The Timken Company
Case Study
Creating brand and communications strategies for a global industrial leader, including its CSR, investor, innovation and R&D platforms, as it repositions for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the next generation of talent and application engineering.
In 2022, The Timken Company celebrated a significant milestone in its history.
H&S produced a video, shown in New York City’s Time Square, to commemorate the accomplishment.
How does a 125-year-old global brand stay relevant and reach the next generation of talent with its corporate brand communications, given its own growth coupled with the pressures of the Fourth Industrial Revolution?
H&S has worked with The Timken Company and its current global chief communications officer for seven years. As long-time partners, we have advised Timken’s C-suite on corporate brand strategy, management, and innovation questions.
Our multiple initiatives include brand messaging; website strategy, design and content; editorial planning and executions; digital channel and content management; investor communications; corporate social responsibility vision and reports; and annual reports.
With our longtime partner Eleanor Safe Design Co. , we have evolved the corporate design vision and image to ensure the brand remains true to its long history and engineering culture, but is also positioned for what’s next.
H&S Role & Services
Brand Strategy, Management and Innovation Strategies and Implementation
- Developed brand integration process for ongoing M&A activities
- Developed strategic roadmap to communicate next-gen business strategy to global workforce of 18,000 employees — from factory floor to top floor
- Developed annual narratives, messages, and guidelines to guide corporate brand storytelling
- Developed editorial process and planning approach to guide content development and deployment across channels, including social media, corporate website, company blog, and media relations
- Developed first-ever content strategy and user journeys to guide corporate brand expressions across digital ecosystem
- Evolved corporate website and investor site, including approach, site map, content, and design
- Created and implemented vision for corporate Instagram account and social content
- Re-envisioned annual report approach to serve a new generation of investors and developed themes and content for annual reports over last six years
- Developed vision and structural framework for CSR reporting and developed themes and content for CSR reports over last five years
- Developed vision and approach to evaluate product sustainability on an ongoing basis, including The Timken Company’s Sustainable Engineering Model
- Evolved brand standards to encompass compelling corporate storytelling across physical environments (WHQ) and digital channels
During our tenure with the company,
Timken has been recognized as:
"One of America's Most Innovative Companies" by Fortune
“One of America’s Best Large Employers” by Forbes
“One of America’s Most Responsible Companies” by Newsweek
“One of the World’s Most Ethical Companies” by Ethisphere
“One of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity” by Newsweek
A Growing Relationship
- Long-term relationship with representatives of company leadership as company grew from a $1B to a $4.5B business
- Advisors to C-suite across departments and brand initiatives
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