Challenges
HARMAN designs and engineers connected products and solutions, including car systems, audio and visual products, enterprise automation solutions, and services for automakers, consumers, and enterprises worldwide.
Without a centralized repository for their brand and product content, files were stored and shared across a range of tools — including file transfer protocol (FTP), Dropbox, network drives, WeTransfer, and more — which made locating approved and current assets extremely difficult.
In addition, as their e-commerce business grew, a range of internal teams and external partners across the world needed marketing assets to sell or promote HARMAN products. Supplying stakeholders with the right assets at the right time became very challenging – especially when numerous products were introduced at once.
HARMAN knew they needed a robust software solution to support and automate their global content workflows.
Objectives
Growth
Support the rapid growth of the business by eliminating manual processes, loading assets at the source, and ensuring everyone that needs them can get the latest version of all assets at a single place.
E-commerce
Deliver product images and assets faster to allow for pre-order and timely NPI.
Efficiency
Eliminate time wasted on duplication of asset loading. Load them once at the source.
Accuracy
Create a single, central source for teams to find all available product assets.
Solution
Scalable DAM and PIM systems
HARMAN’S Director of Global E-Commerce and Operations, Arthur Werner, shared, “We realized we had some issues with getting quality content out quickly, and with the growing business and the additional focus on e-commerce, we needed to get our product [content] out sooner rather than later.” They used an integrated approach to digital asset management (DAM) and product information management (PIM) technology to find a faster, better way to publish and distribute content. “First of all we needed a good PIM system to drive traffic to our website, and then once we had that PIM system, we realized we also needed a good DAM system,” Arthur said.
Their DAM selection process led them to Widen. “We definitely wanted this to be SaaS-based,” Arthur shared. “We didn’t want our internal IT capacities to hold us back or to be any barrier for growth when it came to speed and global access.” Further, ease of use was a priority, and they liked the Collective's user interface (UI). Ultimately, Arthur shared, Widen “was a great match.”
Benefits
Integrated tools
With the integration between their PIM and DAM solutions in place, HARMAN developed a workflow using metadata fields and embed codes to streamline how content is published to their website. When an asset is added to the DAM system, it is assigned a product ID that associates it with a product in the PIM system. And if an asset on their website is updated in the DAM system, the most current version of that file is automatically published online.
This integration facilitates a seamless flow between the Collective, their separate PIM system, and their website, with the DAM solution as the single source of truth for all of HARMAN’s assets. “This integration has really been very successful,” Arthur shared. “It allows us to save a lot of time.”
Speed to market
The Collective also provides time-saving efficiencies between teams. Storing all of their content in the DAM system eliminates the need to check multiple platforms for the latest version of an asset. “If you want to work with us,” Arthur said, “you must be able to deliver your materials through Widen.” And they use upload profiles to support metadata creation. By selecting the correct profile during asset upload, the Collective will automatically assign the correct category, basic metadata, and asset group with security settings. “It doesn’t tie up people that really shouldn’t be spending their time on processing assets, but should just be using these assets.”
Further, he said, the Collective expedites time-saving collaboration through immediate, self-serve access to assets “the moment they are signed off.” This translates to more efficient workflows, enhanced brand consistency, and better speed to market.
"Widen was a great match. We wanted something that was SaaS-based and we wanted something that was adaptable."
Arthur Werner, Director, Global E-commerce Projects, HARMAN
Assets
Insights
Portals
