The challenge
Topcon, a manufacturer of precision technology for the construction industry, needed to raise its profile as the authority on machine control technology, build brand preference and ultimately become the supplier of choice.

The solution
The Future of Machine Control, a first-of-its-kind industry report that brings much needed clarity to construction’s biggest elephant in the room, uncovering the truth behind machine control adoption and its perception in the sector. The campaign combines compelling data with reliable thought leadership to establish machine control as the solution to construction’s biggest challenges and Topcon as the expert.

Stage 1: Listen 
We surveyed 1,000 senior construction professionals across key European markets: the UK, France, Germany, Belgium and Scandinavia. We wanted to understand the challenges they’re facing on projects, how they’re currently using machine control, and what’s stopping them from embracing it further. The key was building our survey around the top trending themes in construction – the skills gap, sustainability, and finance – to ensure our report would be unmissable for our target audience.

Stage 2: Create
From this data, we created an animated digital report presenting our findings and analysis. To add colour and context to the data, we included insightful commentary from both Topcon experts and, crucially, those from huge European contractors including VINCI and Colas, ensuring maximum attention and trust.

Stage 3: Engage
By condensing the report findings into an impactful press release, we made headlines across our target media, before going on to secure 18 bespoke thought leadership articles in titles including Construction Europe, International Construction and Civil Engineering Surveyor.

We also hosted an interactive webinar with KHL, the leading global construction media group, where experts from Topcon, VINCI and Willemen Infra dug into the report in depth and responded to questions from an engaged audience of 200+ key targets.

To bring key report data and commentary to life on social, we designed a suite of dynamic assets in various formats and targeted these at decision-makers across Europe. And knowing LinkedIn is driven by people, not brands, we also crafted bespoke content for 50 Topcon ambassadors to share with their networks via our existing LinkedIn Advocate Programme, created for Topcon by Tangerine.

Stage 4: Influence
Lack of investment from policymakers was highlighted as the key barrier to adoption in the report. So, we distilled its findings into a clear and concise executive summary that Topcon executives used in ministerial briefings to lobby for stricter mandates on machine control use in the industry. The report has also been used by Topcon in presentations to industry leaders as part of its work with the Chartered Institute of Civil Engineering Surveyors.

Following the success of the English version of the report, we translated the materials into seven different languages to deliver impact across European markets and provide a powerful tool for local sales teams.