Copenhagen, Denmark

On 25 May 2012, Normann Copenhagen will open the doors for a new era of e-commerce, with the launch of their new webshop, http://www.normann-copenhagen.com . This ambitious endeavor to bring the trend-setting design house to digital shoppers the world over in a new way is the result of an unprecedented collaboration between design company Normann Copenhagen, digital consultancy agency Valtech and web content management specialists, Sitecore.

Rather than the traditional vendor-customer business model, the parties have entered into a historic new partnership with Normann Copenhagen where they commit to the results generated from Normann Copenhagen's new web shop. The agreement extends through 2013.

A unified web sphere and social media

The ambition is great with the new online platform where social content is a key factor for Normann Copenhagen. The new online platform is to show that strategic and consistent use of social media as communications platform will create value for the company.

With Normann Copenhagen's significant presence in the social media web sphere and their ambition to be frontrunners and create new standards in how to use online platforms in their communication, it was important to create an integrated presence for Normann Copenhagen's web identity. "One of the greatest challenges for companies today is creating a unified web presence. With this webshop, we wanted to create a digital universe where customers could flow freely between shopping, interaction and inspiration. Together we have taken a great step forward in unifying the online channels," says Joacim Jeppesen, Director Sales and Market Development, Valtech.

For Sitecore the project has contributed to the development of their systems and the final solution is close to Sitecore's vision. Thomas G. Andersen, Director, Sitecore Denmark says "we are thrilled that Normann Copenhagen chose Sitecore as their digital marketing platform and e-commerce solution and the fact that they chose Valtech as their digital partner was positive. With Valtech, Normann Copenhagen has a partner that really understands how Sitecore's Customer Engagement Platform should be implemented and used."

Capturing the in-store experience

One of the key challenges was creating a store-like experience for webshop users. "If you've seen Normann Copenhagen's Flagship Store in Copenhagen, you know that it is an exceptional, visually-stimulating experience. Our challenge was to create a digital experience on par with what Normann Copenhagen's customers experience in the store," states Joacim Jeppesen, Valtech.

To accomplish this, the project team worked from a concept they called "love > shop > discover", which uses visual storytelling to introduce visitors to the world of Normann Copenhagen. "Everyone knows the traditional online shop format," says Joacim Jeppesen. "You click on an item, see the price, read some details and then place it in your basket. We wanted to move beyond that. It's not about a one-off transaction. It's about developing a passion and a stronger experience of the brand Normann Copenhagen"

As a way of living the approach, the project team created a blog that cataloged the entire development process. "Wedosocialbusiness.com is a way to make the entire process transparent and to involve Normann Copenhagen's customers and others in the webshop's creation. The blog continues after the launch and will be focusing on optimization and results," concludes Joacim Jeppesen.

A digital grand opening: online vs. offline

Expectations are high for the launch of the webshop. Normann Copenhagen has decided to host an untraditional physical launch event and installation exhibition under the headline: Normann Copenhagen Online vs. Offline in their Flagship Store in Copenhagen.

The exhibition will run for 4 weeks starting on May 25, 2012 and it will introduce the visitor to a piece of the virtual world. The exhibition will be set up as if you were visiting the new site. The visitors will be guided through different installations each representing key areas on the site. As an example the visitor can meet the designers, products or get a glimpse of the buzz section.

About the partners:

About Normann Copenhagen

Normann Copenhagen is an International design company developing, producing and selling design products and furniture. Furthermore, Normann Copenhagen has its own Flagship Store in Copenhagen as well as online shop. Normann Copenhagen´s design products are sold worldwide in more than 70 countries - continuously developing and the main markets include Scandinavia, Germany, UK, Benelux, Italy and USA. Normann Copenhagen has won a lot of international design awards for its products. The products are sold through the best retailers in the world including individual design shops, museum shops and online shops.

About Valtech

Valtech is a new breed of digital marketing and technology agency with a presence in 8 countries (France, UK, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, US, India, Korea) and approximately 1,600 employees. As a full service digital powerhouse Valtech delivers value to its customers across their digital experience lifecycle, from strategic consulting to design, conception, development and optimization of business critical digital platforms. Valtech works with a number of global brands.

About Sitecore

Sitecore redefines how organizations engage with audiences, powering compelling experiences that sense and adapt to visitors both online and in-person.

Sitecore's leading Content Management System software is the first to cohesively integrate with marketing automa­tion, intranet portal, e-commerce, web optimization, social media and campaign management technologies. This broad choice of capabilities enable marketing professionals, business stakeholders and information technology teams to rapidly implement, measure and manage a successful website and digital business strategy. Businesses can now easily identify, serve and convert new customers with Sitecore's Digital Marketing System, part of its encompassing Customer Engagement Platform.

Thousands of public and private organizations have created and now manage more than 32,000 websites and digital experiences with Sitecore including ATP World Tour, CA Technologies, General Mills, ESPN Rise, Heineken, ISS, Lloyd's of London, Microsoft, Omni Hotels, Siemens, The Knot, Thomas Cook and Visa Europe.

For more information:

Normann Copenhagen: contact PR Manager Johanne Toft, johanne@normann-copenhagen.com , tel. +45 35 270 523

Valtech: contact Marketing Manager Pernille Jacobsen, pernille.jacobsen@valtech.dk , tel. +45 27 11 98 88

Sitecore: contact: Marketing Manager Jesper Lykkegaard Halliday,jlh@sitecore.net, tel. +45 31 31 35 00

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