ONE NORDIC HUB: SCALING A GLOBAL ICON THROUGH UNIFIED EXPERTISE

From Fragmentation to Synergy

• Background: Founded in 1926, STIHL is a world-leading manufacturer of forestry and garden machinery. In the Nordic region, the brand generates approximately 1.3 billion SEK in turnover across Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland, supporting a network of 1,100 specialized dealers.

• The Challenge: The Nordic market consists of four different countries with distinct languages and cultures. STIHL faced the friction of a traditional offline approach that was no longer effective for maintaining sustainable growth. Furthermore, it was not cost-effective to recruit a full in-house marketing department with all the specialized competencies required for a modern digital landscape.

• The Actual Need: STIHL needed to find synergies within the region by getting the four markets to cooperate as a unified “Hub”. They required a model that ensured brand consistency while removing the “messy” complexity of managing multiple misaligned agencies and duplicated efforts.

The Alliance in Action – Integrated Delivery

More Alliance provided a scalable extension of STIHL’s own marketing department. By serving as a single point of contact, we align teams and streamline workflows to drive measurable impact without budget waste. We coordinate the entire Alliance team around STIHL, offering “one brief, one budget” across all disciplines. Participating agencies are Start Communication, Vekst, More PR, Revolve, Understandit, More Space, Silverbullet, and TMP.

Key Deliverables:

• Nordic Hub Strategy: Full accountability for budget and performance targets as an outsourced marketing department, working in close collaboration with the Nordic organization and HQ.

• Omnichannel Execution: Leveraging data from all markets to enable a data-driven omnichannel strategy.

• Brand Platform & Identity: Developing a cohesive brand strategy while adapting to local demographics, social norms, and climate variations.

• Full-Scope Production: Delivering everything from high-end film and web production to PR, events, TIMBERSPORTS® and marketing activation in five Nordic markets.

Agency Perspective

“By using our resources within More Alliance only when needed, we provide the scalability and agility STIHL needs to navigate an increasingly fast-moving world. We aren’t just a supplier; we are an integrated part of their strategic evolution.” – Marie Karlsson, Lead More Alliance & Strategist.

Measurable Market Leadership

The partnership has redefined how STIHL operates, shifting from a product-centric focus to a customer-centric model that prioritizes lifetime value.

Hard Metrics

• Digital Dominance: Reached the goal of becoming #1 in digital in the Nordics.

• PR Performance: Generated approximately 6 million EUR in PR value per year, with 800+ press clippings and 60 million impressions annually.

• Content Scale: Producing film and graphics used by 18 markets.

Soft Metrics

• Operational Simplicity: Achieving significant economies of scale by integrating in-house capabilities with an outsourced agency network.

• Knowledge Sharing: Implementing best-practice webinars for subsidiaries on influencer marketing, customer insights, and brand alignment.

Testimonial

“The Nordic hub model and the cooperation with More Alliance has already paid off. We don’t need to brief or align a number of agencies ourselves; we have one contact into the whole group, driving greater efficiencies and measurable impact.” – Johan Appelqvist, Head of Marketing Nordics, STIHL.