Don’t save appreciation for better times
Hansgrohe’s 125th anniversary, a Pixi book at the heart of the anniversary communications, and a corporate culture that provides stability even in volatile times. Dr. Jörg Hass, Vice President of Corporate Communications at the Hansgrohe Group, speaks with Achtung! CEO Mirko Kaminski about why internal communication isn’t a secondary discipline, what a set of keys has to do with corporate identity, and why an anniversary should be celebrated all the more when there isn’t only good news.
Jörg, Hansgrohe, with its brands AXOR and hansgrohe, is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year. That’s not just any number you can simply check off a list. What have you planned?
It was already clear two or three years ago: We’re going to celebrate this anniversary together. Period. Regardless of the overall economic situation and the current business climate. And even when we started planning, things weren’t exactly rosy. But we said early on: Honoring shared moments of success is a long-standing tradition for us. Back in the day, Klaus Grohe would always treat everyone to a keg of beer whenever the company hit a new sales milestone. That was back when we were still at 200 or 300 million Deutschmarks in annual revenue. Over the years, this culture has evolved into a genuine tradition. Of course, celebrating isn’t an end in itself, but rather an expression of recognition and appreciation. One example of this is our regular large-scale hiking day. Likewise, our employees celebrating work anniversaries—even those who have retired—have their own event. All significant employee anniversaries are deliberately observed and honored. Against this backdrop, there was no doubt whatsoever that we would also celebrate this company anniversary in a fitting manner.
I find it so exciting because it was a conscious decision: to celebrate precisely when times aren’t easy. I’ve noticed that some companies don’t dare to do this at all—partly out of concern that they might send the wrong message. As if appreciation were a luxury one can only afford in good times. But it’s actually the exact opposite.
Exactly. Celebrating an anniversary during challenging times isn’t a contradiction. It’s a message. It says: We stand together. We’re a team. We share a common history, and we’re continuing to write it together. And that contributes to something much harder to improve than a quarterly result: namely, trust, passion, appreciation, and camaraderie. But of course, I also understand that, viewed from the outside, it seems downright paradoxical that, on the one hand, budgets and resources are being managed with extreme care, while on the other hand, a big party is being thrown.
What does that look like in practice? What can employees expect?
In June, we’ll be celebrating here in Schiltach in the Black Forest. This is where the company was founded, and by far the largest number of Hansgrohe colleagues in Germany—around 3,400—work here. In front of our headquarters, we’re hosting a real open-air festival: two stages, a closed-off street, and activities all around. No long speeches, no big presentations. The focus is on togetherness, gratitude, and spending time together. We thought that if we reached 5,000 people, including families, we’d be happy—especially since the festival takes place on a Saturday. We’re now slightly overbooked and are currently adjusting the safety plan to accommodate 5,500 visitors.
5,500?! That’s quite a statement.
Yes, the need for genuine togetherness is clearly enormous. We also noticed this in the huge response to our internal initiatives, such as “My Hansgrohe Moment.” We called on employees to share their personal stories: couples who were previously just coworkers, or families where parents and children work at the same company. The response was overwhelming. And our CEO set the example himself: He met his wife at one of our Christmas parties. There’s no better way to kick off a call like this.
Let me get to the Pixi book, which has already made quite a splash. The book tells a touching story about a little water spirit. And your company’s history keeps popping up throughout it.
We wanted to create something that would surprise people and leave a lasting impression. In a world as digital as today’s, we deliberately wanted to create something tangible. Something that many people still remember from their childhood. The Pixi book is accessible and emotionally resonant. And it has that tactile value—a value that’s often underestimated. It isn’t just swiped away. You keep it, pass it on, and read it to your own child.
“Don’t swipe it away”—that’s exactly what we preach to all our clients. Good communication has to make people stop scrolling. The Pixi book achieves this because it doesn’t take place on a screen at all.
Exactly. And we’ve added another layer that only insiders will get. Klaus Grohe, for example. Everyone recognizes him by his famous set of keys, which he always wore on his belt. I didn’t believe it myself at first, until I saw it with my own eyes. He really did always carry it that way. Of course, we had that drawn in specifically, and our company insiders recognize it immediately and smile.
That’s the moment when employees think, “Awesome. They did that just for me!”
Yes, and that’s the whole point. Anyone who’s been with the company for ten years or more will smile. Newcomers get to playfully immerse themselves in the story. And everyone has a very specific point of connection. For example, during a conversation over coffee: “Did you see that thing with the keychain?” That might sound trivial, but it isn’t. That’s exactly the moment when a bond is formed.
And then there might be another moment like this, when a Hansgrohe employee reads from a Pixi book to their child in the evening and feels proud of what they do at the company. I actually think that’s the most powerful image of the whole concept.
Even a child can understand our water theme—saving water and using one of the world’s most important resources responsibly. Not through a press release, but through a story. And the fact that Mom or Dad has a job that goes beyond just making money and actually makes a difference. That’s emotional brand loyalty on a human level.
Internally, you’ve handled this beautifully. But you’re also highlighting the anniversary externally. How will it be visible to the outside world?
To be honest: A year alone doesn’t really interest anyone outside the company. So we didn’t focus so much on what content we wanted to highlight, but rather: How do we, as a medium-sized company celebrating an anniversary, even attract attention in the first place? That changed our way of thinking. One of the results is an anniversary collection: a swimwear line called “Established 1901.” The only element connecting it to us is water. None of our products are visible—no faucets, no showerheads. And yet—or perhaps precisely because of that—it’s generating attention. Fashion influencer Ben Bernschneider is showcasing the collection on social media. This is accompanied by an anniversary film, PR, and extended content. That’s the awareness track. And if that takes off, we can also build substantial content on that foundation. For example, how our product development has changed over the past 125 years. How was a showerhead made in the past, and how is it made today? How do our sustainability principles shape product design? This might not be suitable for a mass audience, but it’s certainly interesting for trade media and the right communities.
A swimwear collection like this is “storydoing” in its purest form. First, you do something surprising, and then you explain what you stand for. The collection has nothing to do with your products, and that’s exactly why it creates that moment when people take a second look.
Exactly. And water as a unifying element is more than just a branding gimmick. At Hansgrohe, water is our passion and truly what has driven us for 125 years.
Back to internal anniversary communications. How do you measure success there?
We measure everything communicated via the internal app: reach, engagement, and an aggregated Net Sentiment Score. So we’ve set ourselves a concrete, measurable goal. What we also want to achieve is expanding the circle of active participants. As with any app, some colleagues are more active here, while others are more reserved. Our goal is to inspire and engage new people—both quantitatively and qualitatively. After the festival, there will be another participatory campaign, and we’ll measure participation then as well.
Jörg, one last question: What takeaways from this anniversary year do you see that apply beyond the company? For anyone currently thinking about internal communication.
That appreciation isn’t a resource you save for better times. And that the best thing you can do internally isn’t always the loudest. Sometimes it’s a little book that someone picks up in the evening—and through which a new generation of Hansgrohe fans is growing up.
Dr. Jörg Hass is Vice President of Corporate Communications at the Hansgrohe Group, which includes the hansgrohe and Axor brands. The company was founded in 1901 in Schiltach in the Black Forest and operates worldwide.
