Beierholm is the fifth largest accounting firm in Denmark with more than 1,000 employees and more than 26 locations across Denmark. The company has grown substantially thanks to a consistent concept, relentless focus on small to medium-sized enterprises and a communication concept that reflects empathy, professionalism and the ability to see eye-to-eye with clients. Beierholm The task Beierholm and Kunde & Co have worked together since 2008, initially having repositioned the company and effected a name-change from “Mortensen & Beierholm” to the more concise “Beierholm.” From there, the task changed to delivering on the perception of Beierholm with steady improvement, consistent execution and concept exposure. With employees and revenue more than doubling as a result and an image that ranks amongst the strongest in the market, Beierholm is now well-established in an industry dominated by large, international companies. Creating a long-term strategy through buy-in and internal alignment To create real value for Beierholm, a common corporate strategy and concept were both needed. With different tonalities and visual styles existing at the time, Beierholm’s vision and values were misaligned, and the company was seen as an old-school, dusty accounting firm. Beierholm couldn’t disperse the clutter and deliver key messaging, so internal workshops and external interviews were conducted to find common ground between company stakeholders - laying the foundation for the Beierholm of the future. Finding the right positioning in the market At the time, very few companies within finance and accounting paid attention to strategic marketing. Many relied on the mantra that 'bigger is better', which meant communicating with the largest companies in Denmark and trying to sway them with professionalism, straightforward dialogue, a “blue-chip” look-and-feel and a focus on numbers and results – instead of people. From this Beierholm developed their value proposition. A unique corporate concept Having been a small company from Jutland themselves, Beierholm never forgot its roots as a company for smaller and mid-sized enterprises that delivered individualized solutions. The concept line, 'Vi skaber balance', was created to emphasize a holistic approach to business and people - a fine balance between results, growth, finances and day-to-day life where personal matters, values and ambitions were just as important. It articulated a common internal and external goal: balance for both clients and employees. Making the concept come to life With the value proposition in place, a corresponding marketing system was needed to reach potential clients and illustrate the positioning. Beierholm wanted to beat its bombastic competitors, so the logical path ran opposite of theirs: no showing off. Thus emerged the case format that would characterize Beierholm for many years: using cases to tell the Beierholm story through customers. This method proved both authentic and trustworthy, providing the proof-of-concept needed to build the future brand. Consistency makes the difference Going forward, a consistent execution was key - moving a brand is no short-term game. It’s the concept and the connection between campaigns that really matters: jumping from platform to platform, between different formats, segments and concepts in the blink of an eye, dilutes the message and reduces its impact. Having achieved one of the best market images, and the ability to take ownership of key client parameters, Beierholm confirmed its strategy’s viability. Utilising the concept to build the brand When the campaign began, Beierholm wasn’t a large player compared to its international competitors; unaided awareness was a mere 11% across the market. The challenge would be to stand out from the crowd – on a limited budget. This was done via a new visual universe, substantially different from those of competitors, which included strong repetitive elements – the most apparent of which was a branding device in the form of the letter, 'O', which ensured that collective efforts gave value to the brand. A massive impact on a limited budget Media choice was crucial; large inserts in the biggest Danish business magazines guaranteed that Beierholm got the attention it needed and that the corporate story was told in an extraordinary way. Campaign backup on TV2 News ensured almost full penetration of the target group through a professional medium that could communicate the true Beierholm concept, without the large budget needed for a TVC campaign across multiple channels. This resulted in unaided awareness more than tripling to 35%. Results Most satisfied employees for companies with > 500 people Best industry image for companies with 10-49 employees Unaided awareness increased from 11% to 35% From 14 offices to 26 From 450 employees to approx. 1,000 Attraction and completion of multiple acquisitions since 2008 – latest, involving RSM and AP, added over 200 employees What we delivered Corporate religion process New corporate/communication concept New visual identity New website/mail template TVC’s showcasing Beierholm’s competencies and values through cases Articles, direct mails, inserts, brochures, roll-ups, board games, banners etc. Continuous optimisation and strategy development Competitor analysis Complete media handling and buying See some of our work in related areas Design Film Digital Campaign Corporate Internal alignment Corporate positioning and brand system Market and customer insights Business to business Service industry Andreas Fisker Nielsen Director +45 6124 6194 Scroll to see the next Client Story Danske Commodities