Case Study: Leveraging a Corporate Rebrand to Improve Internal Communications
In 2023 International Market Centers (IMC), an owner and operator of exhibit space and trade shows for the home furnishings, gift and apparel industries, rebranded to ANDMORE, an “omnichannel wholesale marketmaker.” In tandem with a rollout to external customers, it launched an internal communications campaign to reinforce the new brand and leverage the updated identity to launch expanded training and connection opportunities for its 500+ team members located in Atlanta; High Point, NC; Las Vegas and remotely across the nation.
RESEARCH
Plentiful primary research into the wants, needs and motivations of the ANDMORE team was a key element in developing the campaign. In 2021, then IMC brought in a seasoned Chief Human Resources Officer who launched comprehensive feedback opportunities for the staff. Focus groups – branded “Breaks with Bob” after the then CEO – were opportunities for small cross-functional groups of employees to gather to answer questions and give feedback directly. That data was synthesized into a survey of 50+ questions that was sent to the whole company. It was repeated in 2022, providing the feedback that was used for this campaign.
Through the survey and the focus groups, the consensus was that team members wanted:
Better communication – specifically to better understand what others do in the company
More training
Corporate goals / values that are easy to understand and follow
A planned organizational rebrand and associated training provided the prime opportunity to also launch an internal communications campaign that could address these concerns. ANDMORE named a new Director of Internal & Corporate Communications to lead the planning and execution of the campaign, which was bolstered by secondary research including outside best practices training. The campaign officially kicked off in June 2023.
PLANNING
Goal: To leverage the launch of the ANDMORE brand to establish employee engagement tools that foster awareness, education and connection.
Objective: To improve scores on key employee engagement metrics (communication, values and brand understanding) in the 2023 pulse survey and 2024 employee engagement survey.
Strategies:
Reinforce the new ANDMORE brand through a visual redesign of the employee experience
Launch new communications tools and improve existing experiences
Develop new and accessible training opportunities
Create new corporate values and opportunities to interact with them
EXECUTION
Reinforce The New ANDMORE Brand Through a Visual Redesign of Employee Experience
In support of this strategy, ANDMORE invested in a complete rebrand of all employee touchpoints with a short six-week completion goal. The ANDMORE name and look and feel – a complete departure from IMC – were added to documents including the employee handbook, onboarding documents and recognition tools like anniversary awards. Internal programs were renamed in the ANDMORE style becoming “Community ANDMORE” and “Benefits ANDMORE.” Slides on ANDMORE internal information screens were redesigned to reflect the new branding. At ANDMORE’s headquarters in Atlanta, new design elements were installed to showcase the brand (plans are in place to add employee branding to the other campuses as well.) All team members who volunteer for ANDMORE-sponsored community events received a bold t-shirt showcasing the new brand.
Launch New Communications Tools and Improve Existing Experiences
A major tactic in support of this strategy is a new semi-monthly email newsletter “News ANDMORE” covering a variety of topics that aim to break down silos between departments. Features like “Meet the Team” highlight the sometimes-hidden work of teams ranging from logistics to sales to the in-house creative agency. Market recaps showcase trade show experiences for team members on other campuses. The work of each city’s Community ANDMORE charitable giving work is celebrated. New team members are introduced via short bios. Additionally, team members receive links to relevant news stories, important reminders and a calendar of ANDMORE’s Market Dates and other key happenings on the campuses.
ANDMORE’s intranet also was optimized for the campaign. A new section was added with quick guides explaining the updated branding and other corporate launches. For the first time, recordings of town hall meetings (held every six weeks via Zoom) – with slides showcasing the new style – were published for team members to watch if they could not attend live. Internal calendars were expanded to give team members more insight into the long-term planning of ANDMORE’s trade shows and events.
Develop New, Accessible Training Opportunities
ANDMORE had long offered access to a catalogue of training videos, but expanded its organic training opportunities in the rebrand campaign. New program “Catalyst” is an opportunity for manager-level employees to gather virtually in small groups for targeted development in areas critical to effective leadership. “Digital Demo Days” are opportunities for team members to gather in-person to learn about ANDMORE’s digital tools business. Virtual pre-market training prepares team members to best serve customers at ANDMORE trade shows. A new program “ANDMORE 101” offers training videos that highlight key elements of overall corporate strategy including what it means to be omnichannel, how data is used and how the company’s technology tools work together to provide insights into customer behavior.
Create new corporate core values and opportunities to interact with them
As part of the ANDMORE rebrand, it launched a new set of corporate standards that better match its culture and focus. The goals were workshopped with mid-to-senior-level managers to ensure they represented the voice of the team member. Updated standards are:
PUT THE CUSTOMER FIRST: We listen to and respect our customers to deliver exactly what they need.
NEVER GIVE UP: We act with passion and grit to tackle every challenge that comes our way.
LIVE WITH INTEGRITY: We put a premium on trust and hold ourselves accountable – no ifs, ands, or buts.
SERVE AS A FORCE FOR GOOD: We value diverse perspectives and support the ecosystems in which we operate.
GROW STRONGER TOGETHER: We collaborate and build connections to create meaningful opportunities.
To reinforce the goals, ANDMORE launched a new employee recognition program “Do More, Lead More, Be More” where team members nominate their peers who exemplify each of the new standards. Nominees are voted on by senior leadership and recognized quarterly for their excellence.
EVALUATION
ANDMORE saw high participation in training opportunities with nearly 75% of employees attending during the campaign period. Some 20+ team members have been nominated for “Do More, Lead More, Be More” awards.
In the first round of ANDMORE’s surveys, the majority of team members identified that new core values aligned well with the company and its direction. From survey to survey, sentiments on training and development changed the most, rising from one of the lowest rated questions to one of the highest. Team members do continue to share concerns about communication, but long-form responses indicate that issues are no longer with cross-departmental communication but individual managers with praise for the newsletter.