Content hub for photography enthusiasts
Discover how camera manufacturer Canon created a platform to present both paid and freely available learning content in a demand-driven way.
Photography expertise for everyone
With the Academy, Canon has created a unique platform where photography enthusiasts of all experience levels can find useful tips, entertaining content and targeted further-education formats.
- CLIENT
Canon Deutschland GmbH
- YEAR
since 2017
- SCOPE
Multi-Media Content Hub
Process automation
Online Education
International SEO
- WEBSITE
International learning platform for photography enthusiasts of every experience level
Live for the Story
For Canon, photography means capturing moments and special stories. On a dedicated content hub for the DACH region, photography enthusiasts of different experience levels are to be given the opportunity, with free multimedia educational content and targeted training from professional instructors, to develop their own style of storytelling and further their skills in photography and videography.
Manageable workflows
The content hub needs to be operable by a small in-house team in collaboration with various specialised service providers. External organisers and trainers are also involved in creating and maintaining the programme offering. To coordinate these partly country-specific workflows, a differentiated roles and permissions concept, approval processes and interfaces to upstream systems in the editorial process were required. At the content level, it was necessary to prepare various sections and content series in an editorially appealing way across different media formats and to give the editorial team simple tools to create and manage this content.
Under the name "Canon Academy", the content hub was published in 2018. The project initially launched with a carefully selected range of content formats and programme offerings, including photo workshops, guides and video tutorials. Over time the portfolio has continuously evolved. Further formats such as webinars, photo trips and various competition formats have been added. Meanwhile, with its information library, the content hub has developed into a reference work for specialist terminology and specific application scenarios in photography. To meet growing requirements in the form of new media formats and presentation styles, the content management system in use is continuously extended with new modules.
- Approval workflows
- Roles / permissions concept
- Content Management System
Technologies used
This custom-built web application is based on the PHP open-source framework Laravel as well as a front end consisting of Bootstrap and Vue.js. REST APIs are used for communication with further service providers who prepare programme content as part of the editorial process.
PHP LaravelPHP framework for scalable architectures
Vue.jsReactive interface with optimal performance
BootstrapOpen-source front-end framework for responsive design
TealiumEnterprise tag management software
Services for Canon
For a project like this to succeed, a cross-functional team of experts from different disciplines is required who work closely together and deeply internalise the specifics of the industry and business case.
Transformation consultingProject support from the initial requirements definition through to technical implementation into existing workflows and structures.
Digital strategyStrategic advisory support for the overall direction of the new marketing platform through to the implementation of various performance-marketing-relevant areas such as tracking, analytics and on-page SEO.
UX / UI DesignDevelopment of the user interfaces based on the provided brand guidelines as well as the complementary enrichment of individually required elements.
Custom developmentDevelopment from architecture through to the final bespoke software.
For Canon's consumer business unit we created an important marketing instrument with the Academy, which is now used in several international target markets. The platform enables local teams to use their available manpower efficiently.
With NSPYR's competent consulting and support, we have created a platform that is unique for us in its complexity, diversity and, above all, its flexibility. Our customers' requirements and needs are of the highest priority, which is why we greatly value the agile and flexible agency work that helps us continuously adapt and develop formats and solutions. With NSPYR we have a reliable partner at our side who implements our creative ideas – with all their challenges – optimally on our website and thus simplifies our workflows.
