The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®: Expert Mode Marketing Technology, AI, & CX

Episode #765: Hexagon AB's George Chang on Building a Unified System of Marketing Measurement
Date: November 10, 2025
Guest: George Chang, Senior Director, Digital Experience and Technology, Corporate Marketing at Hexagon AB
Host: Greg Kihlström
Location: Sitecore Symposium 2025, Orlando, Florida

Episode Overview

This episode explores how Hexagon AB—a global leader in measurement technology—has built a disciplined, data-driven approach to digital experience and marketing measurement. Host Greg Kihlström and guest George Chang discuss Hexagon's evolution from intuition-based decisions to a unified, continuous optimization program that puts customer data at the heart of every improvement. The conversation covers topics including conversion rate optimization (CRO) as a strategic function, democratizing experimentation, implementing seamless measurement systems using platforms like Sitecore XM Cloud, and fostering a culture of agile, insight-driven marketing.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. From Intuition to Data-Driven Strategy (01:08–04:49)

• The Shift from Gut Feelings to Data:
  • Host and guest agree that agility requires “willingness to be wrong” and building a culture that values learning from real user behavior over internal assumptions.
  • Greg Kihlström (01:08):

    "Agility requires willingness to be wrong and the systems to prove it quickly. It's about building a culture that values learning over being right and relentlessly iterates based on real human behavior, not internal assumptions."

• Hexagon AB’s Digital Evolution:
  • George describes Hexagon’s journey to modernize its website and unify customer touchpoints, emphasizing the challenge of telling a coherent brand story across diverse industries.

2. The Strategic Role of Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) (04:49–07:59)

• CRO as a Strategic, Not Tactical, Function:
  • George stresses that testing and experimentation must be intentional and woven into both execution and iteration, not treated as one-off tactics.
  • George Chang (04:49):

    "To make CRO something strategic, you have to treat it like something strategic... It's the large number of measurements in context with one another that gives you that level of fidelity."

• Prioritizing What to Test:
  • Data provides objectivity, balancing subjective stakeholder opinions.
  • The "HIPPO" effect (Highest Paid Person's Opinion) is countered by letting tests prove or disprove ideas, regardless of the source.
  • George Chang (06:09):

    "No matter how obvious you feel like something is, run it through a test... Sometimes those tests will really surprise you."

3. Practical Example of Data-Driven Iteration (08:00–10:45)

• Homepage Messaging Experiment:
  • Originally, Hexagon’s homepage described capabilities in abstract terms (“capture, create, immerse, activate”), but engagement was low.
  • Hypothesis: Messaging was too vague.
  • Switched to more technology-oriented terms (metrology, reality capture, etc.), and ran an A/B test.
  • Result: More specific messaging improved dwell time and click-through rates.
  • George Chang (08:39):

    "We ran this through an A B test in XM Cloud... It wound up having better engagement and improved the dwell time and click through rate on that section."

4. Scaling and Operationalizing Experimentation (13:01–15:13)

• Democratizing Optimization:
  • Instead of scaling a centralized team, Hexagon empowers marketers at all levels to propose tests, deploy experiments, and act on findings.
  • This ensures local and industry-specific learnings are surfaced and acted upon quickly.
  • George Chang (13:39):

    "We want to distribute that scale of people by enabling all these marketers to be able to do this themselves, to be a little bit more self sufficient."

• Enabling Technology:
  • Sitecore XM Cloud integrates testing, personalization, and content authoring in a single interface, reducing cognitive load and enabling faster iteration.

5. Unified Measurement and Broader KPIs (15:14–17:32)

• Beyond Conversion Rates:
  • Engagement is measured by multiple qualitative and quantitative metrics:
    • Dwell time on key sections
    • Scroll depth
    • User journey progress and confidence signals
  • Conversion is seen as a side-effect of increasing user confidence and engagement, not just a metric to optimize in isolation.
  • George Chang (15:57):

    "We're looking at the metrics that ask, you know, what signals confidence to a user for Hexagon... as long as the user has confidence in what they're reading and understanding and moving on somewhere in the site, that's great."

6. Building an Agile, Experimentation-Driven Culture (17:33–20:03)

• Embracing “Failure” as Learning:
  • Both successful and failed tests are valuable; the key is to run high-quality tests and act on what is learned.
  • Small, quick experiments can be started immediately—even just changing CTA wording and observing results.
  • George Chang (18:18):

    "A failed test gives you just as much insight as a successful test... the biggest step, the biggest thing is just to get started."

• Action Steps for Marketing Leaders:
  • Start with small, manageable tests.
  • Foster a culture where learning trumps being right.

7. Personal Agility and Continuous Learning (20:48–23:38)

• Community and Technology Trends:
  • Sitecore's vibrant community is highlighted as a source of ongoing learning and support.
  • Staying agile requires investing time in continuous education, leveraging both community and AI-powered tools.
  • George Chang (22:05):

    "You really just have to spend the time to keep up with technology and the marketing trends... Be brave, take on new things and just embrace failure and kind of fail fast and move on."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Greg Kihlström (01:08):

  "Agility requires willingness to be wrong and the systems to prove it quickly."

• George Chang (06:09):

  "There's that acronym, hippo... Our stance is everyone’s opinion is valid... We want to run them through a test... Sometimes those tests will really surprise you."

• George Chang (08:39):

  "We found that messaging with more specific technology terms wound up having better engagement and improved the dwell time and click through rate on that section."

• George Chang (13:39):

  "We want to distribute that scale of people by enabling all these marketers to be able to do this themselves, to be a little bit more self sufficient."

• George Chang (18:18):

  "A failed test gives you just as much insight as a successful test... The biggest thing is just to get started."

• George Chang (22:05):

  "Be brave, take on new things and just embrace failure and kind of fail fast and move on... That’s the only real way to stay agile."

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:08 – Transition from intuition to data-driven digital experience
• 03:06 – Hexagon’s business, products, and why digital experience matters
• 04:49 – Elevating CRO from tactic to strategy, and why measurement fidelity matters
• 06:09 – Dealing with subjective opinions versus objective testing (“HIPPO” discussion)
• 08:39 – Real-world example: Homepage messaging A/B test
• 13:39 – Democratizing testing and scaling experimentation via Sitecore XM Cloud
• 15:57 – Measuring broader KPIs: engagement quality, scroll depth, and user journeys
• 18:18 – Advice for building a test-and-learn culture
• 22:05 – Staying agile: continuous learning and leveraging the community

Concluding Insights

George Chang’s case study of Hexagon AB serves as a blueprint for brands seeking to unify, scale, and mature their marketing measurement systems. The key takeaways are:

• Elevate experimentation from isolated tactics to a company-wide, strategic discipline.
• Build systems that empower teams at every level to hypothesis-test, learn, and iterate quickly.
• Adopt platforms that minimize operational friction and leverage integrated measurement.
• Foster an agile culture where learning—especially from failed tests—is valued more than simply being right.
• Continuous learning and active participation in industry communities are essential for staying ahead.

This episode is a must-listen for marketing leaders who want to create a more resilient, insight-driven, and customer-focused organization.