In 2007, The Thomson Corporation, one of the world’s largest media and information companies, announced its intention to acquire Reuters, the financial data provider and the largest media source in the world. Unprecedented in its complexity, the deal required endorsement and enthusiasm from regulators, shareholders, customers and employees.Following an 11-month review and approval period, Thomson Reuters launched on April 17, 2008, marking a new era in the intelligent information industry. The acquisition was a remarkable achievement and required managing an extraordinary amount of information to drive the integration in a highly controlled and coordinated manner so as not to distract employees from the very real priorities of running the business.With employee events worldwide, the launch was celebrated with integrated marketing activities connecting more than 50,000 employees in almost 100 countries. Thomson Reuters marked the landmark day with a total of 31 internal and external stakeholder events which took place around the globe.

Phase 1: Pre-regulatory approval: A first step in implementing the campaign was to ensure productive interaction with regulators, with both sides understanding each other’s position and working together to make progress. Internal communications were introduced to drive the momentum of the launch. Key messaging was developed for the CEO, positioning Thomson Reuters as the leading source of information for businesses and professionals. In order to familiarise employees with the merge, an online Newsletter was developed including an Integration Site. The team also held meetings with customer-facing employees to prepare them for operating as Thomson Reuters.Phase 2: Regulatory approval to launch:In preparation for the launch, the team executed a “Day 0” Media Relations campaign in London and New York, where they met with 180 individuals responsible for acting as brand ambassadors on launch day.

Phase 3: Launch of Thomson Reuters:The launch of Thomson Reuters was a global event delivered multiple ways for employees to experience the new brand. The agenda included Town Hall Meetings, a Global Broadcast, and the simultaneous bell-ringing at three stock exchanges by senior executives.

The campaign was a success by every measure. Regulators and shareholders approved the transaction; employees showed enthusiasm for Thomson Reuters and delivered strong financial results and, the company ranked 44th on BusinessWeek’s 100 Best Global Brands, marking a significant achievement for a new brand.

Campaign impact examples include:• 30,000 employees attending Town Hall events; 20,000 joined the live global webcast.• 350 million earned media impressions and targeted advertising in four key global markets.• 286 signs and 650 pieces of support signage were raised on Launch Day.• 100% customer retention in the month immediately following the launch.• 200 websites were re-branded; thomsonretuers.com yielded a 50% traffic increase.• A recent brand survey in U.S., U.K. and Canada found that key associations with the new brand were exactly in line with the executed strategy.