
Red Javelin was selected to centralize the company’s global marketing efforts, new messaging, website content, blogging program, as well as to provide ongoing PR support. Red Javelin developed a Messaging Blueprint which included a competitive analysis, persona development, and corporate and product line messaging.
Using Red Javelin’s proprietary Messaging Blueprint process, we helped Hardinge to understand how their competition was communicating as well as identify what motivates their prospects and customers by defining their pain points. We then developed value propositions that will inspire them to act. The resulting roadmap of top-level company, market and product messages is used as a foundation for the website redesign, public relations program and blogging program. It helps Hardinge speak with a clear and consistent voice in every inbound and outbound marketing activity.
Red Javelin brought in 3MediaWeb to handle the website redesign,
“When we needed to choose a partner to work with us on this large website project, 3 Media Web was the obvious and easy choice for us,” said Dana Harris, co-founder and principal at Red Javelin. “Their process, creativity and ‘do what it takes’ attitude worked to meet the needs of a global manufacturing business with thousands of SKUs, multiple language requirements, and a tight deadline.”
3 Media Web inventoried all of the Hardinge company websites to create a master template to ensure that the required functionalities for all brands were included in the new website. The master template features “modules” with specifications for images, text, page bands, sliders, testimonials – everything needed to design a page. Red Javelin worked to refine the navigation to be more aligned with its personas, was involved in project and client management, and created new website content across the new site.
MotionPoint, a cloud-based translation service, was chosen to localize all content. The website included a prompt on the new website for the visitor to select a region and one of 10 languages, including 4 Asian languages for those in countries where Hardinge, Inc. has had the most growth in the last decade.
