CoolBrands meeting DSM

We follow the children on a path that leads deeper into the jungle. The trees are more than 30 metres high and at times the sun is completely blocked out by the canopy, causing a real chill in the air. There are 72 temples dating from the 9^th-century, scattered around across an area the size of New York City. But the path we’re on isn’t anything like 5^th Avenue.

Cool Sustainability

Suddenly, we hear a scream. We run up to the kids who are gathered around one of the girls. “She fell over the tree,” Chenda says, pointing at a root that just out into the path. The little girl is quietly crying as she grasps her bloody knees. I take out my water bottle and rinse away some of the blood. “We need disinfectant and plasters,” I say, but no one responds.

“This happens all time,” Chenda says. “She is my little sister and she does not see very well. The doctor says she may go blind.” I look at Chenda and at her sister, then back at Chenda. I want to ask them why and how, but realise that they probably have no answers. The day that started so beautifully is turning for the worse. Here we are, in the middle the Cambodian jungle, with a six-year-old, half-blind girl with bleeding knees.

“Do you need help?” a voice behind us asks. I look up and see a young woman with a small backpack. “I have a first-aid kit,” she says, pointing at the little girl. “By the way, my name is Diana.”

Five minutes later we continue our way to the hidden temple, with Maarten carrying the little girl on his shoulders.  “She seems to be having a very serious eye disorder”,  Diana says looking at the little girl. “It can make children go blind – and it’s very often the result of Vitamin A deficiency.”

“Wow, are you a doctor?” I ask.

“Not really,” she says. “I work for DSM and one of the things we do is produce food supplements and vitamins. We partner with the World Food Programme to fight hidden hunger. Rice is a staple food for more than half of the world’s population, yet rice contains few vitamins and minerals. DSM developed a vitamin supplement in the form of a grain of rice which is added to normal rice.”

The path meanders through the jungle. Sometimes the kids run on ahead and disappear among the foliage, only to reappear a few minutes later to tell us that the hidden temple is nearby. “I read the temple is almost completely covered by trees,” I say. “That’s where the name ‘hidden’ comes from. This is also where the Lara Croft movie Tomb Raider was shot.”

“Are you involved in the World Food Programme activities?” I ask.

CoolBrands in Cambodia

“Yes,” Diana replies. “DSM gave me the opportunity to be actively involved with the WFP. This means I can contribute to solving a global issue and make a difference in people’s lives. I’ve been on assignment to Bangladesh and Nepal, but here in Cambodia I’m just a tourist admiring the temples of Angkor.”

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We’re crossing the Thames in a black cab, speeding over Waterloo Bridge. We take a right on Victoria Embankment and follow the river eastward. We turn left, then right and then left again and stop in front of the St. Paul’s Cathedral. We get out and look up at the 111-metre-high dome that has dominated the London skyline for 300 years.

CoolBrands Meeting DSM

But we’re not here to visit the cathedral. We’re here for the Transform conference, a conference on strategic rebranding cases, which is being held across the street. After picking up our guest badges at the registration desk, we sneak into the conference hall where the first speaker is just finishing a presentation on PricewaterhouseCooper’s global positioning case. “Are there any questions?“ she asks.

I take out my iPhone and open the Twitter app. “Just in time for the DSM case presentation by Jos van Haastrecht, director of company branding,” I twitter.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the world around us is changing,” Jos starts off as he launches the PowerPoint presentation. “Issues like climate change and environmental pollution are taking their toll, and this has led us to question ourselves. What about us? What is the purpose of DSM in this changing world?” Jos stops and looks at the audience as if he’s expecting an answer from them.

“Our purpose is to create brighter lives for people today and for generations to come.” Jos brings up the next slide. “And this is supported by our core value: sustainability.

Everything we do should contribute to a more sustainable world.”

“Our new brand wasn’t just about changing the logo and the corporate style or about rewriting our mission statement,” Jos continues. “We approached this holistically, with the aim to align the company strategy, culture and identity through one strong company brand.”

“We translated this into our brand promise,” he continues as he moves to a new slide.

CoolBrands Meeting Jos van Haastrecht

I take out my iPhone again and post a new Twitter update: “DSM’s new brand promise: Bright Science, Brighter Living.” I suddenly realise that Jos is not only sharing his ideas with this audience, but also to another 1,000 people or so, who are following the audience tweets.

Jos points at the screen: “These four words sum up everything we do and, more importantly, why we do it. By capturing the vast scope of our activities, the way we work together and the aspirations we have in this one simple phrase, people not only understand what we do, but they will also remember our promise and start identifying with us.”

A new slide appears on the screen, with only one word: Questions? “Are there any questions?” he says.

I raise my hand. “Am I right in saying that DSM’s purpose is to make a positive difference to people’s lives?”

Jos pauses for a few seconds and answers. “In fact, yes, I think that’s correct,” he says. “We create innovative solutions that address the key challenges facing society today.  And we are constantly seeking to make a positive contribution to the lives of people, today and for the future generations. It’s the road to Brighter Living.”

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