Gayosso “Hazlo memorable”: organisational culture through the Day of the Dead tradition

The starting point: a traditional funeral services company and a new millennial generation bored with written speeches and memos as the way to hear messages from management or any other department.

Few companies have such a delicate relationship with their own subject as a funeral home. Internal communication had leaned towards solemnity and the written format, consistent with the business but not very effective with a young audience that expects quick, visual messages. The challenge was twofold. Internal messages and culture needed a new way of being communicated without disrespecting what employees do every day, which is to support families through very hard moments. And it had to be done without losing the seriousness the brand demands.

The idea was to use the folklore Mexico naturally has around death, with respect for the work employees carry out, to turn the funeral company’s organisational culture into a place full of colourful, attractive and dynamic tradition.

The result was a communications campaign wrapped in the Mexican Day of the Dead tradition and in popular sayings that include a word almost forbidden inside a funeral home: death. It is a brave and well-judged decision, because Mexican culture already has a festive and respectful way of talking about death. Papel picado became the most important emblem and the most fun way to share the values, and these elements were also carried into onboarding and even employee recognition.