Situation: Between 1985 and 1990, during an explosion of M&A activity that left few industries untouched, International Paper acquired more than 24 companies, almost all of them leaders in their narrow industry niches.

Challenge: From a corporate identity point of view, the result was pandemonium: IP’s organization chart was 18 landscape pages of Hammermill Paper (an acquisition) wide and only one page deep. Neither employees nor customers nor investors could understand the company as management wanted it to be seen – that is, as a “house” of premium brands.

Response: Because the acquired names all had significant value, the challenge was to create an architecture that defined the right relationship between the parent company, its premium offspring, buyers, investors and employees.

Result: With strong support from the CEO,  I identified the problem, retained a skilled consultant and developed the program.

Design: Ben Larrabee Associates; Strategy, research and project management: Neil Gluckin, Director of Marketing Communication