Peter Drucker stated:The purpose of an organization is to enable ordinary people to do extraordinary things." So, how can we live our purpose on a daily basis? How can we put individual benefit at the service of collective benefit? 💡 To gain a clearer understanding of these fundamental identity issues, the We Are COM team went to find Stéphanie BoutinDeputy Director General in charge of Communication and CSR of the Matmut Group and member of the Club We Are COM🇧🇷 🇧🇷
On the occasion of the launch of the new brand identity of the matmutStéphanie Boutin has revealed the details behind this large-scale plan: redefining the DNA and redesigning the purpose. How does a mutual company reaffirm its identity while simultaneously promoting its uniqueness? What lies behind this new logo. All in motion? A lesson in committed communication, “a safe bet ». ????
Hello Stéphanie, you are Deputy Managing Director of the Matmut Group in charge of Communication and CSR. To begin, we would like to know your definition of socially responsible communication?
Socially responsible communication helps to highlight a company's contribution to the common good by bridging the gap between a product and the company's core commitment. In other words, This occurs when product communication serves the company's purpose.because the divide that existed between institutional communication and commercial communication is tending to disappear completely. Therefore, Committed communication, with a dual focus, expresses both the individual benefit of the consumer and the collective benefit of fellow citizens.
Even though we are not an NGO and we do not have a mission to defend a cause, we have – because of our mutual model – the requirement to be consistent in the daily realization of our reason for being, and of our belonging to the social and solidarity economy.
Some major retailers have understood this well and have also distinguished themselves through highly committed communications. I am thinking in particular of the the countryside in favor of fruits and "ugly vegetables". This system successfully serves both the brand's commitment and that of its products, by promoting more ethical and responsible consumption..
We have a requirement to be consistent in the daily realization of our purpose, and of our belonging to the social and solidarity economy.
What are the specific features of the “More identity and more uniqueness"of your strategic plan More from Matmut 2021-2023 ?
Begun two years ago, this pillar of our strategic plan The initial objective was to formalize our purpose. We therefore consulted all of Matmut's stakeholders: the 4 million members, our member representatives, the board of directors and the 6,500 employees. In total, 140,000 contributions helped to shape our purpose and structure our manifesto. Since Matmut is a mutual company, it belongs to its members and therefore to its policyholders. That's why their opinions matter and legitimize our actions. Also, Our uniqueness lies precisely in this very pragmatic way of embodying mutualism.
In a second time, We have set up working groups focused on embodying our purpose so that it doesn't remain merely a statement, but becomes tangible in the way we conduct our business as insurers., with this fundamental internal question: "CHow can we align our jobs and projects with our purpose? ».
Communication is not immune to these questions, so we have naturally evolved several aspects, including our visual identitySo that our brand codes are aligned with our purpose. The next step is the evolution of our advertising tone. I speak of evolution, not revolution, because the contemporary narrative we are writing is part of the continuity of our history. It is only possible to project ourselves into the future based on what has been done before.
Finally, the key wordsits identity"And"singularity" guided this project. Indeed, no one buys insurance the same way they buy a treat; it's not an impulsive purchase, but rather a purchase driven by reason and necessity. In this competitive environment, it's not always easy to distinguish between the many players, who are, however, by no means interchangeable. Asserting our unique identity as a mutual group provides concrete proof of our social commitment.
Asserting our uniqueness as a mutual group provides concrete proof of our societal commitment.
Indeed, your brand identity hadn't evolved in 20 years. Can you tell us more about the development of this dynamic logo?
Since its creation 20 years ago, the Matmut logo has remained unchanged. Its design was initially conceived to reflect the company's core business: property insurance. However, Matmut has since become a comprehensive insurance group offering a full range of insurance products: auto, home, supplemental health, life, savings, retirement, wealth management, and more. The codes of this old logo no longer fully corresponded to either the reality of our business or the evolving needs of our members.
Based on our ambition, namely to contribute to "Building and dreaming of tomorrow"We wanted to develop our brand in a more aspirational way, particularly through this new dynamic logo. It was also crucial for us to reinvesting the values of non-discrimination throughout all our coding practicesWe are open to all, accessible, and for everyone. The different colored entrances symbolize this diversity of individuals and paths to our solutions. Beyond our physical network in France, we needed to demonstrate the accessibility of our services through the digital in a legible, unique, impactful and attractive manner.
Developing a new logo is no easy task. Following a call for tenders, we chose to partner with the graphic design agency FutureBrand on this project. We also consulted our team, meeting with members of different departments to understand their specific needs and constraints. After these strategic considerations, We were convinced that a company like Matmut didn't need to revolutionize its identity and should preserve its heritage. We absolutely did not want to break with our history, but rather to breathe new life into it.
We organized very high-quality focus groups around this logo, bringing together the opinions of members with more than 5 years of experience and those of prospects all over France; because a brand can live in a very particular way, depending on the territories. These exchanges allowed us to gather numerous opinions relating, among other things, to the issues of non-discrimination, openness, and eco-responsibility. In the insurance sector, ecological and climate impact is a fundamental issue, in which we invest as much as possible: carbon footprint, eco-driving, recycling, risk anticipation, etc. It was essential for us to grasp the totality of worldviews, to take into account all of these contributions
Typography unique, line thickness, colours, joins… The logo design was then developed based on all of its contributions. Without being a consensus or a compromise, it emerged from the input of all our stakeholders.
And now how do we install it, how do we introduce it?
After conducting an impact study on this graphic transformation, we compiled a nearly exhaustive list of all the media on which the logo was to appear. On October 19, 2022, the date of the launch and inauguration of this new brand identity, the logo was placed on the facade of Matmut's headquarters in Rouen. A powerful symbolic step!
As for the signs on our branches, this change will take 18 months. It's also another opportunity to fulfill our commitments, because even before the announcement of our energy efficiency plan, we had already decided to remove all illuminated signs from our branches.
And as for the other media – those of theinternal like those of theexternal, the Social Media, the website, partner sites, the sponsoring, or even the contracts which are now digitized – the new logo will be displayed gradually.
Your group is committed to: social responsibility, accessibility, inclusivity… Beyond visual identity, how can you ensure that all your stakeholders, elected officials, members, and prospects understand your commitments?
Accessibility was a prerequisite in our work, particularly with regard to digital channels. Furthermore, Tests have shown that our new brand identity enjoys over 90% greater accessibility in the digital realm. As for print materials, we have achieved up to 30% less ink usage.
Beyond these very extensive actions, Matmut has put in place a strong strategy which is based around 3 axes.
- Representing multiplicity: All brand coding elements, everything that is a representation or associated image, must invariably reflect this idea of multiplicity and openness. In the same way that the McDonald's brand proclaimed, come as you Are At Matmut, we provide insurance for everyone, without any discrimination. This approach dates back to the very origins of our company. It's the mutual insurance company for all those who don't have one.
- Representing inclusion To facilitate universal understanding of our messages, all our video materials (with the exception of television campaigns) are subtitled. Furthermore, we are committed to making cinematic heritage more accessible to everyone through audio description. Finally, continuing our commitment to inclusion, we have evolved our sponsorship partnerships into a "Very Collective Sport" program, promoting inclusion through and for sport.
- Being active in the cultural field: To welcome people for whom culture is less accessible, whether for physical or social reasons, we manage our own contemporary art center on the outskirts of Rouen, whose grounds have been awarded the "Tourism and Disability" label. We also have a cultural patronage policy focused, again, on accessibility and inclusion, through collaborative work with our partners.
In other words, This new brand identity reflects Matmut's openness to others, anti-discrimination stance and unique mutualist character. Our brand is vibrant. We want this spirit to shine through even more.
Relationships with insurers are often perceived negatively, being associated with bad news. However, Our mutual insurance company is also there to share happy moments with its insured members, create a relationship of trust and provide solutions to their everyday challenges. It seems essential to me to counter this over-dramatization, especially in an anxiety-inducing social context. How can we build and dream of tomorrow? Simply by freeing ourselves from our anxieties through a sense of confidence. I am convinced that only serenity allows us to project ourselves into the future.
How can we build and dream of tomorrow? Simply by freeing ourselves from our anxieties through a sense of confidence. I am convinced that only serenity allows us to project ourselves into the future.
At We Are COM, we also firmly believe that the future is built upon our past experiences. So we're curious to know what your proudest achievement has been as a communications professional?
Without hesitation, the culmination of these two years of work on our purpose. I would say that this reflection is somewhat " on horseback "between communication and fundamentally something else. In other words, COM is no longer just the final veneer of a project. Supporting the development of a purpose is a deeper and inherently different process. I am extremely proud that Matmut has entrusted me with this important and exciting mission, which takes us back to the very roots of the company.How do you structure a purpose? How do you live it together? How do you communicate it in a clear and accessible way? Truly fascinating.
Finally, do you have any advice to pass on to communicators of today and tomorrow?
First of all, no one should practice the profession of communicator alone. There is no super strategist, however talented and visionary, who can successfully complete a project alone. In communication, regardless of the branch, profession, knowledge, experience, structure, personal background… It is the diversity of viewpoints that drives progress.So, remain actively listening, and the other piece of advice is to maintain an insatiable curiosity.
The world is constantly evolving, staging itself and adopting new codes. To best understand these changes, it's important to be attuned to the prevailing trends. However, it's crucial not to challenge everything; some things remain constant. Out of habit in our profession, we too often seek novelty and the latest trend, sometimes forgetting their origins and enduring principles.
Finally, you have to work! To be good at this job, there are no miracles. Yes, communication is a lot of fun, but it mainly requires a significant personal investment. If you want to do COM, don't be stingy with your time.
3 things to know about Stephanie
???? His mantra? "Cultivating good humor is also cultivating elegance".
???? His favorite media? Radio. The sound is very powerful; it leaves a more lasting impression. Image and audio are among the most structuring sources of information for the mind.
✅ His commitment? A fervent advocate for collection and recycling, she is convinced that even small actions count, because it is collectively that we make things happen, and great things eventually come to fruition.
