The global platform for emotional brand experience

Ricola

Emotional brand experience on all digital channels - worldwide

As a digital partner, we support Ricola globally in the creation and implementation of its web strategy and concepts in the digital world. We are proud to support one of Switzerland's favourite brands in the digital world.

Solution

A modern and emotional brand presence that puts the consumer in the centre as well as modular and flexible content management for approx. 40 national companies.

Services

Requirements engineering for the digital communication from a holistic perspective
Consumer and user research
Development of a digital strategy to achieve the business objectives
Implementation of the digital strategy (new corporate website)
Project implementation according to Scrum in close cooperation with the customer
Frontend & backend development
Implementation of Kentico CMS
Rollout for around 40 country organizations and in 20 languages
Cloud hosting on Microsoft Azure
Continuous maintenance, development & support

Initial Situation

How can the values of a brand like Ricola, which are based on quality and respect for nature, people and society, be communicated in an entertaining and interactive way in the digital world? How can high-quality products be explained in the context of use (moment of consumption) and how can additional added value be offered?

The Ricola brand shall be emotionally anchored in the digital world, transmit its values and touch people's hearts. The new platform will also be the centrepiece of the marketing ecosystem.

Key-Challenges:

Implementing the web strategy for a global brand
Bringing nature and the values of the brand to life in an emotional way
Global Corporate Website as well as approx. 40 national company pages in 20 different languages
Platform as a hub for additional elements, functionalities and campaigns
Cost-efficient

Approach

1. Survey of Requirements

At the beginning, the requirements were collated from all directions, which was a bit of a challenge for an internationally active company. In addition to taking into account the brand strategy, product strategy and a comprehensive competitor analysis, important findings from user and consumer research were incorporated into the requirements.
2. Digital Strategy

Several interdisciplinary workshops were held to develop a business model canvas and analyse the business strategy in order to thoroughly understand the Ricola business ecosystem and determine the positioning of the website. We supported the alignment of business, brand and marketing goals in the digital world and used this solid foundation to help strengthen the web strategy through digitalisation and outline it for Strategy 2025.
3. Solution Design

Based on the results from the previous phases, the solution was developed in several iterations in close collaboration with the project team and visualised using wireframes and mock-ups. Methods such as "user scenarios" and the "core content model" were used to focus on the important components of the website. Solutions were regularly validated by means of user testing and corrections were incorporated directly into the iterations.
4. Implementation according to SCRUM

As soon as the concept reached the necessary level of maturity for development, implementation began in several sprints according to SCRUM. The project team was also supported by partners from SEO, performance tracking and storytelling.
5. Content management & continuous development

Since the launch, we have been supporting Ricola with content maintenance and the further development of the digital offering.

”

When relaunching our website, YOO demonstrated a profound understanding of our brand and our strategy. YOO developed a concept that takes the entire digital environment into account, enabling seamless interaction with other channels.

Natalie Koller

Project Manager

Solution

A multilingual, global brand website that puts the consumer at the centre and also serves as a classic corporate website. Kentico serves as the content management system, which is operated by cloud hosting service provider Microsoft Azure.

The Ricola platform is the hub for various other microsites and tools: In addition to product promotions and content features, the employer branding concept and the social stream are also integrated. Thanks to GEO-location, users can automatically find their country. A process for new projects and change approvals has also been implemented. Extensions such as an online-shop, B2B area, product tests and competitions have been prepared.

Thanks to a clear strategy and excellent cooperation, all objectives were successfully achieved.

Success Factors

Willingness to make radical changes in favour of current and future consumers from the customers side
Good understanding of the Ricola ecosystem with all its relationships
Transparent and uncomplicated communication with the Ricola project team - also thanks to Scrum
Close collaboration with various external partners and an open information culture

Technologies

JavaScript (ES6)
AngularJS
Webpack
Babel
Sass
Handlebars.js
Kentico CMS
ASP.NET Web API
.NET Framework
Microsoft SQL Server
Azure Cloud

Who is Ricola?

The Ricola brand emerged from the Richterich confectionery in 1930 through innovation and quality awareness. The family business exports its herbal specialities to more than 50 countries worldwide.

Ricola is regarded as a pioneer in the natural cultivation of herbs. This led to close links with culture and architecture early on. Two Ricola foundations and the company's own art collection are evidence of this. Immerse yourself in the emotional world of Ricola:

www.ricola.ch