Brand Anthem
Role: Strategy
Challenge
Operating in more than 160 countries and employing more than 175,000 people, Carlson is a hospitality and travel industry giant. For its 75th anniversary, the company asked us to create a video for use at celebrations around the world.
To help Carlson expand the utility of the video, we suggested a slightly different approach: The creation of a brand anthem that included mention of the 75th anniversary. Taking this approach would make the video usable in multiple contexts, such as PR, marketing, employer branding, and new employee orientation.
Research
- Company history (biographies of founding family members, annual reports, marketing & branding tactics, corporate and social responsibility efforts)
- Consultation with Carlson staff and senior leadership
- Hospitality and travel industry trends
Insight
The practice of hospitality is ancient and driven by the commitment of one person to provide respite for another. Carlson is the modern embodiment of this concept.
White Space Opportunity
The hospitality industry is experiencing a crisis. There are many job openings for new professionals, but Millennials and GenerationZ workers, who are just starting their careers are hesitant to apply because they equate hospitality work with entry-level ‘labor’.
The hospitality company that solves this challenge will be the employer of choice for these employees, thereby positioning itself to lead the global hospitality market in the 21st century.
With its international presence, history of contributing to social good, and focus on empowering and celebrating the contributions of its employees, Carlson is exactly the kind of employer Millennial and GenerationZ employees are seeking.
Solution
Celebrate Carlson’s 75 years of history by telling the story of the humanity behind its brand – its employees – with particular emphasis on their contribution to Carlson’s dynamic business model and to social good around the world.
Execution
Using an inspirational script and eloquent voice-over, this cinematic video features originally photographed images of elegant, contemporary Carlson spaces and people and reprises a golden era of hospitality and civility while feeling sleek, modern and personal.
Results
The Carlson “Global Reach. Human Touch.” brand anthem was unveiled at a company-wide event in Stockholm, Sweden in the summer of 2013. According to company leaders, it received “the best reaction to any Carlson marketing tactic seen in the last 25 years,” and is now being used throughout the company.
