In our projects, as the Center Strategic Projects - the in-house consultancy of Deutsche Telekom - we place particular emphasis on clear communication of our messages. Based on our organic growth in recent years and considering accelerating digitalization, it was therefore time for us to sharpen our brand messages & -identity. In the following article we share our journey towards a new branding: From the identification of our values & core messages, to a conscious positioning of the CSP as part of Deutsche Telekom, to the translation of our image into a uniform design.
A good inhouse consultancy has to be up to date, recognize trends and be able to advise clients on future developments. Examples include the expansion of the 5G network or the establishment of new business units like a new "smart city" division. However, the initiative we describe in this article was, for once, all about us!
Trusted Advisors in transition
The Center Strategic Projects presence has been growing organically for over ten years. A long time, considering all the changes that have taken place during the last decade! Especially with regard to digitization, online media and social networks. Many companies have had difficulties in reflecting their identity coherently across all channels, and the same was true for us: Depending on the target group and communication channel, our appearance differed, sometimes quite significantly. The consequence was that different values and core messages were conveyed. It was time to restructure ourselves and our existing image.
Strategic and creative reinvention
It became clear to us very soon that a bit of cosmetics would not be enough. We had to rethink the CSP as a brand in its entirety - preferably starting from inside the team. One challenge was to put together a project team from the Center Strategic Projects (CSP) that was small enough to work efficiently without neglecting the rest of the team. After all, the most important thing about the project was that everyone could identify with the end result and drive this process of reinvention forward themselves.
Therefore, our first goal was to find out what the entire team was working on at the center. To achieve this, we conducted a series of workshops and surveys.
- Which values are important?
- How do you feel about the CSP?
- What does the CSP employee stand for?
- And what does the CSP customer stand for?
From all this, we had to filter out the core statements that would help us in the next step to derive visual representations of the brand, i.e. colors, shapes and so on. As typical consultants, we developed a brand positioning framework in which we analyzed the effect of our brand across customers, competitors and applicants. At the core is our newly developed mission and vision "We shape DT, being the trusted partner for strategic projects" and our original claim: Passion for Impact.
“Our “passion for impact” is expressed in our will to achieve the best possible results for our clients at all times. In doing so, we always act as a team that promotes & challenges itself through trusting interaction. After all, we want to grow together - personally and professionally". – Daniel Eckmann – Head of Center Strategic Projects
Next Steps: Consistent design and roll-out
Of course, the outcome of this derivation process was a very big step for us, but on the way to creating a successful image a crucial second step was needed: the translation into visual elements. We knew that we needed to spar with professionals - and brought an agency into the team. In the weeks that followed, there were intensive discussions about colors, shapes and their connotations. Once again, we condensed our values to the three most relevant for us and defined our brand core. We then discussed various possibilities for a visual translation. It was important to us to create a look that would tie in with our "mother", Deutsche Telekom, and represent modernity and professionalism.
And we achieved a successful translation with our new design. Consulting is a people business, which is why our employees are the main focus of our efforts. They are superimposed by "Magenta Digits" and establish the connection to the company that we passionately want to transform. As the highlight of our brand appearance, we have selected 3 different pairs of adjectives that stand for the CSP and our values. We also reduced our descriptive name to the core of what we are: CENTER STRATEGIC PROJECTS.
We were able to introduce the new brand at our annual kick-off event in early 2020. In order for all colleagues to get started with the new look, we equipped them with the entire package of brand material: pretty cell phone and PC desktop wallpapers, master slides and stickers. After all, the new and fresh look is something we now want to show with pride. We also provided all center employees with a framework to help them implement our new brand in their activities, the so-called brand steering wheel. A starting point for designing communication - internally and externally.
This process is probably never quite finished, but we are confident that we have established a very good foundation. At regular intervals, we hold discussions with the management team and our colleagues to ensure we always have our finger on the pulse: this gives us a better sense of whether our mission, vision and values continues to be valid and can be implemented. The groundwork has been done, now it is a matter of making it recognizable for everyone and communicating it internally and externally.
Additionally, we also harmonized all our online channels 😉. Check out our LinkedIn profile!
