In 2024, two PR agency giants—BCW and Hill & Knowlton—merged to become Burson, instantly shaking up the industry. We needed a launch that wasn't just big, it was unforgettable. We wanted to wow clients and rally our employees. Our plan? A social first blitz that would unveil Burson to the world and turn our 6,000 employees into a force of brand ambassadors.
This was the biggest PR merger ever, and all eyes were on us. The Burson launch had to be smart and seamless, proving we were ready to redefine the industry. But it wasn't just about a big reveal. We also had to get 6,000 employees to switch their LinkedIn profiles from their legacy agencies to Burson – a manual task that had to be coordinated across 95+ offices in 40+ markets. Throw in the added pressure of generating excitement and awareness within a tight two-week window coinciding with the Cannes Lions Festival and a limited budget, and the pressure was on.
Mergers mean change, and change can be scary. New everything – teams, leaders, systems and tech, even the office vibe. Our employee pulse surveys showed a mix of excitement and fatigue. Our teams needed a morale boost (without breaking the bank). So we took something everyone had to do—update their LinkedIn profiles on launch day— and turned it into something they wanted to do.
Our strategy innovatively turned LinkedIn’s "Celebrate a new position" feature into a viral announcement party. By cleverly “hacking” this familiar format, we celebrated Becoming Burson on launch day. This creative twist felt native to the platform, but our bold black and yellow branding made it pop. We empowered 6,000 employees with the step-by-step tools to spread the word, turning our launch into a LinkedIn takeover. And by timing it just before the Cannes Lions festival, we put the news right in front of the world's top creatives and communications and marketing professionals.
The creative execution was simple and seamless:
Branded GIFs: The custom GIFs, designed to resemble LinkedIn's celebration templates, were the centerpiece of the campaign. They were visually striking, easy to share, and instantly communicated the brand message.
Employee LinkedIn Toolkit: The toolkit, hosted on our intranet, provided employees with everything they needed to participate in the launch, ensuring a consistent and impactful brand presence across individual profiles.
"Becoming Burson" Messaging: This concise and clever phrase perfectly captured the essence of the merger and resonated with the target audience. However, by design, we didn’t provide suggested post copy to employees, which encouraged them to mark the moment in their own, authentic words.
Colleagues across our global network showed up in force and turned LinkedIn Burson Yellow on launch day. This innovative and cost-effective campaign successfully launched Burson on LinkedIn, generating significant buzz, boosting brand awareness, and driving employee engagement.
Algorithmic Success: Posts garnered significant engagement, surpassing LinkedIn’s algorithmic noise.
Industry Recognition: Peers, clients and media took note of the buzz, increasing awareness about Burson’s merger.
Public Awareness: Employee posts on launch day colored LinkedIn in black and yellow, leaving a lasting visual impact.
Viral Impact: Innovative use of LinkedIn features led to widespread visibility and recognition for Burson.
Business Impact: On launch day, LinkedIn was the highest source of traffic to our homepage.
