How I helped a multinational manufacturer bring digital transformation to life — from the inside out
When a global organisation needed to shift from tech-driven change to people-driven adoption, I helped them build a brand for their transformation team, craft a communication strategy, and bring it to life with events, content, and internal platforms.
Overview
Main goal:
Increase visibility and internal support for digital initiatives by positioning the transformation department as a strategic enabler.
Key outcomes
A department identity and communication strategy rooted in real employee insight
High engagement from senior leadership across internal channels and events
Internal positioning elevated from ‘IT project’ to strategic business transformation
Background
When transformation stalls at the people layer
The digital transformation team had strong technical momentum but not the internal visibility they desired. The company’s stakeholders weren’t clear on the team’s role, the purpose of the initiatives, or how the work related to them.
What began as a significant system upgrade needed to become a cultural shift.
Solution
Starting right: Brand audit
To understand how the transformation department was seen internally and uncover communication gaps, I ran a lightweight brand audit via 25 in-depth interviews.
We explored:
How well the department was understood
Where confusion or misalignment lived
What people needed to feel engaged, not disrupted
Turning research into strategy, and strategy into participation
Insights from the interviews pointed to several key gaps: the team lacked a clearly articulated mission, communication channels were inconsistent, and employees wanted more storytelling—not just information.
What we created:
A brand identity for the department: role, mission, value
A messaging strategy to position them as enablers, not enforcers
A comms plan with channel mix, frequency, and content pillars
Event concepts to bring people into the conversation
Building the system
We structured the strategy into a messaging map: a tool used internally to align what to say, to whom, and where.
It became the foundation for:
The department’s intranet page and internal Slack-style channel
Story-driven content explaining transformation themes in plain language
Collaboration frameworks with other departments to amplify reach
Why this worked
Because it didn’t feel like comms. It felt like participation. The team became visible, human, and relevant—not just technical.
Making transformation real for the people driving it
We launched a series of high-impact, high-trust activations:
Flagship internal events with 100+ senior leaders and staff
A dedicated communication hub with stories, updates, and FAQs
Written content tailored to specific departments and change stages
Final thoughts
Transformation doesn’t succeed because of tech. It succeeds because of trust.
This project proved that internal messaging isn’t a nice-to-have during change—it’s infrastructure. With the right insight and structure, communication can move people, shape culture, and help even the most complex transformation feel grounded, inclusive, and achievable.
Your message shapes how you're seen
and what gets traction.
If you're navigating a pivotal moment and need your communication to keep pace, I’m here to help.