Crafting Connections: Hexagon’s Story-driven, Data-powered Marketing Strategy

 CXOToday has engaged in an exclusive interview with Madlen Nicolaus, CMO – Hexagon AB

Can you define Hexagon’s marketing strategy in one sentence?

We are leveraging storytelling, data-driven insights, and innovative digital technologies to solidify our brand and reputation as the leader in Reality Technology.

What inspires this approach?

Since joining Hexagon at the end of April 2023, I started listening – meeting employees, senior executives, media, analysts, and customers from all around the world, running workshops and conducting research at a large scale – to uncover where the most important work needed to be done.

A key finding from our research has shown that while we are seen as a formidable technology company, there was room to sharpen our story and create clarity around what we do and why we do it. This was crucial for positioning Hexagon as not just a leader in technology, but as a pioneer in a vital, emerging field.

Reality Technology is an important new category where the value to the customer is paramount. Recognising this, we are steering our narrative towards a customer-first approach, making our brand more relatable and deepening our connection with our audiences.

Stories are what people remember; they are vehicles for relationship building. For example, when the audience learns that the Formula One Red Bull Racing team uses Hexagon devices, they see innovation, precision, and a competitive edge that resonates as a testament to what our technology enables. This connection is what drives customer advocacy, and it reminds the audience that Hexagon helps keep the Red Bull Racing Team one lap ahead of the competition.

Throughout the process, we have engaged team members across all levels of the organisation, not just in marketing, and have also gathered a lot of feedback from customers and analysts. We are now in the final stages of development, and I am extremely excited that we will be launching the new Hexagon narrative very soon.

What is your plan in India? Assuming your visit has a specific agenda.

India has become a major hub in the global technology landscape, renowned for its strong capabilities in software development. There is probably no other country on earth that can match it in this way. India offers a wealth of well-educated, dedicated, and highly skilled professionals. This talent pool is a key reason we chose to establish our largest Hexagon R&D facility in Hyderabad, where the vibrant workforce adds fresh energy to the city’s lively tech scene.

Visiting Hyderabad and Delhi to meet with our local teams and customers is a fantastic opportunity for me to deepen my understanding of this market and explore ways to better support them moving forward.

On my first trip to India with Hexagon, I focused on meeting customers, conducting marketing workshops, and holding town hall meetings to share updates from the corporate marketing team. I also had the enriching experience of joining a fireside chat with women leaders in Hyderabad, which was truly inspiring.

Innovation in customer engagement is crucial today. How do you stay ahead in this aspect, especially regarding the frequency and channels of outreach?

Innovation is in our DNA at Hexagon. We are always striving to lead the pack, both in anticipating our clients’ future needs and in our bold approach to marketing. Our in-house AI team, a key part of our Innovation Hub, provides Hexagon with a unique advantage and right now we are collaborating on a project to integrate Generative AI into our marketing strategies. As part of this initiative, we have provided all Hexagon marketers with access to an internal private instance of ChatGPT. Over the past five months, hundreds of our marketers have embraced this tool. The main goal is to utilise AI to enhance customer engagement through more personalised and effective campaigns. This project also offers us a safe space to experiment with these new tools and discover the most impactful applications and strategies.

In the competitive global market, what sets Hexagon AB apart in terms of its marketing?

What truly distinguishes Hexagon is our comprehensive expertise across a broad spectrum of industries, coupled with our ability to deliver solutions that are uniquely tailored to the specific needs of each sector. Through our five distinct divisions, we fine-tune our Reality Technology portfolio to meet diverse customer challenges. This deep domain knowledge not only facilitates significant learning among our teams but also fosters cross-functional collaboration – a practice I strongly support. This collaborative spirit is embedded in all aspects of our marketing, rapidly enhancing our strategy development and overall marketing effectiveness.

Moreover, we pride ourselves on being more than just a provider of high-tech sensors and software. We utilise state-of-the-art digital marketing technologies and data analytics to understand and engage our audiences with the same level of precision that characterises our solutions.

Looking ahead, what trends do you anticipate will shape the future of B2B marketing?

One notable trend is the influence of AI on personalisation and efficiency improvements. However, this raises important questions about governance, such as how trademark and copyright issues will be managed with AI-generated content.

I could also imagine that as digital creation becomes more accessible, there might be a renewed emphasis on face-to-face interactions and authentic, real-world experiences. For example, the rising interest in maker culture and the craft movement underscores a growing need to balance digital innovation with tangible, human connections. This balance could be the key to keeping audiences engaged in the future.