GROHE launches digital experience hub “GROHE X”

With GROHE X, LIXIL EMENA launches an industry-first digital platform for its leading global sanitary brand, GROHE. Visitors to the hub have the opportunity to create their own individual GROHE brand experience thanks to informative and inspirational multimedia content tailored to the needs of its professional business partners and consumers. Whether an industry customer wants to know which global trends are impacting the sanitary business, an installer is looking for how-to videos to make their working day easier, an architect is seeking inspiration from the latest trends, or a consumer is searching for state-of-the-art product innovations to make their dream bathroom a reality – GROHE X allows everyone to explore the world of GROHE and expand their horizon for a better way of living, whenever and wherever they want it. Originally intended as an alternative to the biennial ISH, the world’s leading trade fair for water and HVAC, from which GROHE withdrew due to the covid-19 pandemic, GROHE X is now more than a trade fair substitute: Besides uniting thought-provoking and entertaining stories in one place, GROHE X brings the world closer together as a platform for engaging exchange with and gaining support from the brand’s experts. Now that opportunities for face-to-face meetings are limited, GROHE X provides the perfect environment for collaborating and sharing ideas – GROHE X is the new place to meet. In addition to the comprehensive free editorial content available, the platform launches on March 16 with dedicated event formats tailored to GROHE’s professional business partners.

“GROHE X is a result of our disruptive way of thinking. We embraced the new normal and understood challenges as new opportunities,” is how Jonas Brennwald, Leader LIXIL EMENA and Co-CEO Grohe AG explains the central role that GROHE X plays for the global brand. “For me, GROHE X is proof that, especially at times like these, you need to exchange ‘but’ for ‘imagine if’ and I’m more than proud that everyone at GROHE was so bold to think open-minded like this. With GROHE X, we offer our customers a central, always-available brand hub to get inspired but also to interact with us – wherever they are, whenever they need us. Also in the future, we aim to pave new paths with GROHE X. The digital platform is just the beginning of an own experience ecosystem that will drive engagement with our customers in the years to come. As soon as it is possible again, GROHE X will be supplemented by hybrid or truck tour events,” he adds.

“Although physical distance is key these days, we still want to offer our customers a unique setting to experience our innovations and to exchange with us directly,” says Thomas Fuhr, Leader Fittings LIXIL International and Co-CEO Grohe AG “GROHE X allows everyone to immerse in the diverse world of GROHE and it gives you the building blocks to create your individual brand experience. You will get exclusive, behind-the-scenes insights of our plants and how our customer-centric supply chain connects them to the global markets, learn more about our latest technologies developed in our in-house R&D department located in Hemer, Germany, and we will also take you along with us on our sustainability journey to which we will add another milestone. It is amazing what our teams brought to life in such a short period of time.”

Putting customer-centricity at the heart

With tailored content carefully curated for each target group, GROHE X also reflects GROHE’s new commercial strategy, which was introduced in July last year. Based on comprehensive feedback from GROHE’s business partners of what they expect from the brand, the leadership team developed a go-to-market approach that offers a differentiated product portfolio and dedicated services to each of the target groups: wholesalers and installers, architects, designers and planners, as well as end-consumers.

The focus on the needs and aspirations of customers will also be of central importance with regard to the new products that GROHE will present on GROHE X: Developing relevant product solutions that improve consumers' lives requires a deep understanding of what consumers expect from their living spaces. This is why GROHE is anticipating even unarticulated consumer needs at an early stage of the development process. To find out which consumer insights the brand is building on, which solutions will offer consumers added value in the bathroom and kitchen of the future, and how the brand plans to further expand its sustainability transformation as a double winner of the German Sustainability Award 2021