Customer

Name: Viewport3
‍Industry: Engineering / Oil & Gas services
‍Location: Aberdeen
‍Size: small specialist team
‍Regions: UK - Global reach
Website: viewport3.com

Challenge

Viewport3 had a technical capability that was genuinely rare in the market, but the way they described it wasn't landing with buyers.
They were being compared to generic 3D scanning vendors and low-resolution stereo camera systems, even though their work was fundamentally different: higher resolution, provable accuracy, and delivered with subsea engineering interpretation rather than raw data.

Sales conversations got stuck on price comparisons against hardware they weren't competing with..

The company had strong repeat business from clients who understood the work, but struggled to communicate that value to new buyers.

Results

Clear positioning statement that reframed Viewport3 from "photogrammetry vendor" to "dimensional assurance partner", shifting the competitive frame away from hardware vendors entirely.
7 documented differentiators with proof points, each tied to specific buyer value. Not generic claims, but attributes verified through customer evidence and competitive analysis.
‍Messaging framework with buyer-ready language directly from how Viewport3's happiest customers describe the service, not internal assumptions.
Target audience map identifying specific decision-maker roles (subsea engineers, project managers, inspection managers) and the buying triggers that make each role care about dimensional assurance.
Market frame shift: from competing in "photogrammetry" (commoditised, price-sensitive) to owning "dimensional assurance" (high-value, trust-dependent), where Viewport3's strengths are the deciding factor.
Strategic growth sectors identified beyond oil and gas: naval/defence, nuclear, and scientific/broadcast, each with a specific entry rationale and risk assessment.

What's next

The positioning work gives Viewport3 a foundation to rebuild its website messaging, restructure sales materials, and brief Tier-1 partners with clear language about what they actually do and why it matters.

The next phase would be translating the positioning into website copy, case study content, blog and social campaigns to the decision-maker roles identified in the workshop.

Approach

Positioning workshop

I ran a structured positioning workshop with the Viewport3 team via Miro, working through each stage of the positioning process with the people who know the business and its clients best.

We started by mapping their best and worst customer fits. The team identified which clients came back repeatedly, which ones led to difficult projects, and why. This immediately surfaced patterns: the best relationships were with buyers who understood that Viewport3 provides engineering answers, not raw data. The worst were situations where the buyer treated the work as a commodity scan.

Competitive alternatives and differentiation

We mapped what buyers actually compare Viewport3 against: laser scanning, low-resolution stereo systems, Tier-1s attempting photogrammetry in-house, and "do nothing".

From this we isolated seven attributes that are genuinely Viewport3's, each verified through customer evidence and competitive analysis.

Value articulation and audience definition

Each differentiator was translated into buyer-relevant value with proof.

We then mapped the buying committee: who decides, who influences, and what each role cares about.

Positioning statement and market frame

The final output was a positioning statement that reframes Viewport3 from "photogrammetry vendor" to "dimensional assurance partner".

In the photogrammetry category, they compete against cheaper hardware. In dimensional assurance, they compete on trust, accuracy, and engineering expertise.

What they had to say

"It has been very refreshing to have Yann onboard, fully focussed on what’s important, and freeing us of what’s not. We’re very pleased to have found marketing and online presence help that works in a way that fits our business, our branding and our sector"

Richard Drennan

Director, Viewport3

Repositioning a subsea engineering company from "photogrammetry vendor" to dimensional assurance partner

About Viewport3