Communication on track
Reputation management for a discounter
Reputation management for a discounter
A German discount retailer with significant business success but a tarnished reputation – a situation that arose due to factory disasters and a highly passive public communication approach. Under new CEO leadership and with a stronger focus on sustainability and social standards, the company aimed to enhance its public image and professionalize its external communication.
Assignment
Breaking down prejudices, explaining the perceived contradiction between discount retail and sustainability, and positioning the company as a reliable and successful retailer—one that has learned from its mistakes. This included engaging with the public, industry and leading media, as well as the political arena to reshape its reputation.
Strategy
- Improve reputation: The company’s reputation, which was partially shaped by strong prejudices, needed to be improved.
- Open up communication: The previously defensive and passive communication needed to be transformed into a proactive strategy, allowing the company to take control of the narrative and set its own topics.
- Focus on sustainability: The company’s extensive sustainability initiatives needed to receive greater public recognition and visibility.
- A recognisable voice of the industry: The company and its CEO should be heard in important economic and retail debates.
Outcome
In close coordination with the company, its CEO, and key departments—particularly corporate communications and sustainability/ESG—we strategically positioned the company across various target groups.
Through proactive media relations, targeted presentation of key topics, and complementary political dialogue, we successfully engaged even with previously critical audiences, helping to create a more balanced and realistic public perception of the retailer.
Today, both the company and its CEO are frequently sought-after conversation partners for trade media, business reporting, and broader public forums.
- Reputation management
- Public Relations
- Communication on ESG-topics
- CEO communication
A voice for the descendants of the resistance against National Socialism.
The 20th July Foundation is a non-profit association of survivors and descendants of the resistance movement against the unjust rule of National Socialism. Among its key responsibilities is the preparation and organization of the annual commemoration ceremony in Berlin on July 20th, honoring the memory of the 1944 resistance.
To mark the 80th anniversary of the assassination attempt on Hitler, the foundation issued a manifesto emphasizing the significance of the resistance against the Nazi dictatorship for today’s society in Germany and Europe. The manifesto was signed by more than 650 individuals, including former German Presidents Horst Köhler, Christian Wulff, and Joachim Gauck.
With this manifesto, the 20th July Foundation shifts its focus to the present and future, sending a clear message: 80 years after the attempted coup, the priority is to strengthen democracy in Germany. The men and women of the resistance serve as role models for our actions today.
Strategy
Bringing the foundation’s mission into the media spotlight and giving a voice to its crucial messages—that was the goal. HimmelsSchreiber organized the press conference, invited key figures from its network, and provided strategic communication support throughout the event. Following the preparation of press materials, journalists were personally engaged to amplify the foundation’s message. In addition, the LinkedIn campaign “80 Days, 80 Quotes” was launched, creatively bringing the remembrance of the resistance against National Socialism into the digital space. The campaign featured a countdown-style release of quotes, posted daily at 12:42 PM—the exact time of Stauffenberg’s bomb explosion—on LinkedIn, making history resonate in a powerful and innovative way.
Outcome
Co-Managing Director Michael Behrens successfully moderated the press conference on July 20th. The LinkedIn campaign struck a chord with the audience and generated remarkable engagement. The posts received over 18,000 likes, and the foundation gained 2,000 new followers on LinkedIn within the 80-day period.
- Organisation and support for the press conference
- Strategic positioning of the foundation's topics in the media
- Writing speeches for the press conference participants ️
- Visibility in the digital media
New start for corporate communications
The initial situation: trust lost, reputation damaged
The publicly listed industrial services provider had experienced significant instability in the years leading up to 2022. Business divisions were discontinued, while others were acquired—leading critics to publicly question the lack of a clear strategy. Frequent changes in top leadership further fueled uncertainty.
Trust among internal and external stakeholders was depleted, and employees were either uncertain or frustrated. The arrival of a new CEO was meant to mark a turning point and restore confidence in the company.
Strategy
Strategic and operational support at all levels
Expanding the new CEO’s personal network within the media, key institutions, and among political decision-makers.
Operational support for the corporate communications department.
Expanding the media network to enhance the company’s public relevance and visibility.
Development and continuous refinement of core messages for internal and external communication.
Communication training for executives to effectively and convincingly present the new strategy.
Outcome
Successfully repositioned with employees, media and investors
Today, the company has been successfully repositioned as an industrial services provider with a strong focus on energy efficiency and sustainability—gaining recognition from the public, customers, and capital markets alike. The new strategy has not only driven business success but has also resonated well with stakeholders. Over the past two years, the company’s stock price has more than doubled, leading to its promotion from the SDAX to the MDAX of the German Stock Exchange. Additionally, the media tone surrounding the company has significantly improved compared to previous years.
- Communicating the new strategy internally and externally
- Enhancing the reputation of the new CEO, who was previously unknown in Germany
- Presentation of the transformation process from a crisis-ridden traditional company to a successful international player
- Generate enthusiasm, motivation and commitment among employees
