Bunzl
Capital Markets Day campaign
Despite its strong track-record of growth and differentiated offer, many potential investors still saw Bunzl as primarily a delivery service, which was threatened by the supremacy of companies like Amazon and the growing shift in customer needs due to sustainability-related regulation. To address these misconceptions, the leadership team had a vision for a high-profile Capital Markets Day that would signal a step-change in the communications strategy, with a more front-footed and polished approach to attract confidence from a much wider audience of investors.
Despite its strong track-record of growth and differentiated offer, many potential investors still saw Bunzl as primarily a delivery service, which was threatened by the supremacy of companies like Amazon and the growing shift in customer needs due to sustainability-related regulation. To address these misconceptions, the leadership team had a vision for a high-profile Capital Markets Day that would signal a step-change in the communications strategy, with a more front-footed and polished approach to attract confidence from a much wider audience of investors.
Creating a distinctive campaign identity
We worked alongside Bunzl to create a distinct graphic identity and messaging for their Capital Markets Day, ensuring consistent application of the identity across all key touchpoints. Our corporate communications and sustainability specialists developed a compelling campaign narrative to form the foundation for all communications. This provided a robust framework for the campaign theme, and ensured the communications objectives were cohesively delivered through each channel including film, digital and physical event space and event collateral.
Creating a distinctive campaign identity
We worked alongside Bunzl to create a distinct graphic identity and messaging for their Capital Markets Day, ensuring consistent application of the identity across all key touchpoints. Our corporate communications and sustainability specialists developed a compelling campaign narrative to form the foundation for all communications. This provided a robust framework for the campaign theme, and ensured the communications objectives were cohesively delivered through each channel including film, digital and physical event space and event collateral.
The challenges
- Deliver a compelling, hybrid CMD experience that raises Bunzl’s profile, addresses investor misconceptions, and signals a step-change in communications ambition
- Provide a refreshed investment identity with a more polished creative approach and confident, powerful messaging strategies
- Highlight Bunzl’s tailored solutions and value added customer proposition as a differentiator from companies like Amazon
- Change the perception of Bunzl’s sustainability offering, showcasing the compelling ESG proposition and the growth opportunity (rather than risk) created by the shift to alternative sustainable product
- Demonstrate how Bunzl’s Covid-resilience provides a catalyst to drive organic profit growth
The challenges
- Deliver a compelling, hybrid CMD experience that raises Bunzl’s profile, addresses investor misconceptions, and signals a step-change in communications ambition
- Provide a refreshed investment identity with a more polished creative approach and confident, powerful messaging strategies
- Highlight Bunzl’s tailored solutions and value added customer proposition as a differentiator from companies like Amazon
- Change the perception of Bunzl’s sustainability offering, showcasing the compelling ESG proposition and the growth opportunity (rather than risk) created by the shift to alternative sustainable product
- Demonstrate how Bunzl’s Covid-resilience provides a catalyst to drive organic profit growth
The results
The 2021 Capital Markets Day successfully repositioned Bunzl as the leader in tailored solutions for global customers, with strong opportunities afforded by the shift to more sustainable products. Seven films shot across four continents showcased innovation across the Group, with customer testimonials and product displays to reinforce the sustainability positioning, and compelling presentations, interviews, and panels to highlight the strength and depth of the global leadership team. The event was extremely well-received, leading to a strong share price increase. Positive analyst coverage confirmed that the key messages around growth, sustainability and innovation had landed, and the event was even covered in national business news by The Times with the headline, “Bunzl’s charm offensive shows rest how it’s done”. The Capital Markets Day also won a gold award at the Corporate & Financial Awards 2022 for Best Event. This success set the tone for a refreshed approach across all corporate channels, including a new website and enhanced Annual Report.
The results
The 2021 Capital Markets Day successfully repositioned Bunzl as the leader in tailored solutions for global customers, with strong opportunities afforded by the shift to more sustainable products. Seven films shot across four continents showcased innovation across the Group, with customer testimonials and product displays to reinforce the sustainability positioning, and compelling presentations, interviews, and panels to highlight the strength and depth of the global leadership team. The event was extremely well-received, leading to a strong share price increase. Positive analyst coverage confirmed that the key messages around growth, sustainability and innovation had landed, and the event was even covered in national business news by The Times with the headline, “Bunzl’s charm offensive shows rest how it’s done”. The Capital Markets Day also won a gold award at the Corporate & Financial Awards 2022 for Best Event. This success set the tone for a refreshed approach across all corporate channels, including a new website and enhanced Annual Report.
Around 100 people attending in person and 600 unique views online. Within less than two months there were a further 600 unique downloads of the CMD slides, demonstrating the reach and longevity of the content created. The event highlighted the depth of the management team and has given renewed confidence. Bunzl’s share price rose 8% between the CMD on the 11th October and the Q3 trading update on 26th October, before continuing to rise. Investors and analysts have stated that the CMD changed their perceptions of Bunzl’s ESG positioning for the better. Not only did it abate concerns about exposure to regulation, but they successfully demonstrated that their ESG strategy is credible and a differentiator. The messaging, branding and assets produced for the event have been utilised on the new plc website, as well as by Bunzl’s operating companies, delivering a new compelling investment and wider brand identity.