Pharmacy e-commerce development & rebrand
Pharmacy e-commerce development & rebrand
entomo: Bringing a local touch to a global brand
A Middle East marketing approach for a global software company
The challenge
entomo, formerly known as KPISOFT, provides specialised software that helps companies, governments & employees perform better and achieve their highest potential.
The global company was undergoing a name change and brand identity update which was managed by the marketing department at entomo's headquarters in Singapore. To ensure that the messaging would resonate with prospective clients in the Middle East, the UAE team approached me for help with a localisation of the brand. Together, we went on a journey to adapt the global strategy to local norms & culture while remaining faithful to the values of the global brand.
The final global About us page is on the left, the local version on the right
The journey
1. Kick-off meeting
In search for a local proposition
We started the process with a kick-off meeting during which the Management Team in Dubai was interviewed about their views & ambitions, market challenges, the local market approach, how clients perceive the brand & its communication, and more. At that time the company was still called KPISOFT. Before having this meeting I analysed the website and communication materials to address several elements that might need a different approach for the Middle East. We jointly discussed replacing certain images, amending key messages and we already discovered several ways to create clarity on the local proposition. After the meeting, key stakeholders were updated about the initial findings and next steps so everyone would have the same starting points.
3. Local event communication
Attracting people to the HRSE event
While awaiting the launch of the new entomo brand, KPISOFT participated in the HR Summit & Expo 2020, the Middle East's largest HR conference and exhibition. They asked me to come up with a marketing approach to create awareness for the event and attract an audience to their virtual exhibition booth and seminar. Together with KPISOFT's communication specialist, I prepared the entire campaign including collaterals such as social media posts, e-mail newsletters, the company profile and a corporate movie.
2. Local market research
Adapting the brand to the local market
While the company's marketing department was collaborating with an agency in Singapore to determine the future corporate brand, I started researching the local market to find the key ingredients for adapting the global brand to connect with a Middle Eastern audience. Among others, insight was provided into cultural differences and the impact on communication, trends in the field of IT & HR, best practices, and the needs, behaviours & preferred marketing channels of key audiences. Furthermore, I shared tips & tricks to improve the website for Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). All insights were presented to both the team in Dubai and Singapore, including an overview of opportunities to stand out in the region while remaining faithful to the values of the global brand.
4. Local content creation
From global strategy to local communication
With the insights and the freshly updated global brand in mind, I then started developing all brand messaging for the local website. The official launch date of the new entomo brand had been set and deadlines were tight, so I focused on creating both the content while updating the website design at the same time. This way, we could skip a phase in the process allowing the web builder to immediately start with the technical development. Furthermore, I optimised the corporate presentation for the local market with aligned messaging and updated PowerPoint templates.
A word from Randy Briegoos,
Senior Vice President Sales at entomo
“I have worked with Sylvia on a re-branding project for our company. We asked her to adapt the global strategy to the GCC market and to create communication materials such as our Middle East website and presentations to attract a local audience.
With her analytical skills, deep market knowledge and great working ethics, Sylvia delivered an amazing result, and in a short time frame. Communicating with her is very easy as she understands the objectives quickly and also brings in a lot of new ideas to improve. If you are looking for someone to bring your brand strategy, marketing and content creation to the next level, hire Sylvia."
