Vicky partnered with In the Middle to develop a distinctive name, striking visual identity, and dynamic tone of voice for the launch of Harding+’s new online communications platform.
The Challenge
With staff spread across multiple time zones, Harding+ faced a common yet complex issue: keeping everyone connected.
The challenge was to create an online communications platform that could bridge global distances and support seamless communication across the entire organisation.
The Approach
To address Harding+’s global communication challenges, we conducted in-depth research with employees across time zones to understand their needs, then developed a unifying name, visual identity, and tone of voice that resonate company-wide. We designed an accessible, flexible online platform that fosters seamless, inclusive communication—bringing the diverse team together no matter where they are.
Impact and outcomes
The launch event had high awareness and engagement within the first week of launching and understanding. It is still in its early stage but we had 40% of colleagues joining the platform in the first week. And these are not just remote colleagues, they’re super hard to reach colleagues working at sea, with limited connection, all in different time zones. So, the campaign had to have instant impact and clear call to action.
Weekly active users averaging 40-50% – with more and more being added all the time.
HARDING+
Internal comms.
Harding+ are growing and developing rapidly…and they need a way of communicating and engaging that can keep up with this growth.
We know that an engaged team is a happy team. That’s why the launch of SONAR was so important to the business. SONAR, powered by Zoom, will ensure all team members are informed, involved and recognised.
And the best bit? All this is at your fingertips, downloadable as a mobile app and accessible anytime, anyplace and anywhere.
Key benefits:
Connect – access company updates, get unique insight into landside and shipboard worlds, and share experiences across teams in real-time.
Collaborate – take part in discussions, create interest groups, crowd-source ideas and find solutions more quickly.
Celebrate – acknowledge great work instantly, recognise special colleague occasions, and share colleague and business success.
Engage – anytime, anyplace, anywhere – SONAR is mobile-friendly, making it easy to stay in the loop from any location.
We’re making it easier than ever to get connected and stay connected – making every cruise experience better for our teams.
Sonar
The core idea of sonar – sending out signals and receiving information back – beautifully mirrors the function of a communication platform.
Highlighting sONar making it clear that connection is always ON no matter where you are in the world. Sonar is your all-in-one communications platform at Harding+. Whether you’re ONboard or ONshore, it keeps you connected with your crew, in the loop with updates and always in the know.
Tone of Voice
Warm, affirming, and employee-centered.
Whether you’re ONboard or ONshore, it keeps you connected with your crew, in the loop with updates and always in the know.
Impact: The bold creative direction and clear messaging fostered excitement across teams, successfully uniting staff around a single communications platform and reinforcing a culture of connectivity and collaboration.
Why it worked: We delivered a suite of impactful assets that successfully brought everyone on board with sONar. The bold campaign generated strong engagement across the business, supported by a clear call to action that encouraged staff to sign up and connect. Weekly active users reached 40–50%, with daily active users climbing to 30% and continuing to grow — clear evidence that the campaign was delivering results.
“Working with Paul at In the Middle on this project was a dream – he’s like a true extension to the team. From the initial briefing and brainstorming meeting to the finished product, Paul just ‘got it’ and delivered quality at pace.
Vicky, Harding+
The range of assets provided really helped us to have impact across the business, to the point that within one week, we’d had 40% of colleagues joining the platform. And these are not just remote colleagues, they’re super hard to reach colleagues working at sea, with limited connection, all in different time zones. So, the campaign had to have instant impact and clear call to action.”
