Water is the key to a sustainable society

The Kurita Group is an advocate for a sustainable society and tackles issues related to water resources, sustainable energy, waste reduction, and industrial production technology. The Company believes that water is the key to a sustainable society; being innovative and “a creator of unique value” is crucial in achieving this vision.

Challenge:

The Kurita Group realised that they needed to reach a wider audience on a more consistent basis in order to effectively spread the message of their corporate philosophy - “study the properties of water, master them, and we will create an environment in which nature and man are in harmony.” Their previous efforts of participating in academic conferences and tradeshows had limited impact and exposure given the one-off nature of such in-person events. The Company also distributed content through industry journals and trade publications but wanted to share their conservation initiatives with a broader audience in order to increase brand awareness.

Kurita needed an effective way to identify and reach a wider base of their customers across the world and engage with them at any time and on a continuous basis.

Solution:

• In the business-to-business realm, where the purchasing process is long, a continuous approach to communication is mandatory. Kurita considered using digital marketing because it was the best way to deliver valuable information to global markets
• Kurita selected LinkedIn from a variety of platforms as LinkedIn is the go-to resource among key decision-makers for business-to-business communication and information. With more than 690,000,000 registered users worldwide on LinkedIn, Kurita was able to effectively reach their target audience across the globe with no wastage. The creation of new business opportunities for Kurita was enabled by LinkedIn’s advertising and targeting features which allowed Kurita to approach and engage with individuals other than Kurita followers

Result:

• Kurita's advertisements targeted North and South America, Europe, and Asia, and limited exposure to specific industries, including electronics, automotive, food products, petrochemicals and petroleum refining. This enabled Kurita to reach potential targets efficiently
• Kurita was able to utilize the different advertising formats on LinkedIn to drive different branding messages which resulted in a brand awareness uplift. The deployment of lead generation forms on LinkedIn allowed Kurita to capture quality sales leads at the initial stage of the purchasing process. Through analyzing the information gathered through the leads, Kurita gained a better understanding of potential new markets and customers
• Results were highly favorable. The campaign achieved a click-through rate, or CTR, and conversation rate well above LinkedIn's benchmark figures. CTR was 0.8%, against the LinkedIn benchmark of 0.52%. The conversion rate of 6% was double that of the 2.9% LinkedIn benchmark

Enhancing corporate value and brand recognition

Lin Qian of Kurita's marketing division shares why LinkedIn’s unique aspects was critical in making LinkedIn part of their marketing plan: “As a social media platform specializing in business-to-business connections, LinkedIn stimulates business communication. Targeting is possible based on the individual profiles of professional users.”

From the introduction of digital marketing at Kurita to the use of LinkedIn, it took some time for stakeholders inside the company to become aware of platform and then to recommend it to others. "Now, LinkedIn is praised highly as an initiative that's in line with Kurita's policy of embracing change while not getting distracted by established ideas. We found that a small-scale start can yield encouraging results, and I believe the response will exceed any company's expectations, and open the door to a variety of opportunities,” Lin said.

Going forward the Kurita Group plans to use LinkedIn Marketing Solutions to further strengthen their brand identity, raise awareness around their conservation efforts and to engage their community.

About

The Kurita Group is a leading company in water treatment and cares deeply about their impact on water and the environment. This ethos is reflected in their environmentally friendly solutions incorporating products, technologies, and know-how in water treatment chemicals, water treatment facilities, and maintenance services.