Introduction
Awakened superpowers
EUNited is a long-term internal communication program in the Michelin EUN (UK, DACH, Nordics) organisation, focusing on creating a positive team spirit and hands-on attitude to address and master the dynamic change of both, the business and the organisation.
The Challenge
Let's start the journey
Getting the buy-in for a 500 million saving program from the stakeholders is never easy, no matter how well a company is organised and led.
To make things even more ambitious, the EUNited campaign addressed the Michelin EUN (middle) management teams and was meant to fuel the managers’ spirit and passion for the necessary change. Spiking that kind of team spirit can be tricky even in the best of times. Kicking off a 500 million saving program in the middle of a pandemic added an additional layer of complexity to the anyway delicate communication strategy.
What We Did
Michelin EUN decided to base the entire change communication program on the Transtheoretical Model (“Stages of Change”) as described by James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente (University of Rhode Island).
In a process of intentional change, they found, people go through a potentially up-circling process in five stages: Pre-Contemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action and Maintenance. Based on this theory, the program offered opportunities – events, conversation, support – to go through these stages as a team and join in commonly shared (brand) experience.
How We Delivered
A special kind of journey
There are a couple of parallels between the “Stages of Change” and the “Hero’s Journey” model as it is used in therapy or storytelling.
In absence of opportunity for in-person meetings, the creative concept utilized the basic principles of both models and focused on passive as well as active elements on different stages – video messages by management, joint strategy development, conference and workshops – throughout the year 2021. Cornerstone element of the project was the EUNited virtual 2-days conference in May 2021. Supported through a virtual setting created in a specialised Mixed Reality Studio located in Frankfurt (Germany), EUNited was able to create a shared spirit and passion for change and kick-off the implementation phase successfully.
The Key Facts
Project: Michelin EUNited Spirit 2021
Mission: Initiate an internal process to encourage a new company culture and spirit for Michelin in the EUN Region.
Solution: an internal conference designed to create a culture of new ideas.
Result: high engagement digital events that led to new ideas and promoted a shift in behaviour and culture.
The Numbers
1 year of activity and discussion
2 days of digital conference
4 key topics
7 super-heroes
10 countries involved
30+ speakers
1,300+ participants
5,000 messages in the related chat
68,000 emojis shared
