The Corporate Story :: Case studies

case study image 1 Case studies

The following is a selection of projects implemented by The Corporate Story since its foundation in 2003.

Integration of Roche’s Vitamins business into DSM
In October 2003, DSM (the world’s largest biotech company, with 25,000 employees worldwide and annual sales of EUR 8 billion) acquired the Vitamins business of Roche (with 7,500 employees worldwide and sales of EUR 2.4 billion).

Jonathan Steffen advised DSM’s Corporate Communications Department on the development and implementation of a communication strategy for the acquisition and subsequent integration of Roche’s Vitamins business. Highlights of this two-year assignment included:

Writing the presentation for the worldwide cascade to explain the acquisition and the company’s new objectives
Writing subsequent letters to employees on behalf of the CEO of the newly acquired company
Numerous ghost-writing and speechwriting assignments for other senior managers
Editorial direction of the magazine VITAL that told the story of the integration (9 issues circulated to 60 countries during the course of 2 years)

For more information on DSM, please visit www.dsm.com.

Editorial Direction of Employee Prospectus for DSM Nutritional Products
Following the acquisition by DSM of Roche’s Vitamins business, it was decided to develop a new Employee Prospectus to help explain this business’s role within its new home at DSM. Jonathan Steffen assumed editorial direction of this project, highlights of which included:

Agreement of the objectives, structure, content and personality of the document with key process-owners
In-depth interviews with process owners for each of the chapters of the document
Development of all the text, including body text, photo captions and graphics
Development of visual concept for the document based on the brand values of DNP’s newly created employee magazine [we]
Oversight of the layout of the document

For more information on DSM Nutritional Products, please visit www.dsm.com/en_US/html/dnp/home_dnp.htm

Worldwide communication of DSM’s new Corporate Guidelines
In 2004, DSM revised its Corporate Guidelines, creating a new governance framework for the company’s activities. Since January 2005, Jonathan Steffen has been acting in a part-time capacity as Communications Officer for this project. Highlights of this role include:

Development of internal communication strategy and plan for explaining the rationale and process for the implementation of new Corporate Guidelines
Editing of the project e-magazine Blue Notes
Contributions to DSM’s internal publications, including DSM Executive Letter, DSM Magazine and DSM Nieuws
Development and editorial direction of project intranet
Development of ‘Picturing Sustainability’ poster campaign

Development of Internal Comms function for Brit Insurance Holdings PLC
In 2003/2004, Jonathan Steffen was asked to review the internal communications requirements of Brit Insurance Holdings, a company which had grown rapidly through acquisition and which had not by that stage set up a professional Internal Communications function. Highlights of the role included:

Auditing the current state of internal communications within Brit Insurance Holdings and benchmarking this against best practice in the financial services sector

Developing a short-term internal communications strategy to communicate the company’s new business strategy

Supporting the search for an Internal Communications Manager.

For more information on Brit Insurance Holdings PLC, please visit www.britinsurance.com.

Review and redevelopment of the story of the Tilbury Young brand
In 2004, the accountancy firm Tilbury Young was planning an acquisition that would significantly expand the scope of its operations. To prepare for this, the firm invited Jonathan Steffen to review its entire brand, from visual ID to corporate story, and make recommendations for developing it. Highlights of the role included:

Benchmarking the firm’s brand promise and positioning against that of its main competitors
Developing recommendations for maintaining the basic brand architecture but simplifying the company’s corporate story
Reviewing the firm’s new pitch procedure for strategic new accounts and sharpening the sales argument

For more information on Tilbury Young, please visit www.tyg.co.uk.

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