Our Expertise

• Crystallizing a compelling vision and setting clear objectives

• Devising groundbreaking strategies that are inherently actionable

• Conducting rigorous research to identify cognitive structures to enable change in stakeholder’s awareness, attitudes, opinions or behavior

• Defining an optimal and sustainable position to increase value, support and the odds of success

• Testing communications for empirical data to maximize resonance

• Using the research and planning process to gain internal buy-in

• Crafting concise plans with measurable objectives, strategies and tactics aligned to resources and timelines

• Increasing the effectiveness and efficiencies of communications

• Determining mediums to most effectively reach target audiences

• Producing campaigns including collateral, print and electronic

• Establishing a unique online presence to increase brand recognition and value for users by enhancing the user experience

Our Core Values

• We recognize our clients, armed with our strategies, often change the world.

• Any problem and challenge can be broken down, prioritized and solved.

• It is essential to identify, embrace and drive change.

• Be passionate, focused and determined.

• Possess integrity, express strong opinions and dare to tell the truth.

• Be outcome-oriented. Always.

• Have loyalty to the client, the company and each other.

• Use the best resources and actively pursue growth and learning.

• Ensure solutions are substantiated with research and based in fact.

• Keep an open mind, think without boundaries and explore every possibility.

Our Philosophy

• Create sustainable advantages, not incremental gains

• Key decision makers must be part of the process

• Together, our team and your key stakeholders reach strategic consensus

• Consensus ≠ an average of opinions

• Strong opinions and controversy are good

• Employee buy-in is critical, they embody your brand

• Tie findings and opportunities back to the customer and communications

• Test twice, launch once

• Keep the process moving

Our History

Before striking out on their own, the principals of Harmonic International formed the research and strategic planning group of a $1.5 billion Madison Avenue advertising agency. There, they innovated a research-based, strategic positioning process called Future Focus, which fueled the record breaking launch of Sprint PCS and achieved similar success for other private sector clients. Harmonic declared independence in 2002 and has since applied its strategic acumen to a wide range of corporations and organizations, including AT&T, Capital One, NASA, NOAA, DOD, DOT, EPA, and two White House Administrations, providing concise strategy to overcome their most critical organizational challenges and realize their visions.

How We Do It

VISIONING

A vision is not a PowerPoint template. It is a shared understanding of a better future.

There is no more important task than determining the right vision and objectives for the future relative to similar organizations. A compelling vision and clear objectives let everyone know how the organization will get from point A to point B, how they can contribute and it makes clear hard work and sacrifice will yield enriched professional and personal benefits.

POSITIONING

Identifying the optimal position for a sustainable advantage is the closest thing a company or organization will ever have to a guarantee for success.

Positioning is the act of determining a differentiated place to occupy in people’s minds. When an organization does not hold a unique position relative to similar organizations, their value and benefits will not be fully recognized.

For example, both Walmart and Neiman Marcus are retailers that sell many of the same products, such as clothes, jewelry and cosmetics. Yet consumers understand them to provide very different levels of quality, service and cost. Consequently, they hold very different "positions" in consumers’ minds.

Stakeholder Engagement

Harmonic is expert at key stakeholder research. With permission, we assemble individuals from the organization who actually impact decisions or have solutions to critical problems. Harmonic sends its principals to conduct non-attribution, one-on one interviews based on key questions. We have a reputation for integrity and for getting answers in front of federal agency top management, so those interviewed know their input will be heard. Consequently, Harmonic has gained access to Congress, top leaders at the Pentagon, and other agencies, international subject experts, and more.

Messaging & Visuals

Consumers and stakeholders gain understanding of an organization through communications (messages and visuals) and experiences over time resulting in a cognitive structure (how your brain organizes and processes information). Harmonic conducts rigorous research to identify cognitive structures to create messages and visuals that resonate the most with target audiences to change their awareness, attitudes, opinions or behavior.

For example, Harmonic’s research revealed if NASA’s message was “NASA will go to the Moon, Mars and beyond,” public support stood at 42%. If the message became “NASA will go to the Moon, Mars and beyond to explore the universe to find answers to life’s big questions,” support rose to 86%.

Planning and Metrics

JACK WELCH SAID, “I DON’T WANT PLANNING, I WANT PLANS.”

Harmonic crafts concise, timely plans with measurable objectives, strategies and tactics aligned to resources and timelines. Harmonic has an impressive track record of uncovering breakthrough strategies and new ideas in the planning process.

We provide clear methodologies and baselines for measurement, to gauge progress and adjust plans accordingly because as the military likes to say, “no plan survives first contact with the enemy.” Every dollar spent should be a lesson learned to become more effective and efficient. The end goal is to have a higher degree of certainty your organization's objectives are being met.

Inspired Research

The problem with most research and all polls is they tell you what people thought yesterday. It's like driving a car using only a rearview mirror. It doesn't uncover how people process information, their unconscious or emotional associations, cultural biases or how they interact and learn, leaving you with more questions than answers.

Harmonic provides research of a higher order. With Harmonic, numbers are just the beginning. We believe that research is not just about finding the facts, research is about people and finding out what makes them tick.

Whether your organization is new to the market, needs to transform to capture an unmet need, reposition for greater effectiveness and recognition, raise awareness or change attitudes, opinions or behaviors, Harmonic provides clients with insights to give organizations a sustainable competitive advantage.

Data Visualizations 

Data visualizations are essential tools to analyze large and complex data sets. The right visualizations enable decision makers to make data-driven decisions. Whether it is a simple infographic or an interactive geo-spatial climate data-set, our team tailors each data visualization tool to our clients’ needs and expectations.

MediaWatch provides a comprehensive platform for the semantic analysis of big data, with a special focus on news and social media. To assess the positioning of an organization and the effectiveness of its communications, the platform captures and aggregates large archives of digital content, processing millions of documents and user comments from news media, blogs, Web 2.0 platforms (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.), the websites of companies and NGOs and a variety of other online sources. Check out MediaWatch in action at www.ecoresearch.net/climate.