| Edelman
2010 REBRAND 100 Winners > notable
Industry: Business Professional Services
Internal Change Campaign
Country Base: USA
Below: Before Images, Rebrand Images, Summary, Credits
Summary:
Industry Setting - After 20 years in Times Square, Edelman, the global public relations firm, moved its New York City offices, including its Union Square satellite office, to Lower Manhattan.
Challenge
• Move 475 staff with minimal disruption to daily business.
• Stimulate shift to a more collaborative, less hierarchical culture and allay staff concerns regarding this impactful change (e.g., from office/cubical layout to completely open floor plan with no offices, not even for top management).
• Acclimate employees to Hudson Square, an unfamiliar neighborhood.
Strategy
Using best communications practices, the firm developed a multifaceted, interactive strategy to promote transparency about the shift in corporate culture; generate excitement for the new office/neighborhood; share move-related information and invite feedback:
• Created separate identity, inspired by US Works Project Administration’s “New Deal” posters, to humorously brand all move-related communications.
• Launched “Edelman250Hudson.com,” a dedicated microsite sharing information, progress photos, videos and guide to Hudson Square.
• Set up a “250 Hudson Visitor Center” at each office with information on why Edelman was moving, the open floor plan and sample design finishes.
• Established “Visioning” committee which met periodically with architectural firm to communicate staffs’ needs.
• Organized “Movers & Shakers” committee to help communicate move-related information to staff.
• Produced publications to introduce staff to one another and the neighborhood.
Result
• 475 staff seamlessly moved with no business disruption.
• Edelman250Hudson.com received 4,500+ page views/2,800+ site visits in three months (only promoted internally). Each major posting reached over 70% of NY personnel.
• Overwhelmingly positive staff comments:
- “Candor, great graphic and architectural design plus humor all clicked.”
- “The website made the move so easy!”
Credits:
Client - Brand Strategists/Designers: Edelman New York Office - www.edelman.com
Strategy: Russell Dubner, Anne Kay, Katarina Wong
Website Design & Content Management: Katarina Wong - www.edelman250Hudson.com
Design/Tagline: Edelman NY Design (Tim Burke, Jonathan Netek, Nicole Norton), Joe Tropiano, Katarina Wong, Rob Saffer
Videos: Peter DiBart, Kate Ferguson, Andrew Kalish, David Perez, Caitlin Prentice, Stephanie Schulman
Construction Photos: Karl Lee, Cushman & Wakefield, Inc
| |
