Research Case Study – Oracle
Research-led strategy for a brand ready to evolve
How it started
For more than 20 years, Oracle’s Java team had been creating content for a passionate, highly technical audience of developers and software decision-makers.
But as the ecosystem evolved, so did the need. They weren’t just looking to grow awareness — they needed to expand relevance: to reach new audiences, refresh their messaging, and broaden the brand’s role in the software conversation.
It wasn’t a messaging problem alone. The bigger challenge was internal: How do you get long-standing teams — with deep habits and strong voices — to shift how they think, write, and show up? This work more than finding a new audience. It was also about aligning the people inside the organization to meet them.
What we did
Program 11 immersed ourselves in the Java developer world — mapping where developers go for information, who they trust, and what role Oracle plays in that ecosystem today. We benchmarked against other brands and media serving developers, and surveyed hundreds worldwide to surface new insights and unmet needs.
But strategy can’t live outside the walls of the organization. So we conducted in-depth interviews with internal stakeholders, partner agencies, and long-time contributors to understand not just what content they produced — but how decisions got made, what got prioritized, and where things got stuck.
The a-ha moment: The Java team was consistently creating new content, but had no clear model for sunsetting, curating, or retiring outdated material. Over time, the result was a sprawling library with eroded credibility. The problem wasn’t intent — it was governance. Without systems to evaluate and maintain what already existed, even the best new content struggled to land.
This wasn’t just a strategy challenge. It was a signal that the operating model behind the content needed to evolve.
How it’s going
The Oracle Java team has a clearer picture of who they’re speaking to — and a better system for deciding what gets published, updated, or retired. Content is now shaped by what developers are actually looking for, not just what the team has always done.
They’ve cleaned up legacy content, tightened messaging, and aligned internally around a shared set of priorities. The result is content that’s more useful, more focused, and more trusted by the developers it’s meant to serve.
Java remains one of the most widely used programming languages in the world, with an estimated 7 to 9 million developers globally. Oracle is now engaging that audience with a sharper, more credible voice — backed by internal alignment, not just brand ambition.
