CASE STUDIES:
IMPACT IN ACTION
Case studies in transformation, M&A, leadership, crisis, and AI adoption.
Case Studies
Strategic communication proves itself under pressure.
These case studies show how we help organizations cut through the noise and build credibility with employees, clients, journalists, and investors. They draw on client mandates and 17 years of in-house leadership. All cases are anonymized: confidentiality comes first.
Transformation & Restructuring · Technology & Innovation · Luxury & Lifestyle · Organization & Brand · Issues & Crisis · Market Entry · Leadership Communication
Featured client case · Automotive · Transformation & Change
Rebuilding Trust in a Plant Transformation
How a major European automaker kept employees, leaders, media, and partners on board, from new values to an M&A decision on the future of a plant.
Client: Major European automaker, production site with 2,000+ employees · Scope: Change and transformation, internal campaign, leadership and scenario communication, media and stakeholder relations · Role: Strategic sparring partner to the head of communications and plant leadership · Status: Decision phase completed, implementation ongoing
2,000+
employees on site, facing an open future
9 months
from new values to an M&A decision, in one continuous line of communication
Up to 5
scenarios prepared before the decision, ready when it changed at short notice
The challenge
A plant facing an uncertain future: a change program underway, several scenarios for the site under evaluation, and trust under pressure. Employees learned more from the news than from their own leadership. And every step would be watched by media, politics, and partners.
The impact
- Decision communicated as planned, despite short-term changes to the M&A scenario
- Leaders first, employees right after, almost simultaneously with the decision, before the news broke
- Media coverage adopted the core narrative
- Positive feedback from the partners involved
- Next phase underway: communication for the implementation of the transaction
How we worked
One Integrated Program, Internal and External
Phase 1 · Orientation
Values, Strategy, and Rhythm
- Change communication strategy and stakeholder analysis, structured along proven change phases
- Mission statement, values, and guiding principles, developed with leadership
- Strategy workshop with the leadership team
- Editorial plan and a weekly employee update
- Statements and Q&A for internal and external audiences
Phase 2 · Narrative & leadership
One Story, Carried by Leaders
- Core narrative and key messages for internal and external audiences
- Factsheet and phase-specific FAQs
- Speeches and video scripts for internal audiences
- Communication for a leadership transition
- Media relations strategy, interviews and statements for external stakeholders
Phase 3 · Scenarios & decision
Ready for Every Outcome
- Up to five scenarios, each with adapted narratives, FAQs, and statements
- Internal information campaign with roadmap and information packages
- Leadership cascade: leaders briefed and trained before employees
- Press release aligned with the board decision, dark site, and glossary
- Information for headquarters, politics, and partners
Selected work
Cut Through the Noise. Build Credibility.
Engagement types we deliver today. Each one is built on client mandates and in-house leadership at international automotive, technology, and luxury brands. All cases are anonymized.
International automotive group · Restructuring
Restructuring Without Losing the Narrative
How a company kept control of its story through site closures after a series of acquisitions.
Challenge. Job cuts hit a long-established company in Germany, with little prior internal communication and no trust to fall back on.
Concept. Transparency from the start: open about the situation, clear on decision criteria, and leaders enabled to say what was not yet decided.
Impact. The measures stayed painful. But rumors were contained, and attrition in key areas stayed lower than feared.
Read the full case
The challenge
After a series of acquisitions, an international company announced a restructuring with site closures. At one long-established company in Germany, the news came as a shock. Strategic internal communication had hardly taken place before, and there was no trust to fall back on.
Our concept
- Early transparency instead of waiting for final decisions: the situation explained openly, decision criteria named
- Leaders enabled in dialogue formats to handle tough questions and say honestly what was still open
- Works council and key people involved early
- Regular progress updates and critical questions addressed head-on
The impact
- The company kept control of its narrative
- Rumors and speculation stayed contained
- Attrition in key areas remained clearly lower than feared
Premium automotive brand · Technology & innovation
Positioning a Brand as a Technology and Innovation Leader
How communication made a company’s future strategy visible, long before it showed in the products.
Challenge. The business strategy pointed toward technology, digitalization, and innovation. The public image still told the story of the past.
Concept. The business strategy translated into formats: an innovation narrative, pilot projects, case studies, and academic partnerships that make the future tangible.
Impact. A positioning that reflects where the company is heading, with executives recognized as credible voices on technology and transformation.
Read the full case
The challenge
Technology, digitalization, and innovation were reshaping the business. Yet the brand was still perceived through its products alone. Communication had to pay into the future strategy and positioning, not only into the next launch.
Our concept
- Innovation narrative that translates the business strategy into a clear story about the company’s future
- Strategic advisory on case studies and pilot projects that prove the strategy in practice
- Cooperations with universities and research partners that underline the positioning for the future
- Formats beyond the press release: expert round tables, innovation talks, and hands-on experiences for media and opinion leaders
- Executive positioning on technology, digitalization, and the future of the industry
The impact
- A positioning that reflects the company’s future direction and supports its business strategy
- Coverage in leading business and technology media, beyond product news
- Executives recognized as credible voices on the future of the industry
Luxury brand · Lifestyle & experiences
Standing Out in a Crowded Luxury Market
How distinctive media pitching and exceptional client experiences set a brand apart from strong competition.
Challenge. Competition was intense. Every brand courted the same clients and journalists, and the invitations outnumbered the evenings.
Concept. A distinctive brand story, told through innovative media pitching, high-level product and brand experiences, and partnerships no competitor could copy.
Impact. A brand perceived as a reference in its segment, by the media that shape opinion and by the clients who matter most.
Read the full case
The challenge
In luxury, products alone no longer make the difference. Clients and lifestyle journalists are courted by every brand in the segment, and most launches look alike. The brand needed to rise above the competition without becoming louder.
Our concept
- Brand positioning that defines what sets the brand apart and what it stands for
- Innovative media pitching: exclusive stories, access, and angles journalists cannot find elsewhere
- High-level product and brand experiences for clients and journalists, with curated guest lists and a clear dramaturgy
- Partnerships with premium brands from design, art, and lifestyle that extend the brand world
- Content and follow-up that carry each experience far beyond the evening itself
The impact
- A clear profile that sets the brand apart from its competitors
- Coverage in leading lifestyle, luxury, and business media
- Client experiences that build loyalty and are talked about
- Partnerships that open new audiences
International automotive group · Organization & brand
Building a Communications Function and a Global Rebrand
How one integration program became one voice for Europe.
Challenge. An integration program brought the European business together. A communications function to match did not exist yet.
Concept. Organization, strategy, processes, and team built from scratch, plus the group’s first global rebrand.
Impact. Scalable communication across 20+ markets, faster response, and close alignment with the business.
Read the full case
The challenge
An international group was integrating its European business into one company across 20+ markets. PR, corporate communications, marketing, brand, ESG, and public affairs had no shared organization yet.
Our concept
- Communications function built from scratch: organization, strategy, processes, and team
- Business partner model connecting communications to every business unit
- Synchronized workflows between headquarters and markets
- Pan-European intranet for one internal voice
- Global rebrand with new identity, website, and newsroom
The impact
- Scalable communication across 20+ markets
- Responsiveness: fast, coordinated reactions in every market
- Strong business support with communications as a strategic partner
- Alignment through one function, synchronized processes, and one brand
Automotive & industrial groups · Issues & crisis
From Firefighting to Early Warning
How issues management became a system instead of a reflex.
Challenge. Recalls, regulatory scrutiny, and M&A. Issues can escalate across markets within hours, with headquarters on another continent.
Concept. Issues identified and prioritized first. Then crisis plans and scenarios for the issues that matter, with clear roles and routines.
Impact. An emergency playbook with processes, scenarios, and stakeholder expectations, ready before the next crisis hits.
Read the full case
The challenge
International groups face issues that move faster than their processes: recalls, regulatory challenges, transactions, and transformation. Each one is watched by media, authorities, and employees across many markets.
Our concept
- Issue identification and prioritization: which issues could hit the business, how likely, and how severe
- Crisis plans and scenarios for the relevant issues, including stakeholder expectations
- Clear roles and escalation paths for the response team
- Media and sentiment monitoring with early-warning indicators
- Holding statements and pre-approved response lines
- Training for leaders and spokespeople
The impact
- An emergency playbook with processes, workflows, and scenarios
- Stakeholder expectations mapped for every scenario
- Issues detected before they escalate
- Fast, consistent responses across markets and headquarters
Premium brand · Market entry & regional platforms
Building a Regional Communications Platform
How a brand built visibility, reputation, and share of voice across more than 20 markets at once.
Challenge. A new regional organization covering more than 20 markets. No communications structure, and very different media cultures.
Concept. A regional strategy, aligned media relations, and communications as a strategic partner for positioning in every market.
Impact. Brand and reputation awareness, a growing share of voice, and one coordinated network.
Read the full case
The challenge
A premium brand opened a new regional organization covering more than 20 markets. There was no communications structure, and media landscapes, languages, and market maturity differed widely.
Our concept
- Regional communication strategy and positioning within the global brand
- Aligned media relations across all markets, with communications as a strategic partner for national management
- Network briefings, guidelines, and conferences that keep every market on the same page
- Regional platforms and launch events with international journalists
The impact
- Brand and reputation awareness in every market
- A growing share of voice
- One aligned and coordinated network
- A blueprint for entering new markets
Leadership communication
Formats We Design and Deliver
From the leadership conference to the investor day. Formats that put leaders in front of the people who matter, inside and outside the company.
Internal
- Leadership conferences that align around 120 top leaders behind one strategy, on site, hybrid, or virtual
- Strategy update calls that keep leaders and teams on the same page
- Ask-me-anything sessions: open dialogue with leadership, with questions answered instead of managed
- Town halls and leader briefings that inform leaders first, so they can carry the message
External
- Panels and keynotes that position executives as credible industry voices
- Trade fairs and motor shows with launches and media moments at international scale
- Thought leadership that turns business strategy into formats: articles, interviews, case studies, and academic partnerships
- Investor day and capital markets formats that align the equity story with corporate communications
Expertise in focus
Where We Help Next
Three fields where we see the greatest demand right now, and where communication decides whether change succeeds.
01 · Communication Strategy
From Business Strategy to Communication
Communication strategy works only when it is anchored in business strategy. We start with a strategic diagnosis of stakeholders, pressures, and goals. Then we build a strategy that connects every message to what the business needs to achieve.
What we do
- Strategic diagnosis: stakeholder mapping, perception analysis, and risk assessment
- Corporate narrative and positioning aligned with business goals
- Channel architecture across owned, earned, and internal channels
- Measurement that links communication to business value drivers, visible to CEO and CFO
What you get
A strategy your leadership team can steer by, and a communication function seen as a strategic investment, not a cost center.
02 · AI Adoption & Implementation
Putting AI to Work in Communications
Most communications teams already use generative AI, but rules, roles, and skills lag behind. We help you move from experimentation to a governed setup that saves time and protects trust.
What we do
- AI readiness check: current use, risks, and the use cases that create real value
- AI governance: guidelines, approval processes, roles, labeling, and data protection
- Implementation of priority use cases, from research and monitoring to content and reporting
- Enablement: training so teams use AI confidently and responsibly
- Process optimization: leaner workflows, approvals, and handovers in communications
What you get
Faster, more efficient teams, with human judgment where it matters most: strategy, relationships, and trust.
03 · Automotive & Mobility
Communication for an Industry in Transformation
Automotive and mobility companies face restructuring, new technologies, and new competitors at the same time. We bring the industry experience to communicate all three.
What we do
- Transformation and restructuring: site closures, carve-outs, plant takeovers
- European market entry and positioning for international brands
- Technology, innovation, and digitalization positioning
- Crisis and issues readiness: recalls, regulation, supply chain
What you get
A partner who knows the industry from the inside, and communication that holds under pressure: from the plant floor to the capital markets.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Lesmeister Communications do?
Lesmeister Communications & Consulting is a Zurich-based strategic communications consultancy founded by Dr. Christiane Lesmeister. We help organizations communicate transformation, restructuring, M&A, crisis, and AI adoption, internally and externally.
Which industries do you work with?
Our focus is automotive and mobility, technology, industrial companies, and luxury and lifestyle brands, built on 17 years of senior in-house communications leadership in international automotive groups.
How does an engagement work?
Every engagement follows the same five steps, tailored to the business situation and designed to build capability, not dependency:
- Diagnose: understand the business decision, the stakeholders it affects, existing perceptions, and emerging risks
- Frame: clarify what is known and uncertain, and develop the strategic narrative and communication principles
- Prepare: translate strategy into scenarios, stakeholder plans, leadership briefings, Q&As, and messages
- Activate: equip leaders, engage stakeholders, and coordinate communication across teams, markets, and channels
- Learn: use feedback, pulse checks, and stakeholder responses to refine communication
Deliverables range from strategic sparring to ready-to-use content: narratives, FAQs, leadership formats, internal campaigns, and media materials. More about our approach →
Do you work across Europe?
Yes. We support companies across Europe and international brands entering European markets, with experience in more than 20 European markets.
How do you help with AI in communications?
We assess current AI use, define governance and guidelines, implement priority use cases, train teams, and optimize communication processes and workflows.
Why are the case studies anonymized?
Client confidentiality comes first. Detailed case studies are available on request as part of our project portfolio.
Perspectives
Beyond Client Work
Our view on communication, trust, and AI in articles, interviews, and on stage.
Article · Meltwater · Jul 2026
Corporate Communication 2026: AI, Trust, and the New Strategic Role
Why trust becomes the scarcest resource and how AI search puts earned media back at the center. In German.
Interview · Usercentrics · Sep 2025
How Corporate Comms Can Own the Brand Narrative
On owning the narrative in a flood of content, and on combining AI with human judgment.
Panel · Meltwater, Zurich · Jun 2025
AI in PR & Communication
Panelist alongside communication leaders from Usercentrics and Swiss Re.