Being seen as a digital innovator can provide a significant competitive advantage. When the opportunity arose to aid our client Nufarm, a global leader in crop protection, recognised the need to evaluate their digital leadership and explore the potential of emerging technologies. They turned to Newpath for a comprehensive, future-focused strategy. Nufarm’s objectives were threefold: assess and benchmark competitor digital tools and platforms, identify untapped opportunities around artificial intelligence, and define how generative AI might be integrated into their own operations.

Newpath approached these goals by performing an extensive competitor analysis and a tailored generative AI review, resulting in a 212 page, detailed report. This report did more than just outline where Nufarm stood in relation to others; it provided actionable insights for their digital roadmap. The final deliverable offered both market insights and practical steps toward innovation. 

 

“Our report was designed to not only identify opportunities for Nufarm but to also help lay the groundwork for implementing them. We didn’t want to just lay hollow ideas on the table, so we created a structure for each idea. By detailing potential applications, risks, and requirements, Newpath gave Nufarm the tools to prioritise these options within their overarching digital strategy.”

Stephen Rollestone, Creative Director – Newpath

 

Understanding the Client’s Goals

Nufarm’s primary objectives revolved around:

  1. Competitor Benchmarking: Identifying what digital tools, platforms, and features Nufarm’s competitors were utilising. 
  2. Emerging Tech Opportunities: Determining whether competitors or adjacent players had already adopted AI or generative AI, and to what extent.
  3. Generative AI Integration: Exploring how Nufarm itself could implement generative AI to enhance customer engagement, internal processes, and overall business operations.

The report produced by Newpath was split into two major sections; A competitor analysis outlining in-depth insights from a review of leading (and lesser-known) players in the crop protection industry. As well as an exploration of generative AI, tailored to Nufarm’s unique market position, offering real-world case studies and a detailed look at how AI-powered integrations could strengthen Nufarm’s digital roadmap.

We started our process with the team conducting a Competitor Website Audit. Each site was evaluated on a consistent set of criteria, including usability, design, navigation, content quality, digital tools & features, and user personalisation. Additionally we utilised site performance tools like Lighthouse and SimilarWeb to collect data on load times and traffic patterns. As a result of our research we profiled each competitor outlining who they are, what market focus they have, and how effectively their websites cater to user needs (navigation, accessibility, tools, content). By comparing a wide range of competitors (large, well-known brands alongside smaller innovators) to Nufarm’s digital presence, the report provided a thorough overview of the competitive landscape while identifying areas Nufarm can leverage to provide them with a competitive digital advantage and enhance their position as an innovation partner.

During the course of our research process it became clear that implementing generative AI into business use cases was under explored in most industries. As a result we researched and identified key case studies ensuring Nufarm saw both the potential benefits and pitfalls of implementing AI. Our goal was to understand why some AI initiatives succeeded and where others failed to pave the way for clearer, risk-aware decisions.

Our report was designed to not only identify opportunities for Nufarm but to also help lay the groundwork for implementing them. We didn’t want to just lay hollow ideas on the table, so we created a structure for each idea. By detailing potential applications, risks, and requirements, Newpath gave Nufarm the tools to prioritise these options within their overarching digital strategy.

As we explored ideas for how AI could be implemented into Nufarm we framed the ideas through the perspectives of Nufarm’s various target audiences, with a primary focus on their product end users. The result was an extensive list of applications that could not only enhance and streamline the sales process but potentially improve the lives of Nufarm consumers. We also took the opportunity to explore how these tools could be used to bridge between the different business units within Nufarm’s corporate structure, opening up the potential for cross promotion and elevation of sales across the business as a whole.

 

Leveraging Large Language Model AI

While the heavy lifting of the project was conducted by our dedicated team who dedicated themselves to providing an exhaustive level of research into the competitor analysis, industry background and AI implementations. To augment this research, Newpath leveraged a Large Language Model (LLM) AI in a structured and innovative way throughout the project. The LLM was used to provide an additional layer of comparison between our competitor audits, as well as to help recommend a presentation structure that enabled us to streamline and standardise the varying competitor data into the reports. By ensuring a consistent format across all sections we were able to enhance the ability to make direct comparisons between sites. 

We were also able to use LLMs to provide real-time feedback on our AI ideas. For each idea the team listed what we could identify as benefits, risks, and rollout requirements. Our LLM models helped us to validate and expand on these insights. This additional process helped the team identify and address blind spots, refining the ideas before presenting them to Nufarm and resulting in faster turnaround times with more detailed final content.

 

Collaboration and Communication

The project was led by Newpath’s Creative Director Stephen Rollestone, who led the strategic direction, formulated the approach, produced the audit framework, and was the primary author of the final report. Product design and marketing specialists from Newpath’s Creative Services team provided support to ensure the audit considered both the technical/design aspects of competitor websites and their impact on audiences. The project team provided regular updates to stakeholders in Nufarm. These direct feedback sessions ensured the project was aligned with client needs and all questions were addressed in the final document.

 

Key Takeaways

  1. Depth and Detail: Thorough competitor research painted a complete picture of the market landscape, equipping Nufarm to make informed, strategic moves.
  2. Strategic AI Integration: By analysing successful and failed AI initiatives, the report offered a pragmatic approach, highlighting realistic use cases for Nufarm.
  3. Efficient & Insightful: Large Language Model AI provided an additional layer of analysis and creativity, ensuring gaps or alternative angles weren’t overlooked.
  4. Actionable Roadmap: The final report delivered tangible insights for next steps, enabling Nufarm to proceed with clarity and confidence.

 

Final Thoughts

For Newpath, this project with Nufarm underscored the power of AI as more than just a technical add-on. Used correctly, AI becomes a catalyst—accelerating research, fostering innovative thinking, and ultimately shaping a comprehensive digital strategy.

 

“It was exciting to use AI in this way for a client project. We’d been experimenting with it internally, but this was our first major opportunity to apply it end-to-end. Seeing it help us quickly synthesise data and validate ideas made a positive impact to our process.”

Stephen Rollestone, Creative Director – Newpath

 

Through this collaborative, research-driven approach, Nufarm now holds a rich, in-depth roadmap for digital growth. At the same time, Newpath continues to refine its best practices for applying AI in client engagements, demonstrating that experience, strategy, and technology truly go hand in hand when it comes to innovation.

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