Richardson Milling produces rolled oats and other cereal products from its substantial milling site in Bedford. Its products are supplied wholesale to food producers including cereal manufacturers and large supermarkets.
The chances are, you eat Richardson Milling oats and cereal for breakfast most mornings, you just don’t know it!
The Brief:
Richardson Milling approached Announce with a brief to help them improve their food safety culture. Food safety is of paramount importance to any food manufacturer and Richardson Milling wanted to implement an internal communications programme to improve its already high food safety reputation.
Our approach:
We developed a carefully planned and phased strategy which included involving employees from the very first step. We knew we needed to engage with employees from the outset and take them with us on the food safety journey.
First, though, we needed to understand the company and its current culture, so we developed and ran a survey, issued to all employees. The data from this survey was not only useful for our programme but also served as a useful set of insights for senior management.
We also set up a number of steering committees made up of employees from a range of departments across the organisation, who together helped to generate a new brand and shape the comms activities that would resonate best with their fellow colleagues.
Based on the survey and the committee, we came up with a brand that encompassed the values that employees felt best reflected the company, which were safe, friendly and supportive.
The overriding strategy behind the comms campaign was to encourage employees to feel a sense of pride in their work. As part of the survey and steering committee exercise, we noticed an overwhelming sense of belonging and community and we decided to harness this by showcasing employees and how they feel about the company through a series of ‘hero’ images displayed around the Richardson Milling sites.
According to Richardson Milling, the campaign so far has already had a positive impact on improving food safety, with employees feeling empowered, pride in their work and an increased and renewed sense of belonging and community with their colleagues.
The Results:
Our work has directly benefited Cambria in terms of new business. PR has served to bring in new leads which have converted to clients.
What’s more, Cambria now has a consistent tone of voice along with regular, on message communications across a range of channels.]
“I approached Announce after seeing the work they had done for other clients locally. Our "message" to our customers was confused, irregular and not always looking the same!
Quickly, Lindsay and Felicity came up with a plan of action of how to make sure we have one voice, working to one vision. During 2021, they have methodically worked through this process to the point where we are now generating new leads and business as a direct consequence of their work. Would recommend highly.
