It's a red box, but in some ways it's more like a red carpet.
Ogilvy Cape Town has been giving a remarkable welcome box to employees over the past year. And now, it's been shortlisted in the design competition for this year's One Show. Deservedly so, as it's probably the best agency employee welcome package we've seen.
The so-called "Induction Box"—made by Ogilvy's RedWorks production arm (which was recently merged with its other production agency Hogarth Worldwide)—is based around David Ogilvy's short book The Eternal Pursuit of Unhappiness and his famous eight habits of highly creative communities.
The box brings the concepts to life in a tangible way, making employees much more likely to read and absorb the philosophy underpinning the agency. Check out the contents of the box in the images below.
Click the images to enlarge.
We spoke to Ogilvy Cape Town about how the box came about, and how it's been received.
What was the motivation for creating something like this?
The idea behind this is to give someone a piece of Ogilvy & Mather, because at the end of the day, the box represents who we are and what we stand for. It is easy to pull someone aside and say, "Welcome to the agency." But with the Induction Box, we want to make people feel like they belong, like they have found a place here. Working at Ogilvy is so much more than just another job. We wanted to create something that reflects this.
How did David Ogilvy's ideas inform the design of the boxes?
When you are hired by Ogilvy, it is because someone saw something great in you and that you would be a good fit here. There is a definite "Ogilvy Way" based on The Eternal Pursuit of Unhappiness (or Divine Discontent) and David Ogilvy's 8 Creative Habits—Courage, Idealism, Curiosity, Playfulness, Candor, Intuition, Free-Spiritedness and Persistence. Getting new staff to understand and embrace all of this in a fun and engaging way was our main focus. The Induction Box solidifies the importance of what we stand for.
What was RedWorks' role in designing the boxes?
Inspired by The Eternal Pursuit of Unhappiness, Redworks decided to unpack the eight habits by making them tangible. Their solution was a layered box containing interesting, fun, quirky elements representing the eight habits, accompanied by phrases elaborating on it. It not only reflects Ogilvy's rich heritage, but also provides all the necessary information about the working environment in a visually stimulating way.
How do new hires generally respond?
The response has been well beyond what we could have imagined. It ties everything together beautifully. People light up when they receive them. We often get a nudge from existing employees asking if they can get one, too.
Have other Ogilvy offices shown interest in using the boxes, too?
Not only has the Ogilvy Induction Box been introduced to staff at Ogilvy & Mather Johannesburg and Durban, but O&M London and Australia have been working on their own adaptations to give to new employees.