Controversial brand audit gives CEO ammunition for corporate identity rethink

• Morale was low in a Footsie 100 company with a reputation for being successful but old-fashioned - a ‘sleeping giant’.  The new chief executive wanted change but wanted to find out now fundamental it would have to be.

• A special change management team was set up to explore options; with CWC was the external communications consultant.

• We recommended an evidence-based approach and carried out an audit of staff opinions and ideas at different levels. Anonymity was agreed.

• The findings were more controversial than the team envisaged with wider implications for cost and change.

• However, they also revealed an underlying brand loyalty.  We found common ground in the way the staff wanted to present their company.  We worked on this and the designer was briefed to devise an identity to reference it. Other fundamental changes were scripted.

• The challenge was then to obtain board buy-in to the implications and the required investment.

• Jennie Wilde was chosen to present the findings and argue the case at a special meeting with the CEO. We won his approval and the changes were rolled out nationally.