Sanoma Finding Sanoma’s role where others already dominate
Sanoma set out to grow its digital business among SMEs in a market dominated by Google and Meta. The challenge wasn’t visibility, but relevance: when customers already buy elsewhere by default, what role can Sanoma realistically play?
Our work started by building a shared understanding of how customers actually make decisions. Through interviews, research and workshops, one pattern became clear: customers don’t think in channels — they react to business situations. Growth slows down, competition increases, or something simply doesn’t work — and suddenly, something needs to be done.
At the same time, the market has become increasingly complex. While global platforms offer speed and simplicity, they don’t remove the core problem: customers are left alone to decide what to do next. Too many options, too little clarity.
This led to a clear turning point: customers don’t need more marketing options
— they need help choosing what to do next.
Based on this, we clarified Sanoma’s role. Not as another channel or solution provider, but as a partner that helps customers make better decisions — especially in moments of uncertainty.
This thinking was translated into a clear direction for the business:
• Moving from product-led communication to situation-led guidance
• Simplifying the offering into clearer, more understandable solutions
• Strengthening the role of sales from selling to advising
• Building digital journeys that support decision-making, not just browsing
The result is a sharper and more relevant position for Sanoma in today’s market. One that doesn’t compete with global platforms on their terms, but complements them where customers need support the most.
Sanoma is no longer just a place to buy marketing — it becomes a partner that helps move business forward.
