Current, powered by GE, Cleveland

Current, powered by GE, Cleveland

Client Name

Current, powered by GE

Year

2004

Scope Of Work

Driving Smart City Innovation Through Strategic Marketing

Opportunity

Cities worldwide face unprecedented growth pressures. With urban populations expected to rise by 60% globally by 2025, city leaders urgently need innovative digital infrastructure and solutions to address evolving demands for sustainability, connectivity, public safety, and efficiency. The emergence of smart cities—powered by the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)—offers an unparalleled opportunity for communities to harness connected technologies, enhance the quality of life, and drive economic growth. However, effectively communicating the value and potential of these complex technological solutions to diverse stakeholders remains challenging. WATT recognized this opportunity to strategically position Current, powered by GE—a GE-owned entity presented as an agile, innovative startup—at the forefront of smart city and IIoT conversations.

Strategy

Understanding the importance of stakeholder buy-in, WATT developed a multi-tiered marketing and communications strategy for Current by GE that specifically addressed the complexities cities faced when integrating IIoT solutions. WATT’s approach leveraged thoughtful, easy-to-digest educational resources and community-driven initiatives to overcome skepticism and confusion around smart city implementations.

Central to this strategy was Current’s market positioning: although fully backed by GE’s substantial resources, Current was intentionally marketed as a nimble, entrepreneurial startup. This approach emphasized agility, innovation, and responsiveness—qualities highly attractive to city leaders and technologists alike. By combining authoritative resources with hands-on stakeholder engagement, WATT positioned Current as a trusted partner and thought leader in smart city and IIoT innovations.

Solutions

WATT’s marketing execution involved several key solutions:

1. Educational Ebooks and Thought Leadership:

  • Comprehensive ebooks like “11 Strategic Considerations for City Leaders to Achieve an Intelligent City” served as foundational educational resources, detailing clear tactics and frameworks for successful smart city projects.
  • Industry-focused resources targeted developers, showcasing opportunities to build intelligent applications powered by GE’s Predix platform—further enhancing credibility and promoting innovation in smart cities.
2. Community and Developer Engagement Through Hackathons:
  • Current facilitated citywide hackathons, such as the San Diego Smart City Hackathon, effectively crowdsourcing innovative solutions directly from local developers and citizens. This approach deepened stakeholder investment and significantly increased public awareness of smart city initiatives.
  • By proactively involving local communities and developers in the solution-building process, WATT elevated Current’s brand visibility, credibility, and stakeholder alignment.
3. Consistent, Simplified Stakeholder Communication:
  • Stakeholder engagement strategies emphasized consistent, clear, and early communication. This included creating internal innovation committees comprising corporate partners, technology leaders, community groups, and advocates—maximizing public buy-in and support for Current’s smart city solutions.

Results

Through these strategic marketing and communications efforts, WATT achieved notable outcomes for Current:
  • High-Profile Government Contracts:
    Current successfully secured large-scale government projects, including major smart lighting and digital infrastructure deployments in cities such as San Diego and Chicago, leading to significant cost savings and increased urban efficiency.
  • Robust Community and Developer Partnerships:
    The hackathon initiatives directly engaged hundreds of innovative developers, generating impactful IIoT applications that solved real urban challenges—demonstrating Current’s role as an innovation enabler and community-centric technology provider.
  • Establishing Thought Leadership and Market Influence:
    The ebooks and ongoing content development positioned Current by GE as an influential thought leader, enabling city leaders and stakeholders to clearly envision, plan, and implement effective smart city strategies.
WATT’s focused, integrated, and strategic approach to marketing and stakeholder engagement effectively positioned Current by GE as a leading provider of intelligent urban solutions—driving real-world results and establishing a powerful blueprint for successful smart city deployments.
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