CASE STUDY 3

The Who

Accenture is one of the world’s largest consulting firms, delivering enterprise solutions across industries like commercial aviation, government, and clean energy. Even at that scale, winning new business still means competing head-to-head with equally established consultancies.

To gain an edge, Accenture created PODs across the U.S. Small, nimble creative teams that function as in-house ad agencies, called in when a pitch needs to rise above the noise. Their role is simple but high stakes: turn complex solutions into compelling stories that help win the room.

This time, the goal was to secure a piece of the Coca-Cola business.

The What

Accenture was brought in to help Coca-Cola confront a growing challenge. While the brand was universally recognized, it was becoming less relevant in people’s everyday lives. Innovation had slowed, personality had faded, and the risk was clear. Legacy brands that fail to evolve don’t just stagnate, they disappear.

The CFO needed a way to motivate leadership, spark urgency, and avoid becoming the next cautionary tale. This wasn’t about numbers alone. It was about reframing the future of an iconic brand.

The How

Although embedded within Accenture, we didn’t begin with a traditional brief. We began with conversations. In speaking directly with the CCO, we uncovered a critical tension: Coca-Cola’s name would never be forgotten, but relevance is not guaranteed. Even the most iconic brands are vulnerable, as companies like Blockbuster and RadioShack had already proven.

Our task was to create an awakening moment. Something the CFO could use to challenge the C-suite and reframe the stakes. We wrote a manifesto that confronted the cost of complacency and paired it with an in-house video designed to provoke urgency, reflection, and momentum.

Together, they told a clear story. Innovation isn’t optional. And waiting is the fastest path to irrelevance.

The Win

The manifesto and video helped Accenture secure $1M in new business after the CFO shared the work with Coca-Cola’s leadership team.

The Work

Contributions: Script development and writer, video director, strategic development, research

The CCO of Coca-Cola had a big challenge—he needed to convince one of the most established companies in America that despite their centuries-long success, it was still vital for them to push boundaries and innovate. The video production manager and I started by researching the “too big to fail” cautionary tales—Kodak and Blockbuster to name a few—and positioned the need for fresh thinking. I wrote the script and helped direct the video in-house. In the end, the CCO used the final video and manifesto below in a presentation to his colleagues and motivated them to purchase a $1 Million dollar contract with Accenture.

Manifesto:

BE THE FEARLESS

We have a vision of the future.

A future that is fresh, bold and full of flavor.

One where the worlds’ desires aren’t just met, but anticipated.

Never wavering in our mission to refresh the world.

That future isn’t here yet.

But it’s for the taking.

It won’t be easy,

but nothing important ever is.

It will take effort, heart and guts.

Holding on to what works, but not so tightly that it becomes unmovable.

After all, no ever changed the world by standing still. 

Things are changing and we are here to answer the call.

To be the restless.

Be the bold.

Be the happiness.

Be the never satisfied.

A fresh future is coming.

Can you taste it?

Client: Arkansas Department of Human Services

Contributions: Script development and writing, strategic development, V.O. Talent

Arkansas was looking for a way to refresh and keep up with the growing demand of their state welfare programs. Accenture has experience streamlining other state agency program platforms, so they had a lot of technical expertise to offer. But above all else, this was a story about people—helping them get the food and doctor visits they need. So we conducted one-on-one interviews with Accenture employees about what working for the people of Arkansas would mean to them, human to human.

Arkansas ended up feeling the connection and awarded Accenture the business.

Behind-the-scenes: Workshops

No project moved forward until we met with each team to uncover the bigger picture, the ideas that would stand out, change minds and win the pitch. During the hours-long collaboration, we used interactive exercises to access the core human element to their technical solutions and build the strategic basis for our creative madness. Each workshop built a strong foundation for both the work and our team dynamic.