Juniper Sidebar: The Bell Heard Round the World
Print
E-mail
When Juniper Networks Inc. (JNPR) CEO Kevin Johnson stepped up to the podium on the morning of Oct. 29, 2009, to open trading at the New York Stock Exchange, the bell was heard around the world — literally. Thousands of Juniper employees gathered in 45 offices worldwide to watch a simulcast of the event and celebrate not only the move to a new exchange but the launch of an entirely new brand identity for the company.
“When we decided to do the launch, the CEO thought it was extremely important that our employees feel connected to this,” says Catherine Roberts, Juniper’s director of internal communications. “This is one of the biggest things the company has ever done on a global scale in terms of employee communication.”
The employee engagement campaign started a few days ahead of the launch with teaser e-mails sent to Juniper’s 7,000-plus employees. On the morning of the big event, every employee found a “drop” either on his or her desk or via e-mail that included an announcement of the new branding campaign and an invitation from the leadership team to join them on this journey. Inside the invitation was a $20 voucher that employees could use to buy Juniper products with the new logo from the company’s online store.
Major parties with cakes, ice cream, music, games and giveaways were held at Juniper’s four largest offices in Sunnyvale, Calif.; Westford, Mass.; Bangalore, India; and Beijing. The events all featured a “graffiti wall” with the company’s timeline written across it, and employees were encouraged to write their name on the year they joined and to add comments. Every office with 10 or more employees hosted satellite events to watch the Opening BellSM ceremony live or on a podcast, depending on where they fell along the international date line.
“Employees are walking brand ambassadors,” Roberts explains. “If you engage them in what you are doing, they can be very strong advocates. So if you want them to help you achieve your goals and execute the strategy, they need to understand and buy into what you are doing.”
