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Introducing the Bosch Rexroth Corporation to North America

Challenge:

Bosch Rexroth Corporation was created by the merger of Mannesmann Rexroth with Bosch Automation Technologies, a part of the Robert Bosch organization. The new company consisted of five operations focused on factory automation and one on mobile hydraulics, all of which did their marketing separately. Immediate objectives were to present the new company to the North American market as a single entity. The parent company provided a disciplined brand system and positioning that raised some concerns among the different technology groups. Each was concerned that the positioning was not aligned with their products and business units.

Godfrey Solution:

We facilitated a series of seven strategy and planning sessions around the country. The sessions included key business unit management, marketing, sales and technical staff. Using our pyramid branding process, we were able to help the business units validate the brand positioning and build consensus. The process also helped flesh out the values and product messages that would support and integrate with the brand.

With management approval of the strategies and messaging coming out of the sessions, we executed an integrated marketing communications program to rapidly build awareness and transition from the existing divisional brands to the new corporate brand. Initial tactics included traditional marketing communications tactics, including advertising, trade media relations, direct mail, and trade show participation.

Initial metrics focused on outbound communications, but soon evolved to results. We relied mainly on awareness studies from key trade magazines to track brand awareness and perceptions. We also polled all of our audiences, including trade editors, the sales organization and the distributor network. While the legacy names and brands had awareness levels of 0-50%, the CEO generously determined that our starting point for awareness was zero, since Bosch Rexroth was a new name.

By the end of the first year, Bosch Rexroth's name awareness was at the 65% to 85% level, depending on market, which placed it in a strong third position in most markets. This tracked well with the company's ultimate expectations given its market position.
During this time we also tracked PR placements and coverage, and by the end of the first year of the program we were achieving about 400 placements with about 9,000 column-inches of space, or an ad equivalency value of about $900,000.
Within two years Bosch Rexroth was in the #1 or #2 position in the area of technology leadership, especially product quality and applications knowledge.
Our broad market positioning focus had almost doubled the awareness of Bosch Rexroth by convincing our audience of the value of the Bosch Rexorth brand.
Our next steps were to address target markets with representatives from all relevant business units. The teams helped to identity multiple tiers of customers and prospects.

Read more Case Histories about the successes our clients have had with strategically integrated programs.

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Bosch Rexroth Corporation Home > Experience & Capabilities > Case Histories > Bosch Rexroth Corporation Introducing the Bosch Rexroth Corporation to North America Previous \| Next Challenge: Bosch Rexroth Corporation was created by the merger of Mannesmann Rexroth with Bosch Automation Technologies, a part of the Robert Bosch organization. The new company consisted of five operations focused on factory automation and one on mobile hydraulics, all of which did their marketing separately. Immediate objectives were to present the new company to the North American market as a single entity. The parent company provided a disciplined brand system and positioning that raised some concerns among the different technology groups. Each was concerned that the positioning was not aligned with their products and business units. Godfrey Solution: We facilitated a series of seven strategy and planning sessions around the country. The sessions included key business unit management, marketing, sales and technical staff. Using our pyramid branding process, we were able to help the business units validate the brand positioning and build consensus. The process also helped flesh out the values and product messages that would support and integrate with the brand. With management approval of the strategies and messaging coming out of the sessions, we executed an integrated marketing communications program to rapidly build awareness and transition from the existing divisional brands to the new corporate brand. Initial tactics included traditional marketing communications tactics, including advertising, trade media relations, direct mail, and trade show participation. Initial metrics focused on outbound communications, but soon evolved to results. We relied mainly on awareness studies from key trade magazines to track brand awareness and perceptions. We also polled all of our audiences, including trade editors, the sales organization and the distributor network. While the legacy names and brands had awareness levels of 0-50%, the CEO generously determined that our starting point for awareness was zero, since Bosch Rexroth was a new name. By the end of the first year, Bosch Rexroth's name awareness was at the 65% to 85% level, depending on market, which placed it in a strong third position in most markets. This tracked well with the company's ultimate expectations given its market position. During this time we also tracked PR placements and coverage, and by the end of the first year of the program we were achieving about 400 placements with about 9,000 column-inches of space, or an ad equivalency value of about $900,000. Within two years Bosch Rexroth was in the #1 or #2 position in the area of technology leadership, especially product quality and applications knowledge. Our broad market positioning focus had almost doubled the awareness of Bosch Rexroth by convincing our audience of the value of the Bosch Rexorth brand. Our next steps were to address target markets with representatives from all relevant business units. The teams helped to identity multiple tiers of customers and prospects. Read more Case Histories about the successes our clients have had with strategically integrated programs.