marley electric
Hot Ideas + Cool Innovations: A Design Strategy
BOLTGROUP provided Marley Electric with a tailored design strategy and product form language to meet the needs of different users.What We Did
Industrial Design and Product Design
Mechanical Engineering
3D CAD Modeling
Market Research
Design Strategy
Challenge
Marley made great electric wall heaters and sold them through a variety of distribution channels—electrical distributors, architecture / engineering specifiers, consumer retail, and online. Marley needed a tailored design strategy and a product form language to meet the needs of each constituent.

Solution
BOLTGROUP started with thorough research of members in each distribution channel. The result was a discovery of consistencies and inconsistencies in the needs of specifiers and users. We realized there needed to be a strategy to meet the needs of all. The solution was two-fold. First, the products were differentiated specifically for each channel through nuance of form and the addition of features. Second, we incorporated a digital user interface and digital technology to improve the overall user experience. Further, the technology connected the heaters to new smart building systems being developed around the world. To pull it all together, BOLTGROUP created a branding / marketing strategy to tell a targeted story for each channel.
Results
The Marley Artisan Smart Series speaks directly to the architect / specifier while the Marley HT Smart Series is aimed at electrical distribution and consumer retail audiences. The industry response to these customized innovations in electric heating has been excellent.
- Innovation initiatives in HVAC businesses, including the digital wall heater, have driven growth and share gains
- Architects / specifiers love the Artisan SmartSeries architectural wall heater for its unique, contemporary design
- Electrical distribution and consumer retail audiences appreciate the HT Residential SmartSeries with its easy-to-use LED Touchscreen