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28 Unilever Annual Review 1998 Business Overview
Information Technology
Effective global use of information technology is essential for the
achievement of our business objectives. It allows us to anticipate the
needs of consumers, share information rapidly and use the scale and
scope of Unilever to great effect.
A key development in 1998 was the way we increased our involvement
with internet technology. In North America, in partnership with
Microsoft, America Online and NetGrocer, three companies at the
forefront of Web activity, we are opening up new advertising, promotion,
research and product testing opportunities. These alliances represent a
major financial commitment to interactive marketing.
We have set up a new Interactive Brand Centre in New York to
co-ordinate our partnerships. In addition it will seek to strengthen
consumer relationships through interactive marketing solutions –
complemented by a similar operation in Europe. In other new media
areas, we are gathering valuable market research from more than
40 branded Web sites.
Internally, we continue to develop our processes to improve
information management. New initiatives include the IceNet intranet,
an internal electronic network which communicates best practice
between ice cream managers throughout the business.
The introduction of a single PC-based platform for communications
has also meant that 80 000 employees around the world have a
common tool for using and sharing information. Our employees
now deal with about one million electronic messages every working
day. The volume is growing quickly, but each message now costs a tiny
fraction of what it did a few years ago.
We have streamlined the way we run our information technology
to provide efficiencies. Management of our global IT systems is now
being concentrated in a small number of regional Infrastructure
Management Centres. We have moved to global buying of equipment,
heralding significant economies of scale. We have also limited the
number of suppliers in each equipment category and have introduced
Web-based ordering.
“By interacting with consumers via our branded product
Web sites we are able to better understand their needs
and aspirations...”
Over 125 000 people requested samples of Mentadent toothpaste following
an internet marketing campaign: more than two thirds gave permission for
us to contact them in future. Information gathered from this process will
help refine our customer understanding.