The brief

In spring 2026, Better Linked approached us with a clear goal: position founder and organizational psychologist Corinna Häsele as a leading expert on modern leadership, workplace psychology, and healthy organizational cultures.

Rather than relying on company news, we developed a thought leadership strategy centered around Corinna’s expertise. Our objective was to translate complex psychological insights into timely media stories that would resonate with HR, business, and mainstream audiences alike. Through earned media, expert commentary, and compelling storytelling, we set out to build visibility, credibility, and lasting relevance.

The Campaign

Our strategy focused on turning workplace psychology into conversations journalists genuinely wanted to cover.

Working closely with Corinna, we developed a series of thought leadership storylines tackling some of today’s most pressing workplace challenges—from productivity myths and leadership crises to employee wellbeing and organizational performance. Instead of simply reacting to existing debates, we created fresh perspectives rooted in psychological research and practical experience.

At the center of the campaign stood Quiet Cracking—a concept describing the gradual decline of employee performance and wellbeing long before burnout becomes visible. The topic struck a nerve and became the anchor of our media outreach, leading to interviews, guest articles, and expert contributions across leading HR and business publications.

Building on this momentum, we introduced additional narratives around productivity, leadership, and workplace connection, tailoring each story to the editorial focus of individual media outlets. By consistently delivering relevant insights instead of company announcements, we established Corinna as a sought-after expert and Better Linked as a credible voice in the evolving world of work.

The Results

Within just three months, our strategy generated 8 earned media placements with a combined reach of more than 13 million, while additional interviews and guest articles remained in progress.

Coverage included respected publications such as WirtschaftsWoche, Kurier, HR Performance, Springer Professional and wissensmanagement, while the campaign also sparked interest from additional outlets including Brigitte, Handelsblatt, and the OMR HR Podcast, opening up further opportunities for continued visibility.

By transforming psychological expertise into timely media narratives, we successfully positioned Corinna Häsele as a trusted expert on modern leadership and workplace culture. At the same time, we strengthened Better Linked’s reputation as a consultancy that doesn’t just respond to workplace trends—but helps shape the conversation around them.

The Brief

Tea reimagined—without tea bags! When TEABALLS approached us in the summer of 2025 with their water-soluble tea balls, the mission was clear: We didn’t just want to support the high-selling fourth quarter—we wanted to generate significant media buzz to take brand awareness to the next level. The goal? A B2C final push that would make the brand a must-have in holiday coverage just in time for gift-giving.

The challenge: The timeline was tight. When we began working together, many newsrooms were already in the midst of planning their holiday-themed coverage. Nevertheless, we took on the mission with enthusiasm—determined to effectively position TEABALLS in the media despite our late start.

The Campagne

When our collaboration began, TEABALLS already had a media presence—but it was far from being widely recognized. At the same time, the company had a strong, sustainable product that required some explanation. Our task was to reintroduce TEABALLS to the media—even though neither the brand nor the product was entirely new to the market.

A key communication strategy was the new partnership between TEABALLS and BRITA. It provided a credible opportunity to reposition the company and highlight TEABALLS’ socially relevant mission—a mission that unites both brands: enabling people to adopt environmentally friendly and healthy drinking habits. The announcement immediately generated significant media interest. Numerous editorial teams wanted to experience TEABALLS for themselves, so we sent targeted product samples to selected media outlets.

At the same time, we launched an additional outreach campaign to lifestyle media with the goal of prominently featuring TEABALLS in Advent calendar giveaways. The response was consistently positive and led to numerous high-quality giveaway placements with wide reach.

Following the launch with BRITA, the next coup followed: the collaboration between TEABALLS and the cult brand Em-eukal. Here, modern innovation met nostalgic childhood memories. We positioned the tea balls with Vitamin Plus as the “must-have” for the winter months—a perfect symbiosis that resonated with the target groups (and editorial teams) on both a functional and emotional level.

The Results

Throughout the collaboration, we were able to secure numerous media placements in well-known lifestyle publications as well as in traditional news and society magazines. These targeted PR efforts significantly increased TEABALLS’ visibility and successfully established the brand in the media.

In particular, the collaboration with BRITA generated strong journalistic interest and resulted in editorial coverage in renowned media outlets such as Stern. In addition, placements in Advent calendar giveaways in publications like myself, Für Sie, Women’s Health, and Men’s Health achieved broad reach and a strong presence among the relevant target audience.

The newly gained attention also enabled a sampling campaign as part of the goodie bags at Generation WOW Events. In addition to our B2C successes, we also made an impact in the B2B sector and positioned founder Simon Schmidt as the face of the brand—including through an interview with StartupValley that addressed the question: “Why do we still drink tea the same way we did 100 years ago?”

The brief: Breaking the fashion-only ceiling

When Vinted came to us in 2025, the second-hand platform was already much more than just fashion, allowing members to buy and sell items such as home goods, electronics, and collectables. However, most people still mainly associated it with second-hand clothing.

Starting with Vinted’s New Eras Again campaign, the goal was to shift this perception and make the platform’s broader use more visible and better understood. Vinted’s challenge was to communicate this shift in a way that felt relevant to both consumers and media, without alienating the core fashion community.

As a communications partner, Laika was a natural fit for this task. With deep experience in consumer and lifestyle communications, a strong focus on cultural and product innovation, and close collaboration with partners across the space, we sit at the intersection of brands, audiences, and cultural change.

The campaign: From insights to narrative structure

First, we focused on strategic localisation: translating what New Eras Again should mean for the German market bringing strategic council in shaping that narrative.

The second step was a deep media audit. We spoke directly with key editors from Tier 1 outlets including Brigitte/Gala, t3n, InStyle Watson, BUNTE and RTL, unpacking their 2026 editorial priorities and their potential reservations around Vinted’s non-fashion categories. This moved us beyond assumptions and gave us a clear, real-time view of the narrative gaps we needed to close.

From there, we translated the insights into three clear narrative pillars:

• Data-led authority: using Vinted’s own metrics to surface proprietary insights into German member behaviour
• News hijacking: embedding Vinted into wider cultural and economic conversations
• Seasonal relevance: anchoring home and electronics categories in moments where second-hand utility becomes most relevant

Finally, we moved into bigger brand activation. To bring the strategy truly to life and to editors, we designed an experiential press format anchored by campaign ambassador Marie Nasemann, captured by our in-house photographer. Instead of a standard press presentation, we created a living room dialogue, an intentional format choice that mirrored the intimacy of home, and personal electronics categories.

This worked on two levels:

First, Marie became the bridge between fashion and home. Drawing on her own life transition (moving and decluttering), the conversation shifted from selling clothes to navigating life stages. Her curation of both fashion and home objects made the idea tangible: Vinted is not just about what you wear but how you live.

Second, the environment itself was designed as a reset of expectations. From 1:1 interview access to circular details like repurposed floral arrangements used in branded materials, every touchpoint reinforced the same idea: the Vinted ecosystem is as curated and considered as the media we were speaking to.

By embedding New Eras Again into a lived experience, we gave journalists both the emotional hooks and visual proof points to move the conversation from second-hand fashion to modern circular living.

The results: Shifting perception in the German market

In the first eight months of our collaboration, we helped reposition Vinted from a transactional marketplace into a go-to source for media commentary on second-hand consumption.

• We built on Vinted’s steady media drumbeat and secured 23 standout feature stories in premium German outlets, reaching a combined audience of over 586 million. These weren’t routine product mentions, but high-value, editorially driven pieces in Tier 1 media that elevated the brand narrative. (you may want to call them statement pieces in the Vinted clipping wardrobe ;))
• Beyond coverage volume, the bigger shift was in perception: Vinted increasingly became a reference point for journalists covering second-hand culture and smarter consumption. We saw a growing number of unsolicited inbound requests for commentary and expert input.
• By anchoring the campaign in lifestyle relevance rather than just used goods, we successfully repositioned Vinted among German press as a comprehensive multi-category destination. This strategic shift moved the narrative beyond a fashion-first perspective, garnering coverage that highlighted the platform’s expanding footprint in home decor, electronics, books, and collectables.

The era of fashion-only positioning is evolving. Vinted has significantly expanded its footprint within the German second-hand market, increasingly becoming a recognized destination for circular shopping beyond apparel. By diversifying its reach, the platform has successfully signaled its presence in the home, electronics, and lifestyle sectors to both the media and a growing community of enthusiasts.

Cheers to the Vinted team for the partnership. Excited for what’s next—and everything still in (second-hand) store.

The brief

In September 2025, grell, a German audio startup founded by legendary headphone engineer Axel Grell, approached us to support the launch of their latest product, the OAE2.

After nearly three decades shaping the headphone industry at Sennheiser, Axel Grell set out to build something fundamentally different: a family-run company focused on uncompromising sound quality, engineering excellence, and long-term thinking — in contrast to an industry increasingly driven by features, apps, and lifestyle positioning.

The challenge was clear: position grell beyond a niche audience of audio enthusiasts, establish the OAE2 as the next brand’s flagship product, and translate credibility into visibility and sales.

Building on grell’s strengths, we developed a PR strategy focused on earned media, clear messaging, and targeted storytelling across tech and audio specialist media.

The campaign

We positioned grell as a credibility-first challenger in a hype-driven market.

At the center stood the OAE2 – a headphone based on research results from a mutual project of grell with Leibniz University Hannover, featuring a new acoustic concept and a strong focus on durability and precision.

We leveraged Axel Grell’s legacy to build trust with media, while keeping the spotlight firmly on the product. Through targeted outreach, review samples, and briefing calls with journalists, we translated deep tech into compelling stories for both specialist and broader tech audiences.

Our communication followed a clear three-phase approach:

• Pre-launch: build anticipation and visibility
• Launch: maximize coverage and reach
• Post-launch: sustain momentum and strengthen trust

The results

We secured 35+ press clippings across key tech and audio media, including heise online, connect, t3n, and Notebookcheck.

Coverage ranged from announcements to in-depth reviews, with multiple positive test results highlighting the OAE2’s unique sound concept. High-reach placements, including heise online and Krone, helped expand visibility far beyond the core audiophile community.

By combining a strong founder story with a differentiated product narrative, we successfully positioned grell as a credible alternative in the high competitive consumer audio market — proving that engineering can cut through the noise.

The brief

What do bees and dogs have in common? Not a lot, yet they ended up being a perfect match. In this case, our Space Dog, Marie, was the connection. Having originally worked at Stadtbienen, she introduced us to their mission. But it wasn’t just the personal connection that won us over; their commitment to biodiversity perfectly aligns with our belief in creating a sustainable future. Since we’re firm believers in using our skills for good, we decided to support them pro bono—helping them make some noise—or, more accurately, buzz—for their cause.

Stadtbienen is a non-profit organization based in Berlin that has been active since 2014. They pursue the mission of bringing people closer to the world of bees, promoting educational opportunities for all ages, and raising awareness of the importance of biodiversity. As a non-profit, Stadtbienen has always operated with lean resources, but the situation became critical in 2025 following significant funding cuts for their ‘Schulbienen’ program. At the same time, the market for corporate beekeeping has become increasingly crowded. While many new competitors offer conventional B2B services, Stadtbienen’s unique USP—ecological beekeeping—is a complex, nuanced topic that is often difficult to communicate. Operating without an in-house PR lead, the non-profit struggled to make the abstract concept of biodiversity tangible for the public.

We recognized that they didn’t just need a helping hand; they needed a strategic bridge to the media to ensure their story reached the right audiences. Our goal was to strengthen Stadtbienen’s brand awareness and mobilize people to support their important mission—whether through funding, active participation, or contributions of time, expertise, networks, and design resources.

The campaign

During our first three months together, we focused on supporting Stadtbienen with their fundraising efforts to ensure the ‘Schulbienen’ project could continue. ‘Schulbienen’ is Stadtbienen’s environmental education program designed to foster early awareness of biodiversity. By exploring the world of bees, children learn how ecosystems function and why protecting them matters. Leveraging our journalistic network, we secured a dedicated radio interview to amplify their call for support. Julia Eisenberg, project lead for ‘Schulbienen,’ was able to speak on air about the importance of the project for children and the necessity of securing external funding to ensure the viability of the program. Beyond the ‘Schulbienen’ project, we also focused on founder storytelling, positioning Johannes Weber in the media to mark Stadtbienen’s 10th anniversary and thought leadership on topics such as “Biodiversity is an economic factor”.

To mark World Bee Day in May, we invited the media to the BIKINI BERLIN rooftop to experience the honeybees firsthand. In the middle of the bustling city, the concept shopping mall is home to two honeybee colonies. We organized two press events to showcase the depth of Stadtbienen’s work. One session featured a long-standing Stadtbienen beekeeper who gave a deep dive into the challenges facing urban pollinators and the vital importance of ecological beekeeping. For this, we hosted two reporters from a local outlet—one for radio and one for TV—resulting in a feature that aired on World Bee Day (May 20th). In a second event, founder Johannes Weber provided journalists with a hands-on introductory course, making the complex topic of honeybees and their connection to biodiversity tangible. Both sessions were documented by our in-house photography service to capture the hands-on experience. This strategic double-event approach landed us a prime-time feature on rbb, reaching an estimated 450,000 viewers. Beyond the immediate broadcast, these efforts established connections between Stadtbienen and key local journalists from both rbb and Tagesspiegel, ensuring their mission remains on the media’s radar.

During summer, like the honeybees do, we prepped for fall and winter. We were determined to finish the year with a bang. We decided to co-host an exclusive holiday-themed get-together at the Laika office, where we had mead and honey flow just like the conversations about pollinators, biodiversity and sustainability. We hosted a night filled with mead, influential journalists, and buzzing conversation, fittingly called “Honey Holidays”. While large-scale coverage is vital, we believe these intimate settings are where true advocacy is born; they provide the rare space for deep conversations that turn media contacts into genuine long-term allies for the cause. It was the perfect atmosphere to ensure our guests left not just with a taste of honey, but with a profound understanding of Stadtbienen’s mission. We also started to pitch their new Head of Corporate Biodiversity Initiatives, Malte Glatthaar, and scored an interview for the podcast “Fairquatscht”.

The results

By the end of the year 2025, Stadtbienen was buzzing across the media landscape. By securing placements in TV, radio, online magazines, and podcasts, we didn’t just increase brand awareness—we successfully translated the complex topic of biodiversity into stories that resonate, providing a strong foundation for future growth.

Having turned the ‘noise’ into a strategic advantage, we are now looking ahead: For 2026, we have already begun supporting Stadtbienen by developing content for their website, including client case studies to further solidify their position as the leader in ecological beekeeping.

The brief

In the summer of 2025, iconic BIKINI BERLIN approached us with a clear ambition: to move beyond traditional retail and further establish the Concept Shopping Mall as an urban space for culture and inspiration.

The goal was to create a high-quality public event that would attract new audiences, activate existing communities, and generate meaningful media attention, while remaining fully embedded in the center’s commercial ecosystem.

Our mission: to develop, produce, and communicate an event that would emotionally recharge the BIKINI BERLIN brand and turn the center into a place people come to stay—and shop.

The campaign

Our strategic answer was the Reading Retreat—a counterpoint to the city’s constant noise and pace. We chose the timing deliberately around the Nationwide Reading Day (Bundesweiter Vorlesetag) and Berlin Fairytale Month (Berliner Märchenmonat), providing strong cultural relevance and editorial hooks. For this autumn weekend, BIKINI BERLIN transformed into a cozy, story-filled living room in the middle of Berlin’s urban jungle. The mall became a space for slowing down, listening, reading, and connecting.

The program combined:

• curated readings with bestselling and culturally relevant authors
• reading lounges featuring a curated selection of classics and trending titles from popular genres like New Adult, Romantasy, and Dark Academia—made possible through sponsorships we organized with two leading publishing houses
• creative writing workshops for BIKINI BERLIN Society Members
• a family program with fairy-tale elements, reading corners and craft activities

The event was designed as a holistic brand experience: culturally relevant, visually strong, emotionally resonant, and accessible to a broad audience—from families and literature lovers to young urban creatives.

We coordinated a network of over 15 partners including publishers, creators, and on-site service providers, while managing the event within an active retail environment.

Strategic pillars

The format was designed around three core drivers of impact: cultural timing, low-threshold participation, and built-in content generation.

• Brand repositioning
  From shopping destination to experiential cultural space
• Public event as media trigger
  Creating a format with inherent editorial relevance
• Community building
  Bringing together literature fans, creators, and families for a real-life experience that turned a shared passion into a deep human connection
• Tenant integration
  Increasing visibility and footfall for selected shops and partners
• Membership activation
  Offering exclusive experiences for BIKINI BERLIN Society Members

Media attention was generated through the event itself and amplified via professional photo and video documentation, which was subsequently pitched to local lifestyle, culture, and city media.

Scope

Laika led the project end-to-end, covering strategy, production, partnerships, and communications. Key responsibilities included:

• Overall project management and event concept development
• Experience and spatial concept development for event areas, including mood direction, site walkthroughs, and coordination of furnishing
• Full program curation and scheduling across two event days
• Acquisition and management of all partners (authors, moderators, workshop facilitators, family program, publishers, retailers)
• Support in securing catering partners
• Copywriting support for website, newsletter, social media, signage, and print materials
• Development of interactive formats (e.g. event gamification and scavenger hunt)
• Press relations and media support on-site
• Stakeholder coordination on-site
• Support of execution, including setup supervision
• During the event, we managed on-site operations from coordinating service providers and supporting talent to handling media representatives and overseeing the overall visitor experience.

Program & experience design

At the heart of the event were three headline readings, each accompanied by Q&A sessions and meet-and-greet opportunities. All featured female authors with strong resonance among younger audiences, particularly within the fast-growing New Adult segment shaped by platforms such as BookTok and Bookstagram.

Friday’s headliner, bestselling author Melanie Raabe, engaged audiences with excerpts from her latest publication, a non-fiction work exploring mindfulness and everyday creativity. The program also featured creators-turned-authors Josi Wismar and Doris R. Thomas, effectively bridging digital fandom and physical experience.

All featured titles were available for purchase on-site through a partnership with the local bookstore Timbooktu, with signing sessions following each reading creating direct interaction between authors and audiences while driving retail integration.

Complementing the stage program, a curated Reading Lounge—developed with Ravensburger, dtv Verlag, and Bookbot—invited visitors to browse and engage with both classic and contemporary titles.

A standout activation was Bookbot’s “blind date with a book” concept: wrapped books accompanied by short teaser notes. The format proved highly effective: Visitors actively engaged, shared their picks on social media, and tagged both BIKINI BERLIN and Bookbot, generating organic reach beyond the event itself.

To deepen engagement, we introduced several interactive touchpoints: A gamified event flyer in the form of a “Reading Retreat Tic-Tac-Toe” encouraged visitors to explore different parts of the program, while a scavenger hunt, with 50 wrapped BIKINI BERLIN coffee table books as prizes, further increased participation and dwell time. A dedicated photo moment—a cozy reading setup integrated into the space— encouraged visitors to take and share photos, supporting organic reach.

Creative writing workshops in collaboration with Schreibhain Berlin were offered exclusively to BIKINI BERLIN Society members, while allowing on-site sign-ups ensured accessibility and contributed to membership growth.

On Saturday, a dedicated family program with Kunterbunt Berlin expanded the audience further. Activities included face painting, seasonal crafts, cozy reading tents, and a live storytelling session by a professional fairytale narrator, creating a multi-generational experience aligned with the broader thematic context of Berlin Fairytale Month.

The results

The Reading Retreat showed how the right cultural format can do what matters most for a retail space: bring people in. By tapping into relevant cultural moments and working with authors and creators who already have strong, engaged audiences, the event generated attention beyond BIKINI BERLIN’s existing visitors.

Coverage in key Berlin lifestyle and city media was further amplified through organic social media reach—especially on Instagram and TikTok—driven by the participating authors and their communities.

This visibility translated directly into increased footfall. The event Saturday was one of the strongest visitor days at BIKINI BERLIN in 2025, with +8% compared to an average Saturday.

Once people were there, the format encouraged them to stay and explore. The mix of readings, lounges, workshops, and family activities created multiple entry points into the experience. Visitors moved through the space, spent more time on-site, and engaged with nearby stores, especially in gastronomy and concept retail.

The event was also designed with content in mind from the start. Visual moments, interactive formats, and creator involvement led to continued visibility beyond the event weekend, extending its reach and impact.

Overall, the Reading Retreat showed that cultural programming can work within a commercial environment—bringing in new audiences, strengthening positioning, and activating the space in a meaningful way.

The brief

In March 2025, we received a request that deeply moved us. The sender was ASTI – Acid Survivors Trust International, a non-profit organization based in the UK. ASTI is committed to the worldwide prevention of acid attacks and supports survivors on their path to healing. Their vision: a world without corrosive violence.

They approached us with the following task: ASTI wanted us to develop an attention-grabbing campaign that would put the issue of acid attacks in the textile industry on the agenda of the German fashion industry. The only requirement was the timeframe, as the campaign was to take place in the midst of the hustle and bustle of Berlin Fashion Week – during the peak season of style and glamour. Our goal was to confront and move the media, fashion companies as well as the public.

The campaign

Our strategy was to appear visibly and be impossible to miss – while always remaining respectful towards survivors. With a three-part stunt, emotional imagery, and targeted media work, we primarily wanted to achieve one thing: discourse. And specifically, not about aesthetics, but about responsibility.

1. LED Truck: Awareness on Wheels

From Monday to Wednesday (30.06.–02.07.), a large-scale branded LED truck drove across Berlin. Instead of conventional billboards, we deliberately used the hotspots of Berlin Fashion Week and heavily frequented areas: the Uber Arena, the Kurfürstendamm, the Brandenburg Gate, and more, to bring the message to where it needed to be seen.

The key visuals highlighted the contrast between fashion’s beauty and the harsh reality that its production sites can enable acid attacks. Most attacks occur near textile industry centers, where corrosive substances are easily accessible.

2. Image Projection: Two-faced

On the evening of June 30th, we transformed a house facade on Warschauer Straße into a projection surface for a fictional fashion cover. However, the high-gloss aesthetic of the magazine turned into a visual with powerful messages about acid attacks in the fashion industry. A silent moment in pulsating Berlin – documented for social media and the press.

3. Live Performances: Confrontation meets Couture

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the heart of the campaign followed: Live performances at highly frequented Fashion Week locations such as:

• Kurfürstendamm, 01.07.25 – at the doors of the fashion shows of MARKE and BUZIGAHILL
• Brandenburg Gate, 01.07.25 – Photoshoot with LED Truck
• Uber Arena, 02.07.25 – at the entrance of the KILIAN KERNER show
• Haus der Visionäre, 02.07.25 – in front of the doors at the HADERLUMP ATELIER BERLIN show

The results

Our campaign was loud, emotional, and effective – and became visible exactly where it mattered.

• First publication in FACES Magazine
• Interview with FUNKE (myself)
• Increased interaction on ASTI’s social channels
• Engagement of fashion photographers and influencers
• ASTI positioned as a relevant voice in the fashion industry
• Doors opened for potential clean supply chain partnerships with fashion brands

Together with ASTI, we showed that social issues also have their place amidst the glamour of Fashion Week. The campaign was a first, but crucial, step in bringing the issue of acid attacks more strongly into the fashion industry.

The brief

When zenloop approached us in February 2018 the challenge was clear: to introduce the new SaaS startup of former Flaconi co-founders Paul Schwarzenholz, Björn Kolbmüller and Lukasz Lazewski with a bang in the German market. Besides a crowded market, there was one more challenge to solve: the Net Promoter Score (NPS) that zenloop bases its business model on is well known in the US, but not so in the DACH market. Therefore, we couldn’t just launch the new company, but we also had to think about a long-term education campaign and explain the importance of this metric for e-commerce businesses in the German-speaking markets.

The campaign

In close collaboration with co-founder Paul Schwarzenholz, we developed the messaging and communications strategy for the launch campaign. We also updated all necessary documents and set up target media and event lists for the young company, but that’s a given.

We decided to give the company’s founding story as an exclusive to one of our top tier media targets: t3n. The media outlet is read by many e-commerce professionals, digital talents and investors, so we saw a great fit to see the story spread from there. And we were right: While we were approaching more publications afterwards, the article was picked up by other media outlets as well. Even months after the article release, it was brought up with the zenloop team, when they visited trade fairs.

To keep the momentum and zenloop on everyone’s radar, we continued after this launch with thought leadership content, customer case studies, speaker applications, media relations during conferences, and data stories from the rich dataset of zenloop’s system. We organized our work around the zenloop news pipeline, internal ressources and business goals.

Thank you, zenloop!
It’s a pleasure to work with you!

The campaign

Just as a rocket has to be maintained and its departure into space has to be precisely prepared, it is also important in the PR world to develop a good strategy before acting – our included the pillars

• Spread the word with corporate communication announcements (expansion, investment round, …)
• Vertical B2B PR by targeting businesses cross-industry and sector by sector
• Create a steady drumbeat for B2C to reach new talents with a proactive and confident approach to flexible work models, a plea for more acceptance, respect and humble approach to simplified work and pushing the importance of new work
• Establish the company and its spokespersons as thought leaders
• Quick wins by proactively leveraging what’s already out there
• Preparation for the case of emergency by creating a crisis comms guide implementing a crisis workshop

Keeping Zenjobs back free and work together hand in hand by being a partner for all (comms) concerns, for example we supported Zenjob to find an interim head of comms and set up a joint radio promotion.

Opening up to new target groups besides students, launching in new cities, being on a path of internationalization and successfully closing a major financing round, Zenjob already brought a lot to the table we could communicate on. Gründerszene, Personalwirtschaft or Techcrunch – you name it – we got the attention of top media outlets. Besides the major milestones, however, it was also important to maintain a strong drumbeat and to position Zenjob as a thought leader and trailblazer. For the latter, we focused on Zenjob’s core themes of new work with focus on the flexibilisation of the working world as well as the Gen Z, digitalization and creating a fair platform economy. To do so, we resorted to several tactics:

Let’s go bananas about data (stories)!

We love data, you love data – everyone loves data, especially when they provide interesting insights. Fortunately, Zenjob’s data stories do just that! Whether the Gen Z study or Zenjobs „Jobspiegel“: We have aimed high and hit the mark by convincing high-profile media such as HR Journal, W&V, der Standard, t3n, Haufe, Horizont or BusinessPunk of the results.

Thank you, Zenjob!
It was a pleasure to work with you!

The brief

What once began with a clear goal of improving the world with an ad-free private search engine that protects both data and users, has evolved into much more than just a change in the status quo in the world of private search engines. Xayn, which originated from an AI research project at the University of Oxford and Imperial College London, continued to further develop its product, evolving into pioneering next genAI for large organizations. The Berlin-based startup builds secure, sovereign, and sustainable AI systems that help companies and institutions leverage the power of language models at scale.

Laika was called upon for support during this crucial developmental phase—covering for Xayn’s Head of Communications’s parental leave. Our role extended beyond strengthening their already robust media presence—we strategically set the course to lead Xayn into the next generation of AI, highlighting how Xayn’s technology stood at the forefront of innovation, redefining the landscape of intelligent search, and personalized recommendations.

The campaign

While navigating the internal challenges of realignment and communicative positioning, our multifaceted approach positioned the company as a thought leader in data privacy and digital responsibility. We encompassed various aspects, from corporate communications to advice pieces, speaking engagements, and meticulous product communication.

To amplify our messaging, we strategically leveraged insightful testimonials from key figures within the company, notably Dr. Leif-Nissen Lundbæk, co-founder and CEO, and Professor Michael Huth, co-founder and Senior Researcher as well as Head of the Department of Computing at Imperial College London.

At the same time, we underscored Xayn’s employer branding initiatives, spotlighting key actions such as their implementation of a four-day workweek, and the signing of their diversity charter. Simultaneously, we maintained a robust media relations and press office, promptly addressing incoming inquiries and ensuring that Xayn’s story resonated across different channels.

Ensuring the perpetuity of our comms & PR successes, we seamlessly integrated them into the realm of social media, amplifying Xayn’s narrative across digital platforms. Daily monitoring and monthly reporting were integral components, allowing us to adapt and refine our strategy continuously.

In essence, our multifaceted approach was not just about disseminating information but orchestrating a symphony of communication elements, strategically aligned to uphold the foundational hum of corporate and consumer news for Xayn.

The results

While supporting Xayn’s repositioning and highlighting their goal to enhance our daily digital experiences through cutting-edge AI, we concurrently elevated the discourse around data privacy and digital responsibility. Our efforts resonated not only with industry professionals but also with a broader audience, emphasizing the significance of conscious and ethical choices in the digital realm.

In the six months of our project collaboration, we secured 11 clippings—ranging from tech outlets, to business, to national and HR media such as Fortune, Human Resources Manager, and Computer Bild.

Our collaborative journey with Xayn has solidified the company’s influential position in the market, leaving a lasting impact on the discourse surrounding data privacy and digital responsibility.

Thank you, Xayn!
It’s a pleasure working with you!