What is CoCenTing?
CoCenTing was founded in June 2020 by Claude Nesser. With 37 years of experience in the communications and marketing sector, Claude took advantage of the period of confinement, brought on by the Covid-19 health crisis, to carry out some deep introspection..
What do I aspire to? What are my strengths?
How can I make the most of them?
In fact, it was right under my nose. 37 years of experience in the communications and marketing sector is enormous. With my in-depth knowledge of the field, and of Luxembourg’s particularities, I will now focus on a handful of clients who wish to be accompanied and consulted in the development and implementation of their marketing communication strategies.
Experiences.
Expertise.
More than thirty years of experience with the most beautiful brands established in the Grand Duchy, coupled with a passion for the particularities of the national market, form the basis of Claude’s expertise: brand communication for companies based in Luxembourg.
By adding a longstanding knowledge and passion for the Luxembourg media world, all the ingredients to ensure that my clients messages have an impact on the target audience are firmly in place.
Positioning of CoCenTing.
Why a picture of a bee? Bees transport pollen and thus enable the reproduction of flowering plants. This process guarantees the survival of plants as well as the preservation of biodiversity and the balance of ecosystems. Good Luxembourg honey, a gift of the bees’ work, is protected by an AOP (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée). CoCenTing also has this attribute in its brand DNA. For CoCenTing ‘AOP’ is a contraction of some characteristics of its personality.
The metaphor with the world of bees can be explained by the fact that CoCenTing, Consumer Centric Thinking company, collects its information at places identified beforehand with its customers.This is another kind of (marketing) pollination.
Brand Communication or Promos?
The answer is unequivocal: focusing exclusively on branding does not yield results. Limiting yourself to promo only doesn’t lead to anything either. In difficult periods it is very tempting to opt for Promotions.
Promos lead to faster results but in the mid and long term there will be no positive impact on your Brand Equity. CoCenTing assists you in defining the right mix, the right frequency, the right budget and the right tone to sharpen your communication. Avoid zero impact!
They trusted CoCenTing.
In parallel with a first project, a second, highly rewarding experience was getting underway. Ville Neuve, Distrikt and Ville Neuve+ are the three brands operated by François Hardy and Leslie Otto. Established in the Grand Duchy and Belgium, these three brands offer an eclectic range of clothing. François Hardy contacted me saying he was looking for a coach for his Marketing Manager, who had just been hired and came from a completely different sector. As I analyzed the situation in more detail, I told François that I felt the task went far beyond that, since the three brands were not clearly positioned and their respective targets not identified. An in-depth process of introspection began, involving owners, teams as well as existing and potential customers. The result was a thorough restructuring and a clear, focused Brand Hierarchy. After a year and a half’s coaching, the existing team was than able to build on a solid foundation and develop its marketing and communication plans. In the meantime, a new flagship store has opened at the Retail Park in Waterloo.
The mayor of the commune challenged me to develop a communication strategy tailored to the commune’s specific needs. Existing communications are irregular and unstructured,” he explained. CoCenTing applied its ‘Consumer Centric Thinking’ approach to clearly identify the characteristics and particularities of the commune, and interviewed twenty-seven residents of the villages of Kopstal and Bridel in 1to1. The synthesis of the information gathered during these interviews enabled me to clearly define the personality, DNA, strengths and weaknesses of the commune. Following this analysis, which provided a solid basis for all future actions, the communication plans were drawn up with full knowledge of the facts and taking into account the available budgets. Today, the two communication managers can rely on these foundations to plan, realize and produce the defined media and organize future events. A redesign of the logo, including administrative and communication logos, underline the new wind blowing through the two villages. The new Brand Universe was developed in collaboration with freelance graphic designer Zoë Mondloch. In the meantime, the new communication magazine and KoBri Flash have been launched, and are distributed to all households and available online.
Having already gained experience in institutional communications for small and medium-sized communities, the work for the municipality of Goesdorf started from a different premise, since its communications were virtually non-existent. CoCenTing drew on its Consumer Centric Thinking methodology and questioned the municipality’s citizens. This approach helped to determine the personality, identity and DNA of this commune, made up of 7 different villages. It will come as no surprise to anyone to learn that the inhabitants of the different villages in the commune have different concerns, and are mainly interested in and concerned by everything to do with their village. The central school in Dahl, which has been operational since the start of the 2022/2023 school year, will be one of the elements that can be said to bind the commune’s 1,700 inhabitants together. A Schoulbuet was produced and distributed to all households at the beginning of September, representing the commune’s first communication medium, to which has now been added the Géisdrefer Lanter, the brand-new communication newsletter. A new Brand Universe has been created, represented by a new logo in the form of a Living Logo. CoCenTing worked with freelance graphic designer Zoë Mondloch. Aside from its main representation, the logo will evolve over the course of the four seasons. One of CoCenTing’s aims is to coach the existing team, so that they can take over the communications strategy from 2024 onwards. Last but not least, a song was created for the commune, based on the slogan “Hei wëll ech bleiwen”. It’s a slogan that was obvious from the interviews we conducted. For the song, which is largely inspired by Colette and Fernand’s mythical song “Hei kann ech net bleiwen”, CoCenTing collaborated with Joël Heyard. Here’s the link to listen to it…
Guy Feidt, the director of the eponymous company, is much more than just a quarry operator. Driven by a true passion, he is committed to rehabilitating exploited sites, transforming them into natural spaces that foster the flourishing of wildlife and plant life. This sustainable vision guides CoCenTing, with other specialists to create flexible resources accessible anywhere and at any time.
In this spirit, CoCenTing produced a 6-minute corporate film illustrating the three life stages of a quarry, with a particular focus on the final stage: Renaturation. Complementing this main film, 90-second thematic capsules were created, targeting specific audiences.
CoCenTing entrusted the production of these materials to the company imaj, led by Guy Schon, ensuring professional quality that aligns with the ambitions. These contents were integrated into the newly revamped Carrières Feidt website, which underwent a complete redesign in collaboration with VidaleGloesener. The new site, redesigned for intuitive navigation, allows users to find the information they need in three clicks or less.
To further strengthen Carrières Feidt’s identity and roots, a collaboration was initiated with Dutch photographer Jasper Faber, who used his innovative methodology, Rootsourcephotography. This unique process connects the past with the present, capturing the essence of a company in images where words are no longer sufficient.
Following the success of the beautiful book “Au cœur de nos carrières,” published in 2018, it was only natural for Carrières Feidt to partner with Marc Steichen, a renowned wildlife photographer in Luxembourg. His new self-published book, “Éléments de nature,” showcases 132 exceptional photographs of nature in Luxembourg and the Greater Region, with a special focus on rare species in their natural habitats. Many of these images were taken on rehabilitated sites of Carrières Feidt, which have become havens for rich and diverse biodiversity.
It was in this exceptional setting, at the heart of the Folschette quarry, that the book “Éléments de nature” was presented during a reception and press conference organized by CoCenTing on September 12th.
Finally, CoCenTing supported Carrières Feidt in their digitalization process, establishing a strong presence on LinkedIn and Facebook. Targeted campaigns will be launched to recruit highly skilled workers, who are hard to find in Luxembourg. Profiles such as stonecutters, CNC operators, and heavy duty drivers will be sought in neighboring countries, and even as far as Vietnam.
CoCenTing and clc manager Tom Baumert were faced with a major challenge. What are the clc’s services and assets? What is its added value, its value proposition?
Everything was supposed to be analyzed, without however stipulating from the outset that the name, consisting of a cohabitation between the acronym (clc) and the full name, Confédération luxembourgeoise du Commerce, posed a problem.
Was it only the name that was at the root of the diffuse perception of the confederation and perpetual confusion with the Chamber of Commerce, and therefore needed to be changed?
Let’s take a closer look at the various steps that were taken throughout the introspection process.
In line with CoCenTing’s “Let’s be Consumer Centric” methodology, joint interviews were conducted by Tom Baumert and Claude Nesser, with representatives of member federations, as well as with executives of directly affiliated companies, and interviews with various stake holders of the confederation of commerce.
The synthesis of these interviews enabled CoCenTing to define the confederation’s DNA, extract a SWOT analysis, generate a USP and draw up the Strategic Pyramid.
Armed with this information, CoCenTing proposed to its customer to then schedule Workshops in ‘Co-Creation’ mode.
The aim of the Workshops was to involve part of the clc’s management team in these strategic decisions, without imposing anything, but rather to determine together the path for the confederation’s future positioning.
After a complementary retreat with members of the Executive Board and the Board of Directors, chaired by Carole Muller, it became clear in the end that a name change was unavoidable.
The new name had to include two elements from the previous name: ‘Confederation’ (Uniqueness) and ‘Luxembourg’ (a differentiating element compared with the Chamber of Commerce, which operates more internationally).
A detailed briefing, based on the confederation’s DNA, values and USP, was given by Marie-Laure Moreau, the confederation’s Head of Marketing, and Claude Nesser to the Mikado agency to develop the future branding of the now-defunct ‘clc’. This Brand Universe, backed by the new slogan “Moving our community forward”, will help to position the Luxembourg Confederation more sharply, to better assert itself in the future and, above all, to differentiate itself from the Chamber of Commerce and other Luxembourg federations.
Last but not least, a musical signature has been designed in collaboration with Joël Heyard. You can hear it at upcoming events organized by Luxembourg Confederation, or by clicking here.
The greatest strength of the Federation Bureautique (FeBu) was also its main weakness: the diversity of activities among its affiliated companies.
Over time, this disparity gradually turned the union into a heterogeneous federation.
At the time of the analysis, the board of directors was made up of members who had become friends over the years.
Meanwhile, the “regular” members, who were not represented on the board, only met once a year at the General Assembly.
This approach proved to be largely insufficient in providing a solid foundation for the federation’s potential future.
Recognizing this, the board decided to contact three communication consulting agencies to propose a plan for analyzing the current situation and suggesting ways to rebuild on new grounds.
CoCenTing was selected for this mission and applied its “Consumer Centric Thinking” methodology.
Claude Nesser and Katia Scombussolo, advisor to FeBu for the Luxembourg Confederation, conducted interviews with all members of the association to assess the current state of affairs. The SWOT analysis and the federation’s personality traits (its “DNA”) clearly showed that the situation was complex and that finding solutions to ensure FeBu’s survival was far from straightforward.
CoCenTing then proposed organizing workshops, led by Claude Nesser and Katia Scombussolo, with six members of the federation, regardless of whether they were represented on the board or not. Although the dynamic was very positive during the four sessions, it quickly waned in the fall of 2023.
The participation rate in the “Get Together,” scheduled in autumn to present the workshop results, was so low that the session had to be canceled.
Consequently, it was decided at the next board meeting to dissolve FeBu. Some members have since joined the newly created Retail Federation, affiliated with the Luxembourg Confederation.
Capture the Essence of Your Company
CoCenTing collaborates with Jasper Faber’s Nocameracompany to offer Rootsource Photography, a unique approach that goes beyond traditional photography. The detailed, scientifically-informed photos are designed to tell the story of companies, capturing their soul, essence and authenticity in ways that words alone can not express.
Rootsource Photography: More Than Just Photos
Our photographs are versatile, serving multiple purposes such as advertising, marketing, social media, and even as a Photographic Rootsource Alignment Book. These books are valuable tools for CEOs, shareholders, and stakeholders, helping to align the company’s identity with its true essence and foster authenticity from within.
The Soul of Your Company, Captured
Rootsource Photography is about more than mere photos; it’s about capturing the invisible, mystical driving force behind your company’s visible reality. While the soul of a company is often overlooked due to its abstract nature and the pressures to conform to external metrics, we believe it is the heart and art of what truly matters.
Successful Collaborations in Luxembourg
In Luxembourg, our collaboration with Nocameracompany has led to successful projects for Carrières Feidt and Bernard Massard. The resulting Photographic Rootsource Alignment Books have not only highlighted the companies’ authenticity but have also been used in impactful advertising campaigns, such as Antoine Clasen’s “The Art of Winemaking.”
The Luxembourg Federation of Bus and Coach Operators (FLEAA) was considering a thorough reflection to determine whether a strategic repositioning would be appropriate.
In this context, Tom Baumert, Director of the Luxembourg Confederation, and Claude Nesser initiated a preliminary discussion.
After careful consideration, Claude Nesser suggested an approach titled “Consolidating Our Identity.”
This recommendation was based on the observation that there were no significant negative factors to justify a fundamental repositioning of the federation.
FLEAA is indeed a solid organization with sufficient financial resources to ensure a certain level of operational potential. Moreover, almost all the key players in the sector are affiliated with it.
Building on these reflections, Tom Baumert and Claude Nesser jointly conducted interviews with members of the board as well as representatives of the new generation of leaders.
These interviews revealed that while the Executive Committee members are well-informed about decisions taken during meetings, N-1 level managers within affiliated companies are much less informed, if at all.
This is even more evident for companies not represented on the Executive Committee or the Board of Directors.
The new generation of leaders expressed a strong interest in joining FLEAA’s governing bodies and actively contributing to shaping its future.
Among the subjects identified for improvement were the contacts and exchanges with various stakeholders. The improvement opportunities, derived from the SWOT analysis and the federation’s “DNA,” will be further explored during workshops to be organized in the near future.