Visually Telling a Story of Change
A Clarion client recently reached ‘the end of the beginning’ in a multi-year digital transformation project. However, this isn’t just a technical change; it’s a huge cultural one too.
As the organisation recently celebrated this crucial moment in their journey, it was also the perfect moment to pause, reflect, and re-energise their people around what’s next.
Clarion’s Strategic and Creative Communications Team researched, designed and delivered an internal communications campaign that connected employees with the story of the organisation’s journey so far, celebrated their achievements and looked ahead to the exciting decade to come.
The Campaign: Bringing the Story to Life
At the heart of the campaign was a visually striking timeline hung up on the walls throughout their offices. It mapped the major moments from the past ten years such as key technology milestones, teams and functions being set-up, and strategic achievements. It also projected years into the future, showing the more tangible benefits that are still to come.
Other channels supported the physical installation, including:
A two-day conference for teams to come together, with a sense of community and shared experience
A series of expert blogs providing deeper insights from early adopters and those leading the change.
News articles sharing updates and success stories.
Digital signage in multiple client sites, reinforcing the key messages and campaign visuals.
Together, these elements created a multi-channel experience that reached employees in several locations - both in-person and digitally.
Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement
From the very beginning, stakeholder engagement was central to success. We conducted a research and discovery phase that involved interviewing key stakeholders and subject matter experts to uncover the stories, successes and perspectives that would form the backbone of the campaign.
Maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders throughout the project in touchpoint meetings and collaborative content approvals ensured the messages were accurate and authentic.
As one senior leader commented:
“I wanted to say to you how fabulous the panels around the building are. It’s been fantastic collaboration to make this happen.”
Another leader was excited to see the final versions on the wall, in person:
“I have heard such amazing things about the panels - I can’t wait to see them!”
These sentiments reflect the shared ownership and trust that underpinned the campaign’s success.
The Impact
The campaign’s strong visual impact and authentic storytelling also resonated deeply with employees. As one person put it:
“Not only is it visually great, but it’s also not complicated and tells the story from the start, which was a long time ago.”
While positive qualitative feedback highlighted how the installation made the journey relevant and accessible, setting performance metrics and criteria at the start of the campaign enabled meaningful evaluation and demonstrable impact.
The calls to action in the campaign resulted in SharePoint pages views up around 50% from previous month, both across whole programme site and on key pages.
There was a noticeable increase in the rate of first-time visitors too.
The supporting blogs and news stories also quickly became among the most-read on internal sites.
Originally planned as a two-week campaign, the initiative was extended to three weeks due to overwhelmingly positive feedback and engagement.
Making the Official First Day Count
By the time a new starter arrives in the office on their official first day, we want them to feel that we’ve been preparing for them. Because we have. They’re greeted personally and never left to sit awkwardly on their own. There’s an allocated seat ready for them and a welcome pack ready for them: a notepad, pen, pass, as well as their laptop. They’re small touches that show we’ve thought about their arrival and want them to feel part of the team from the first minute.
We’ll even have their name on the welcome screen in the reception area. It’s not about fanfare or gimmicks. It’s about showing that they’ve been expected, and that we’re all excited they’re here. Their first day is structured and full, not to overwhelm, but to give a sense of inclusion. We tailor the day to their background and experience, ensuring it’s meaningful and engaging.
Looking Ahead
Change communication works best when people can see themselves in the story. By blending visual storytelling, leadership voices, and strong stakeholder collaboration, we helped our client turn a complex technical transformation into a shared human journey.
The foundations have been laid for the next few years, with everyone keenly aware of how they fit in. This campaign has shown that when storytelling and strategy come together, change feels not only possible, but inspiring.