Henkel: Performance Driven Rapid Brand Prototyping

CLIENT

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA is a publicly listed German manufacturer in the consumer goods industry with global brands and technologies in the three business units Laundry & Home Care, Beauty Care and Adhesive Technologies.

GOAL

Creating an innovative future-proof brand within the Adhesive Technologies business unit, that brings together digital service solutions under a unique and recognizable umbrella.

Establishing an overarching brand strategy, a recognizable brand design, and an impactful brand activation driven by a rapid, data-driven, and user-centric process.

CHALLENGES

Branding is about communication and collaboration. When Henkel contacted us in late 2020, the pandemic made traditional brand workshops impossible. Using the Liquid Workforce approach of our Partner MVP Factory, we were assembled with a remote team of experts and developed a unique rapid branding process. Henkel needed fast results. Therefore we had only three months from the initial idea to delivery of the fully developed brand strategy, brand design, and A/B-tested brand name and brand logo.

The second phase of this project saw additional deliverables like a unique and memorable brand video, a landing page that fits well into the corporate website of Henkel and a brand ambassador program.

WHAT WE DID

SERVICES in Brand Consulting, Design and Performance Marketing

• Rapid Brand Prototyping
• Brand Architecture
• Strategic Communication Consulting
• Market Entry Strategy
• Buyer-Journey-Analysis
• Creative Video Production
• Communication Strategy 

Month 1-3 – Rapid Brand Prototyping (Data Driven Brand Strategy & Brand Design

After partnering up with BRAIND and MVP Factory, the project started with a thorough analysis of the existing brand architecture as well as the products of the brand. Our task was to ensure that all strategic decisions were based on data and customer feedback, allowing us to give the new brand some internal validation. Selected aspects of the brand including logo and brand name, were placed on a landing page where they were A/B tested to Henkel’s target customers. Depending on their performance, designs and creatives were either selected as part of the brand or discarded. After countless remote workshops, difficult decisions and multiple revisions, the brand strategy and brand design were approved and on time and within budget

Month 4-6 – Market Launch & Communication Strategy

After laying the foundation, we focused on precisely defining how Henkel to approach the market launch of Henkel Qhesive Solutions. The goal of Henkel Qhesive Solutions is to help customers transform their products, services and processes by introducing data-enabled service solutions like Smart Adult Care or Smart Packaging Control. This storytelling needed to be carefully embedded in a marketing funnel to achieve maximum sales success.

Month 6 – ongoing – Internal and external Brand Activation

To create an emotional and long-lasting positive brand perception, we developed several high-impact formats and deliverables for each of the stakeholder groups: Internal stakeholders were engaged by a workshop-based brand ambassador program that included digital tools (e.g., PowerPoint templates, digital brand cards, etc.). To engage external stakeholders, we created an emotional brand video, LinkedIn posts and a Landing Page. 

But that’s not all. As an ongoing partner of Henkel, DCBerlin continues to shape Henkel Qhesive Solutions.

RESULT

(Conception and user testing of a new brand in 2.5 months.)

Despite the constraints of the pandemic, DCBerlin, MVP Factory, BRAIND and Henkel were able to create and roll-out a global B2B brand in record time. Using the innovative data-based branding process (Rapid Brand Prototyping), DCBerlin conceptualized, validated and launched the “Henkel Qhesive Solutions” brand within 3-6 months. For our innovative process we received the “Best of Consulting” award from Wirtschaftswoche (Germany’s leading business magazine) in the category “marketing” together with our partners from MVP Factory.

Henkel Qhesive Solutions provides Henkel with the organizational umbrella to unite its numerous innovation streams and products in one global team. With Henkel Qhesive Solutions various business units have found a home for all their digital and data-driven products.

Externally, the brand communicated this transformation to customers. The message is demonstrably resonating with customers. Since launching in the first half of 2021, the brand has seen a 2000% increase in organic Google traffic. This is partly due to the innovative brand name, which opens up a new category with no competitors in search engines. In addition, Henkel Qhesive Solutions products are expected to generate annual sales of over €100 million in the next 5-10 years..

6 MONTHS UNTIL BRAND LAUNCH

50+ STAKEHOLDERS AND BRAND AMBASSADORS

100M€ EXPECTED ANNUAL SALES IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS

Go to the Henkel Qhesive Solutions landing page