A.P. Moller - Maersk: Storytelling at Scale — Building Trust and Loyalty in Global Logistics (#741)

Samantha: Everybody’s got a phone.

Samantha: Most people have a social media account.

Samantha: And I think we’re all familiar with different types of employees at different types of companies who are saying something very different from what the company themselves is preaching.

Samantha: And I think if you have this disjointed, there’s one thing that’s being branded by the company and something very different or negative by the employees, that’s going to make you lose trust or credibility.

Samantha: Social gives you that absolute visibility it’s that real power of intelligence.

Samantha: And what it can give us is live, unfiltered understanding of what the customers care about, worry about and value even before they tell us through our CX.

Paula: Hello and welcome to Let’s Talk Loyalty and Loyalty TV, a show for loyalty marketing professionals.

Paula: I’m Paula Thomas, the founder and CEO of Let’s Talk Loyalty and Loyalty TV.

Paula: Where we feature insightful conversations with loyalty professionals from the world’s leading brands.

Paula: Today’s episode is hosted by Nyeleti Sue-Angel Nkuna, a customer loyalty strategist with a proven record of helping blue chip global brands forge deeper connections with their customers.

Paula: Enjoy!

Nyeleti: Hello, and as Paula just mentioned, my name is Nyeleti.

Nyeleti: Today, we’ll be exploring a side of loyalty that doesn’t always get the spotlight that it deserves.

Nyeleti: And that is the power of storytelling, how it builds trust, credibility, and fosters long-term customer relationships.

Nyeleti: And we’ll be talking about storytelling in one of the more complex industries, which is shipping and logistics.

Nyeleti: When we think about doable trade, we think about scale, position, and operational excellence.

Nyeleti: And of course, we should be thinking about that stuff.

Nyeleti: But behind every shipment, behind every supply chain decision, behind every global movement of goods are people, moments and stories that impact how trust is built over time.

Nyeleti: Our guest today sits right at the intersection of all of that.

Nyeleti: She is the global head of content, social media, and storytelling at AP Moller, Maersk, one of Denmark’s most iconic companies, and a true global backbone of trade.

Nyeleti: In her role, she helps to redefine how a B2B giant shows up, not just as a logistics provider, but as a trusted partner, a thought leader, and a human brand.

Nyeleti: Samantha is, of course, she is an inspiration and a good friend of mine.

Nyeleti: But the task for this episode is to unlock how social media has evolved into a strategic engine and B2B loyalty, where human stories reinforce, not dilute, operational credibility.

Nyeleti: This episode is a masterclass on how business move forward through storytelling.

Nyeleti: So do sit back and enjoy.

Nyeleti: Samantha, also fondly known as Sam, it’s so great to have you on the show.

Nyeleti: I have been looking forward to having this conversation with you.

Nyeleti: So I’m so glad we finally get to do it.

Samantha: Me too.

Samantha: So I’m looking forward to a great conversation.

Nyeleti: Super.

Nyeleti: So I’m going to roll this off the way we usually do.

Nyeleti: And that is to get some kind of insights into your intellectual curiosity.

Nyeleti: And the first book or rather the first question is related to your favorite nonfiction book.

Nyeleti: So for you, Sam, what would be that book nonfiction or business that relates to your leadership style or has impacted you just as a person?

Samantha: I would have to say I like this question because I also get my source of inspiration from a lot of fiction as well, being someone who’s a big fan of science fiction as well.

Samantha: And I think that goes without saying, working in the creative industry, if we stick to the nonfiction, I would say one book that’s probably left an impact on me is the well-known book Thinking Fast & Slow.

Samantha: I think what really stood out to me about that particular book is just how much of our decision making is made on autopilot.

Samantha: He has this idea of these two different systems, the fast intuitive one and the slow more deliberate one.

Samantha: And I think that can also change how you think as a leader about the way people think and react.

Samantha: So if you think about the fast intuitive system one versus the slow, it made me realize how much of what we consider as people as very rational decision making is actually driven by intuition, some kind of biases, and shortcuts.

Samantha: Exactly.

Samantha: And we need to see shortcuts because our brain has to save a lot of energy.

Samantha: So what I find most powerful about that thinking is that it’s not about being perfectly rational, but actually recognizing some of those patterns in yourself as a leader, but also in others, especially when it comes to leadership and communication.

Samantha: And then we’re going to dive in to a little bit about customers, of course.

Samantha: And I think it can also give some insights into why and how people buy.

Samantha: Is it the heart?

Samantha: Is it the mind?

Samantha: What resonates with them?

Samantha: I actually find it quite fascinating, but I’m curious.

Samantha: Have you read the book?

Nyeleti: You know, it’s one of those that has lived in my home for a long time, but I started but haven’t finished it.

Nyeleti: So I might need to go back to it.

Nyeleti: But what I do like about it is really that, you know, how do you dial down on that instinctive reaction and really try and see a situation from as full of a perspective that you can by gaining different insights.

Nyeleti: So one that I will need to conclude, I’ve started it, but I haven’t finished it yet.

Samantha: That’s okay.

Samantha: I won’t hold it against you.

Samantha: I can recommend after this course some great fiction books as well.

Nyeleti: And you know what, that’s actually become a very popular response.

Nyeleti: I’m finding that a lot of business leaders do need to kind of like, you know, read something that is not business heavy, just dial into a bit of fiction also for the imagination, I should imagine.

Samantha: I think it’s more for the imagination.

Samantha: And I think as well, I always had that belief that if you can think it, then it can become real.

Samantha: And I think especially in some of the genres that I read, which is science fiction, these alternate universes and the future, I think it can give some real insights into what is potentially possible in the world around us.

Samantha: I’m not just talking 5, 10 years, but we’re talking 100 years from now, 200 years from now.

Samantha: And I think that really puts things into perspective.

Nyeleti: No, I could totally get it.

Nyeleti: But now getting on the reality on the ground right now, and just your background says it all.

Nyeleti: You work for Maersk, which is one of Denmark’s most iconic companies and a global leader when it comes to shipping and logistics.

Nyeleti: You are the head of global content, social media and storytelling.

Nyeleti: But for our global audience who may not be familiar with the reach and the scale of Maersk, could you tell us a little bit about its global footprint, its purpose, and more interestingly, Sam, your role in it?

Samantha: Absolutely.

Samantha: And I won’t hold it again, so for the listeners, if they wasn’t that familiar with Maersk, of course, you’ve mentioned as a Danish brand and this is the headquarters and home of where it’s come from over 125 years of history.

Samantha: But we also operate in 130 countries.

Samantha: We have actually 100,000 employees around the globe.

Samantha: And to put it into simple terms, we actually transport one in five of everything.

Samantha: So think about this screen that we’re having, this column, the clothes that you’re wearing, the food that you’re going to eat tonight.

Samantha: We transport that and many different sectors.

Samantha: That could be from the raw materials that build the world around us, from our homes, manufacturing, of course, what we buy in the shops, the holiday season, which we’ve just had, and of course, all those peak seasons through the year.

Samantha: Then it comes down to the food, of course, farmer, the cars that we drive.

Samantha: We’re in a multitude of different industries, serving both large and small customers.

Samantha: And behind me, of course, you can see our big blue vessels, which people, of course, love and feel very fondly about.

Samantha: Then we have the terminal sides of the business.

Samantha: These are the ports in the different countries around the world.

Samantha: And then everything in between, from air freight to trucking, because things need to get somewhere from the port and trucks help them move.

Samantha: We have rail as well, e-commerce, and then there’s also other services that we provide, which is customs.

Samantha: So yeah, it’s a busy sort of portfolio to work across, including distribution centers as well.

Samantha: And my role, of course, as you just mentioned, is sort of global head of content, social media and storytelling.

Samantha: And that includes sort of six external channels, being from the Meta Group, so your Facebook and Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, we also have a TikTok channel, you’ll be surprised to hear.

Samantha: And then our fantastic colleagues in App Earth manage our WeChat channel.

Samantha: And then on another sort of bow to the string, my team also looks after the intranet site.

Samantha: So we have great comms that we give to our employees when we’re unfolding those stories about the work that they’re doing or the topics that they need to understand.

Samantha: So yeah, it’s a busy platform, but we have a big business as well to look after.

Nyeleti: It’s massive.

Nyeleti: I mean, and when you put it so tangibly, so I’m looking at the clothes that I’m wearing, the food that I eat and the health care, and it really makes you see that Maersk is part of everyday life, one would say.

Samantha: I think that’s probably the best way to say it.

Samantha: So it’s not just about us, but definitely about, you know, the customers that we’re supporting, the communities that we’re operating.

Samantha: So yeah, it becomes a lot more tangible than, of course, just thinking about sort of a hard asset, which is the container.

Nyeleti: No, absolutely.

Nyeleti: And you also spoke to that end to end, you know, it’s not just shipping logistics or shipping goods from one point to another, but it’s an entire end to end process.

Nyeleti: And we’ll get into it.

Nyeleti: But your role specifically, right, isn’t really just about the nuts and bolts or all of that.

Nyeleti: And it’s beyond the big vessels, it’s beyond the warehouses.

Nyeleti: But every interaction can unlock a story which would play into how a customer or a potential customer might perceive the company and then potentially to decide to do business with the company.

Nyeleti: In your experience, why is storytelling so important and specifically within the B2B environment?

Samantha: I would actually take a step back because storytelling is as old as time.

Samantha: If you think about people sort of sitting around the campfire and talking about their day or telling stories that we listen to, you know, as a child, all those sort of childhood stories from Hansel and Gretel or the Big Bad Wolf, they provide a little bit of context about the world that we live in.

Samantha: So I think when it comes to storytelling in a B2B landscape, this is where it gets very interesting, because I think it can really help to build that trust and understanding of why we exist and not just to sell.

Samantha: It moves from being just very transactional, I would say.

Samantha: So I guess I sit on the branding and corporate communication side of the house, so storytelling in that regard is perfect.

Samantha: And it can also talk about belonging.

Samantha: It humanizes very complex business and translate that into relatable moments.

Samantha: And definitely the business that I work in is very complex.

Samantha: So if we break down those stories, it could be delivering to hospitals, which is of course about saving lives, transporting materials to build a home that you will make life memories in, supplying tools for farmers to feed a community.

Samantha: And I think we can all as humans get behind those stories more than a steel box.

Samantha: Then it becomes about shelter, health, food security.

Samantha: And these are topics that resonate globally.

Samantha: And I think strong storytelling can reframe the customer as part of the journey.

Samantha: So it’s not just about the end funnel.

Samantha: So I think storytelling is here to stay.

Nyeleti: So it’s really about connecting meaning to the facts.

Nyeleti: And when you look at a lot of B2B companies thinking about the engine that drives the storytelling and that is social media.

Nyeleti: Social media has become non-negotiable as opposed to being like an optional feature to have within your customer touch points.

Nyeleti: And that has been a journey in a company like Maersk that has clearly invested itself with all the different channels you spoke about, six different channels that you’re on.

Nyeleti: How are you seeing that change customer behavior in any way, like, you know, are there certain metrics that you can account to the way customers do business with Maersk that results from the storytelling?

Samantha: I think as we take a step back, we are living in very challenging times and these impact our customers.

Samantha: So when we talk to our sort of market insights, these can be from geopolitical events, like inflation, tariffs.

Samantha: Also a thing that we need to consider is the changing consumer behavior, ESG sustainability, we’re going through like a lot of innovation, tech evolution.

Samantha: It even comes down to things like workforce, work life.

Samantha: So I think when it comes to, you know, social non-negotiable, it’s no longer when it comes to making a decision about what you buy, just about the price of bread, for example.

Samantha: We are aware of much more components that it takes.

Samantha: And I think what’s really great about social media here is a platform where we can then elevate those stories and tap into topics that are affecting our customers.

Samantha: So consumers are influenced by a variety of factors.

Samantha: And in my industry, where we’re both global, but also local, you know, we’re manufacturing in one part of the world or whatever related issue in one region can really have far wide reaching consequences.

Samantha: And if we sort of tap into those challenges, then we can elevate those stories and make sure that we’re talking about things that our customers are seeking and wishing to sort of help them make the right decisions for their businesses.

Samantha: And that’s how I look at the platforms and storytelling in that context.

Samantha: And I’ll even go back a step further when I think about the components of a story.

Samantha: Some people say it’s the free act or the fire fact.

Samantha: But what it is in every single story, you have characters, those characters could be our customers or our customers’ customers.

Samantha: You have things like what is the challenge, what is the journey or that inciting incident that they’re having to deal with.

Samantha: Then of course, it’s the resolution.

Samantha: And I think when we look at social, beyond of course, it’s used by everybody in the world.

Samantha: So if you’re not on there, you’re not going to be part of the conversation.

Samantha: And I don’t think social can be just looked at as, oh, it’s just kids doing dances on there.

Samantha: We know that many different industries are on social media.

Samantha: From our media news outlets to different businesses are on there.

Samantha: And also our customers are on there.

Samantha: So I think we have to be there with them having that conversation.

Samantha: And this is just one of the platforms where we can make that happen.

Nyeleti: No, absolutely.

Nyeleti: I think if you’re like you’re saying, you need to be there to be part of the conversation.

Nyeleti: And B2B buyers are customers, they’re humans, right?

Nyeleti: So they most likely do have an Instagram account or LinkedIn account.

Nyeleti: And therefore, if they’re using it for private use, they’re most likely using it for business use as well.

Nyeleti: So when you…

Samantha: I think you touched on a great point there when you said B2B are also people.

Samantha: Because I think historically B2C, because you can see the consumer, that you’re like, okay, that should be treated very differently from B2B.

Samantha: But those decision makers are still, you know, humans at the end of the day, they’re still humans.

Samantha: It’s not just a logo that’s on social media consuming it’s a person in those companies.

Samantha: So I think that’s a great point that you raised there.

Nyeleti: And I have a sales background, so really deep in the commercial practice and you want to do business with people that you like, people that you know.

Samantha: Yes, absolutely.

Samantha: I know there’s certainly a podcast, but there’s definitely companies I no longer purchase from, either because of how I’ve seen on social, how they treat their employees, or it could be what they’ve seen as a throwaway comment, which I actually find quite offensive.

Samantha: So again, it’s very much about people.

Nyeleti: Absolutely.

Nyeleti: So building that bubble, whether it’s through a story or the everyday interactions, I think like it all goes together and it builds the story.

Nyeleti: So it also takes, and I think you’ve mentioned it to me before, there’s a lot of different touch points that a customer goes through before they actually make the decision to buy.

Nyeleti: And in the B2B area, it’s a longer funnel that they would go through.

Nyeleti: And that’s where the stories become really important in getting that person closer to making a decision.

Nyeleti: Would you want to touch on that?

Nyeleti: You know, the length of the B2B buying cycle and where storytelling plays a role?

Samantha: That’s a great point.

Samantha: Customers are at different points when it comes to the buying journey.

Samantha: You’ve got some in consideration mode, you’ve got some in just awareness, you’ve got some who are getting their back ends together, but you know, maybe in the next sort of three to six months, they’re going to be looking for a logistic provider.

Samantha: And I think that gives you a different opportunity.

Samantha: When we were speaking to our LinkedIn partner, they said it can take up to nine to 12 different touch points, seeing the content from one company for them to make that sort of change from consideration to actually following through with the purchase.

Samantha: Therefore, if you’ve got like nine opportunities to get through or meet your customer where they’re at, that can take form in many different ways.

Samantha: Of course, you can have things like deep dives, white papers, you can have webinars, you can have very light content where it comes to be in an infographic.

Samantha: You can have a customer testimony.

Samantha: I think it really depends on making sure you have a diversified content pipeline which is also what we have.

Samantha: Then through social listening, you can pick up what are some of the trends or things that they’re interested in and see how that matches with your own strategy and what you should be preparing for them to meet.

Samantha: That could be, of course, they’re traveling to work and they’re looking on their phone.

Samantha: It could be they’re seeking you out because they’ve done a Google search or they’re asking the large language models, so ChatGBT or Gemini.

Samantha: Then you come up on the search.

Samantha: It could be them reading a piece in the Financial Times because you’ve worked with a media partner to do a deeper dive on a particular topic that is very newsworthy or topical.

Samantha: It can be in many different forms.

Samantha: I think you really do need to meet the customer where they’re at and not just rely on one activation or one campaign to get through, especially when we need to be well.

Nyeleti: Absolutely.

Nyeleti: There are two different thoughts that could go right now.

Nyeleti: One is just the content strategy and how you map up all of these different content pieces into clear story lines and across different activations.

Nyeleti: You mentioned white papers, you mentioned webinars as well as social media.

Nyeleti: But I actually want to go first, we’ll go there, but I want to go into the strategic intelligence.

Nyeleti: What are some of the consumer insights that we can get from a lot of the work that you’re doing that can influence where they are in this stage and what is the next information that they need to be fed in order to get closer to that point of purchase?

Samantha: I’m glad you touched on this because I’m a big fan of data-driven comms and also analytics.

Samantha: I think social gives you that absolute visibility.

Samantha: It’s that real power of intelligence.

Samantha: What it can give us is live, unfiltered understanding of what the customers care about, worry about and value even before they tell us through our CX or our customer experience offices or through their sales partner and definitely through channel analytics and social listening.

Samantha: That can definitely show us, of course, engagements, retention rates, click-through rates, the audience breakdown on the different channels.

Samantha: But it can also help us identify those trends and topics which are important for our target audience.

Samantha: And we’ve also seen, when we look at our analytics, which stories are getting the engagement, the advocacy from our customers.

Samantha: And that can then help me and my team and form our content pipeline so we can invest in those conversations that actually align with their priorities and not just thinking about our campaigns in a vacuum because we are a business that works in real life, real world.

Samantha: And then you may have a campaign that you’ve bought about a year ago, but then if we think about the year that we just had, a lot can change.

Samantha: So social listening can give us that real time data, which I think is invaluable.

Samantha: And I’m sure you also appreciate what social can give when it comes to visibility.

Nyeleti: No, absolutely.

Nyeleti: And that agility that you spoke into, right, because you can get that real time data and then you can adjust the next campaign and not stick to what was decided six months ago.

Nyeleti: Then talking about the different conversations that you’re in and how you go about it, right?

Nyeleti: So when do you know, what are the decisions behind some of the decisions in terms of like the product at the end?

Nyeleti: Is it a webinar?

Nyeleti: Is it a white paper?

Nyeleti: Is it a conversation with the CEO?

Nyeleti: You know, all of these different tactics that you could deploy.

Nyeleti: What are some of the decision making that goes under those aspects?

Samantha: I think there’s a variety of decisions.

Samantha: Plus, when it comes to our strategy, the branding and comms strategy when it comes to social media is very closely aligned with the business strategy.

Samantha: So we have these three key topics that we lean into.

Samantha: One is, of course, our core business, which is the global trade and logistics.

Samantha: And this is where our free business units sit.

Samantha: And we also have sustainability as one of our themes.

Samantha: And from that, that could be from the energy transition, that could be from responsible business, CSR.

Samantha: There’s many different components to that.

Samantha: And then, of course, there’s actually business performance, which is our financial and giving insights into how we’re performing that right to pay that right to license.

Samantha: Then when it comes to the social listening, that can give us some of the trends.

Samantha: We can see historical data, which can also help inform that we’re making the right decisions, also evaluating the content that we have.

Samantha: But we are across quite a number of platforms.

Samantha: So without spilling out our entire strategy, which I wouldn’t be able to do, I would say that there’s a number of factors that can come into play.

Samantha: One is of course the target audience.

Samantha: Then it’s of course the message that we’re trying to deliver.

Samantha: Then there’s also things like, things that you can’t even plan for.

Samantha: So there’s always on content.

Samantha: So that’s where the core business comes into effect.

Samantha: The different tactics we take can get quite interesting because of course, when it comes to the platforms, they could be prioritizing certain things like short form videos or reels.

Samantha: It can be, we see high engagements when it comes to carousels.

Samantha: It could be that we need to move the customer from the social channels to our.com, our website page where we have that ecosystem there.

Samantha: We do see with some of the platforms, they’re trying very hard.

Samantha: We’re all victim to it, keeping us on that platform.

Samantha: But we do with some of the content piece that we have, need to drive them onto our.com page.

Samantha: So we have different tactics to do that.

Samantha: But it’s a variety of things that we look for and then consider.

Samantha: I think you need different tracks.

Samantha: So you need, of course, the deeper long form content, but also in this world where attention spans are getting shorter and shorter.

Samantha: You might just have a very clear call to action and then you have the shorter form content pieces.

Samantha: Even though video is king and has been for a long time, we also see from some of the different things that we experiment with, is that the customer also is very happy to read in a tutorial, they’re very happy to get a picture with a comment that then moves them onto our.com page.

Samantha: So different tactics can be used.

Nyeleti: I’m already thinking about the scale of production behind bringing all of those different content pieces.

Nyeleti: It must be massive in order to make sure that you do have the long-form stuff for those who want that.

Nyeleti: You also are able to get it in a digestible and short way for those who would rather have that.

Nyeleti: But yeah, do you want to say something?

Samantha: Yeah.

Samantha: On that, I would say you can have different forms of content.

Samantha: You can also have user-generated content.

Samantha: You can have content that is actually made by your customers or partners that you collaborate with.

Samantha: I wouldn’t say we actually have that big a team.

Samantha: My team, I think, is quite modestly sized for the size of the company that we have.

Samantha: And so again, we sometimes split the assets or just working in a very efficient way with the assets that we have.

Samantha: They can be cutting up a piece of content.

Samantha: So it has numerous activations, even though a lot of the research has been done for one main form of content.

Nyeleti: But I mean, like when you think about logistics, it can be quite abstract.

Nyeleti: So how do you humanize the stories but still have that operational credibility that Maersk is known for?

Samantha: I’m glad you said that.

Samantha: Because when I jumped ship from a different industry, so I come from a broadcast background.

Samantha: I’m having worked at the BBC for a very long time and also worked at Universal Music.

Samantha: And when I moved into this industry, many of my colleagues and friends were like, why are you into logistics?

Nyeleti: BBC, Universal Music.

Nyeleti: Yeah, they were just like, what is going on there?

Samantha: But I think one of the reasons I actually joined Maersk was because I came across their Heart of Trade campaign.

Samantha: And that was showing a variety of customers across diverse communities.

Samantha: It included a flower producer farmer in Ghana.

Samantha: There was these sisters who did fishing in Alaska, and they also sold apparel merchandise.

Samantha: And then there was this eccentric Chinese businessman.

Samantha: And I just saw the passion that these customers had for making these goods.

Samantha: And then Maersk was able to help them deliver them to the world or their local communities.

Samantha: And it really aligns with what I believe that the world is really interconnected, and that transportation is human.

Samantha: So yes, super impressive, hard assets, you know, our vessels are like the size of, you know, free football pitches and things like that.

Samantha: But when I’ve also gone on board our vessels and seen the scale of the port, it is really impressive, I cannot deny.

Samantha: And it’s nothing like I’ve seen before.

Samantha: But when you’re on board, you actually then meet the seafarers.

Samantha: And these are the people that actually make the trade happen.

Samantha: You know, when we’re talking about making innovation changes, you meet the architects or the engineers.

Samantha: When we think about the trucks, you know, I know there’s lots of trucking vans out there, and you know, I love a truck as well.

Samantha: But they’re also driven by very passionate people, people working very hard, long hours, long jobs.

Samantha: So even though we’re primarily, predominantly in B2B, even in our sector, it’s about humans and fundamentally the impacts that our customers and our trade does on other people.

Samantha: So I don’t think you can separate the two.

Samantha: And I think that’s why I think it’s not that complicated.

Samantha: It’s to humanize it.

Samantha: And then of course, the credibility comes in delivering the promise.

Samantha: The credibility comes in managing those assets in an efficient way, in a safe way so that, you know, our colleagues can get home safely.

Samantha: We are a critical infrastructure when it comes to most economies.

Samantha: So again, you can bring the two together to tell very passionate, convincing stories.

Nyeleti: I love it.

Nyeleti: It’s a human impact.

Nyeleti: And I love how, Sam, you always like bring it to, you know, to the ground, you know, you talk about the person driving the truck and the long hours that they do, and they are part of the brand.

Nyeleti: They are part of the ecosystem.

Nyeleti: So I really appreciate how you see everyone.

Nyeleti: And that’s always a great marker for a good storyteller.

Nyeleti: And just to your point, like, you know, and your career journey, there’s a lot of people that might be listening to us and they might consider Maersk as a future employer.

Nyeleti: How does the storytelling play into employee branding and attracting people, especially you also mentioned the sustainability part and looking at the new generation of graduates that are really looking into that.

Nyeleti: Can you talk a little bit about employer branding and that part of your work?

Nyeleti: You spoke earlier that you’re also quite involved with the intranet as well.

Samantha: Yeah, I think employer branding can take many different forms.

Samantha: We have so many different types of employees that work for us in different roles.

Samantha: So I had previously mentioned the front line, but we then also have, you know, project managers, we have people working in accounts, we have CX staff members.

Samantha: So probably any type of role you can think about, we probably do have it within our company.

Samantha: I think when it comes to then showing that in an authentic way, there’s a member of my team who is very much working close to the employer branding department.

Samantha: And then we can then unfold stories.

Samantha: So we have a series called Day In The Life.

Samantha: And that’s just a one minute video.

Samantha: It’s actually filmed by our employees.

Samantha: So you know, we give them a few tips and they have to capture different parts of their day.

Samantha: So we’ve had our like pilots film, of course, in a safe way, not find the crap, but talk about loading it and, you know, different aspects of their life.

Samantha: So again, it’s opening up what maybe is not that known, so that behind the scenes.

Samantha: Then we’ve also had people working at the terminals that we’ve covered.

Samantha: We’ve even had a day in the life of one of our sort of chefs, just talking about, you know, what it takes to feed an organization of 2,000 employees in the Copenhagen HQ.

Samantha: So again, it’s like sort of us saying what we do, like giving our employees that voice to sort of show people what it’s like to work at Maersk.

Samantha: And then I think as well, because we have people at different stages of their career, so you mentioned graduates, but it’s a great place.

Samantha: I wasn’t a graduate when I joined.

Samantha: I hope you’re thinking I look super, super young, but no, I wasn’t a graduate when I joined.

Samantha: I did make a career sort of choice to change industry.

Samantha: And I think it also offers people who are at different stages of their career, you know, a great opportunity to have real world impact.

Samantha: And I think another way you can do employer branding is not also just from the lens of the employee, but also from the lens of the communities that we serve in or our partners in the ecosystem.

Samantha: And another thing, you know, we have our annual report coming out in February.

Samantha: And there you can see a range of stories in terms of how we’re shifting an industry and the innovation that is taking part.

Samantha: And also when it comes to DCARB.

Samantha: So depending on what you’re interested in or what pulls your heartstrings, I’m sure that we probably have a story that we can craft which would resonate with you.

Nyeleti: And the reason why the employer branding is close to my heart is that, you know, just employees being on board with the company is such a huge factor of customer loyalty, right?

Nyeleti: Because if the employees cannot speak and vouch for the company and the brand and feel very loyal to it, then it’s a big of an ask if you just if you expect customers to do it.

Nyeleti: So I think that’s a great point that you’ve made there.

Samantha: I think I’m just thinking up on it is because everybody’s got a phone.

Samantha: Most people have a social media account.

Samantha: And I think we’re all familiar with different types of employees at different types of companies who are saying something very different from what the company themselves is preaching.

Samantha: And I think if you have this disjointed, you know, there’s one thing that’s being branded by the company and something very different or negative by the employees, that’s going to make you lose trust or credibility.

Samantha: So again, it’s making sure that you are living and breathing your values as a company as well.

Nyeleti: Yeah.

Nyeleti: And then looking about the company values, you have proximity to the leadership.

Nyeleti: And I know that I’ve seen you take interviews with your CEO and other senior leaders.

Nyeleti: That thought leadership from that level and going down to communities and going down to future employees, but also, of course, to customers.

Nyeleti: What goes in shaping those stories?

Nyeleti: I mean, you obviously have the annual reports and stuff, but in between, how is it important?

Nyeleti: How important is it rather for your senior leadership to engage with customers?

Samantha: I think the senior leadership team, but also most people who are facing the customer are showing up every day.

Samantha: It’s not just when an annual report comes up.

Samantha: But if I just take your question from the perspective of how a leader can show up and help shape the customer’s trust and expectations, I think for me, when a CEO or a leader shows up consistently, and most importantly, authentically on social, it signals accountability.

Samantha: And I think customers don’t just want to hear what the customer believes.

Samantha: They also want to see who stands behind those beliefs.

Samantha: So the customer’s trust leaders who acknowledge their reality rather than polishing it, I would say.

Samantha: And definitely, if we look at the last 12 months, as I mentioned at the top of this call, all the different factors that a customer has to think about, from consumer behavior to geopolitics and tariffs, if they have leaders or they come across employees who work at their company who are acknowledging the challenges that they’re facing day to day, it then becomes a way that the leaders can lean into that storytelling.

Samantha: So I would say and encourage most leaders, yes, it’s a form and I do a lot of links and trainings as well.

Samantha: It is a form of personal branding, but it’s not just about that.

Samantha: It’s really making the company’s intent visible in a human way.

Samantha: So when I do a post, nobody’s telling me to do a post about Maersk or what I’m sort of getting up to day to day.

Samantha: But it’s because I actually do believe in what I’m posting and I think that’s the lens that we want most leaders or the CEO to come from.

Samantha: So it doesn’t feel like another part of the corporate machine.

Samantha: We have our corporate channels to do all of that.

Samantha: Therefore, the human lens that a leader can then add on to a post or acknowledging some challenges that the customer is going through or actually even just sharing some insights or trends coming up, there’s many different angles that they can take it.

Samantha: But I think the most important thing is that authenticity, because otherwise, we can smell fakeness a mile off.

Samantha: So I would really encourage people not just to think about posting every day, because we’ve all seen those posts I’m excited to share, but really just showing up when you have something valuable to share and not just looking in it purely from a sales perspective.

Nyeleti: No, absolutely, and you mentioned at least two that I’ve picked up on these sharing trends and insights.

Nyeleti: And of course, that also adds to your credibility as a leader within that space.

Nyeleti: But I also want to touch in what you said earlier.

Nyeleti: In terms of distress or when there is just a lot of uncertainty, there are leaders that show up and lean into the conversation.

Nyeleti: And I think that’s great because it gives trust and accountability.

Nyeleti: But then there are also those who draw back because perhaps they think this moment will pass on.

Nyeleti: What’s your take on conversations and storytelling in terms of conflict and uncertainty?

Samantha: That’s an interesting question because I also, as a disclaimer, because I have worked quite a bit on crisis comms, it’s not for every leader to lead into.

Samantha: I think definitely from our perspective, sometimes a wait and see approach is better to make sure we have the accurate information that we’re passing on.

Samantha: It’s not necessarily a race to get that information out there.

Samantha: I think also it’s about showing what you’re actually doing, because too often people can sort of jump on a trend because they just want to be part of that trend.

Samantha: But actually, they don’t really have any authenticity or accountability to talk on that topic because it’s not something that they’re actually involved in or doing or helping or assisting on.

Samantha: So I would say in that respect, always stay super close to what you’re actually doing so that you don’t send out conflicting information into the market or for your customers as well.

Samantha: Absolutely.

Nyeleti: No, absolutely.

Nyeleti: So at the core of customer loyalty is building brand love and deepening relationships with the customer over time.

Nyeleti: Is it fair to expect social media to play a role in that, establishing those deep relationships with customers?

Samantha: Yes, in one word.

Samantha: I think that would be the expectation of any company when it comes to their social media.

Samantha: I work in the branding side of the house and we have a fantastic relationship with our marketers.

Samantha: And of course, they may look at that in a slightly different way when it comes to referral or retention.

Samantha: But the way I see it is marketing maybe can secure the first date or dates and where brand comes is investing in the relationship.

Samantha: So for me, I always look at also always on content, looking at the builders when it comes to stories and content that we’re sharing with our audience.

Samantha: I think we’re in such a heavily saturated market, which is only going to grow.

Samantha: You know, there’s going to be more people, more companies, more content makers and authors of their own story.

Samantha: And what a brand needs to be able to do is be able to be, you know, the owner of its story, but also with a few different characters, be those people in the ecosystem, be your employees, be your customer testimonies.

Samantha: So even though I don’t have a crystal ball when it comes to the future, I do know that it is an investment that you do need to have in your brand, because then it can weather the storm.

Samantha: It can weather time.

Samantha: I’ve worked for a lot of brands that are sort of what we call heritage long running brands.

Samantha: So BBC has been operating a long time, so has Universal Music, so has Maersk.

Samantha: And I don’t think it can be just left down to chance.

Samantha: There’s investment that they make in terms of how they run their businesses to make sure that they can operate today, but also in the future.

Samantha: And I think from a branding perspective, you also need to do the same.

Samantha: So again, it’s that diversified content sort of strategy, but also really understanding your core audience and making sure that you can build those moments.

Samantha: If you think about some of the relationships that you have, it wasn’t sort of maintained from a one-off circumstance.

Samantha: It was built over time.

Samantha: Your partner’s been there through thick and thin.

Samantha: Again, it’s a big one-time relationship.

Samantha: It’s very much a journey.

Samantha: It’s not just one day that makes or breaks you.

Samantha: And I think companies can also work in the same way and so can brand loyalty.

Nyeleti: Absolutely.

Nyeleti: It’s those moments that come together to build that lasting relationship.

Nyeleti: And I know even from a Ciaran perspective, we also currently and always discuss how does it fit into the social media and back, angiociomessage.com, and making sure that that whole experience is well created.

Nyeleti: Because the customer doesn’t sit in silos.

Nyeleti: It experiences the brand as one thing.

Samantha: Yeah, and it can experience the brand in different ways.

Samantha: So it could experience the brand via a review from a customer.

Samantha: So if you are not making that conversation or making that content or making those moments to come together, then trust me, other people will do it for you.

Samantha: So again, it’s investing in the relationship, investing in your brand.

Samantha: And you might not, of course, in B2B, you might not see the payoff in 24 hours, but you will definitely see the payoff over a period of time.

Samantha: So you need the two tracks.

Samantha: You need today running, and then you also need to plan for the future.

Samantha: And that’s where brand loyalty, I think, is irresistible.

Samantha: I love it.

Nyeleti: You’re bringing me to your line, I always say, and that loyalty is longevity.

Samantha: Yeah, I’m going to take that one.

Samantha: I’m going to write that down.

Samantha: Fantastic.

Nyeleti: But now as we wrap up the show, big topics that are in the now and in the near future, sustainability, digitalization, innovation, what is Maersk’s perspective on that and the kind of stories that you’re shaping on those big and themes that are touching a lot of customers today?

Samantha: Yeah, I think I love this topic because there was a time where people just added the word green to something and then thought it was very sustainable and then it becomes less credible and kind of generic.

Samantha: At Maersk, we stay very, very close to our business and what we’re actually investing in and what we’re enabling.

Samantha: If we take sustainability as one of the big topics that you spoke about and if we then break sustainability down and specifically talk about the energy transition, we have, for instance, made investments in vessels that can sail on methanol as an example.

Samantha: How we told those stories was from multiple different lenses.

Samantha: We had webinars where our energy transition team then unfolded how we were going to build these vessels, how we were going to source the fuels.

Samantha: We also had name-giving ceremonies, which we did with our customers.

Samantha: So for instance, some of those customers who then became the godmother of those new vessels, which were sailing on the water is from the Nikes to the Primarchs, to the Nissans of the world.

Samantha: So again, it’s really bringing that story to life with real examples and not just using headlines.

Samantha: And then if we look at tech and innovation, that is something that we have in our business when it comes to digital twin simulation, so that we can forecast how we can actually use the ports in a much more efficient way.

Samantha: And again, that then shows credibility because we’re not just saying, yeah, we’re digitizing or yeah, we’re becoming much more tech savvy, which I think most people today would understand that most businesses are digitizing and using the different tools.

Samantha: So I think it’s about contextualizing that rather than just using empty generic words.

Samantha: But I’m sure in your world as well, you’re also leaning into those big Uber themes.

Samantha: I’d love to hear what you think.

Nyeleti: I think it’s everything that you just said, Joaye, to the authenticity behind the story.

Nyeleti: So it’s not greenwashing, it’s not just mentioning AI because that’s the hard topic, but really how does it contextualize into the business, as you’ve said.

Nyeleti: So I’m definitely on board with everything that you’re saying.

Nyeleti: But just to put it all in summary, Sam, if I remember what you said in the beginning, 120 countries that you’re in, is that correct?

Samantha: 130, yes.

Nyeleti: 130, you transport a fifth of everything that we use in day-to-day life and you are over 100,000 employees worldwide.

Nyeleti: In your experience working at Maersk, but what is the thing that actually has driven a lot of customer loyalty for this big brand, this iconic company that’s more than, how many years old now?

Samantha: 125 years, oh, you would know it to the month, Samantha.

Samantha: Eventually, but let me not say because our historian will want to hear this to be on the phone.

Samantha: I got it wrong by a couple of months.

Nyeleti: But yeah, what would you say is the thing that Maersk stands for that has driven customer loyalty all this 125 years and beyond?

Samantha: That’s a million dollar question.

Samantha: If I have the complete answer, I think we should be raising my pay.

Samantha: But if I think about it, it’s a super interesting question.

Samantha: Potentially, I might pivot this back to our values.

Samantha: We have these core values, and one of them is constant care.

Samantha: If I summarize that is to take care of today while actively preparing for tomorrow.

Samantha: I think a customer, especially in the turbulent times that we’re in now, they need a partner who is, of course, going to deliver their goods for them today.

Samantha: But actually, as they’re growing as a company, they also want to partner with the logistics provider who can enable that growth.

Samantha: If they’re also preparing for tomorrow, they can meet them where they are.

Samantha: So somebody is also thinking about solving today’s challenges, also exploring opportunities.

Samantha: Because again, that growth story is about opportunities to shape the future.

Samantha: So I would say that also can help retain loyalty, and also how you treat your employees, how you operate in the communities that you serve.

Samantha: Because this is where storytelling then becomes really important to them, bring that information to life.

Samantha: And I think, you know, word is our bond is also one of our values.

Samantha: And then it’s that promise to that commitment, to trust, excellence, and looking after their goods, because fundamentally, we are the custodians of their goods when it’s in our care.

Samantha: So those, I think, are some of the things that a customer is looking for.

Nyeleti: Sam, thank you so much.

Nyeleti: It’s just been an enlightening conversation.

Nyeleti: I’ve known you for a few years, and every time we speak, the same things are always consistent, your passion, your integrity, and also your generosity in sharing so much of your experience.

Nyeleti: And I really enjoyed this conversation.

Nyeleti: I’m so glad we got to do it.

Samantha: Yeah, me too.

Samantha: I really enjoyed the conversation too, and it’s given me a lot of food for thought, but also I love the way that you also think about loyalty when it comes to the customer.

Samantha: So again, thank you for hosting me, and I look forward to, of course, some more conversation of the podcast as well.

Nyeleti: Absolutely, and I will definitely write you on that.

Nyeleti: But for now, it’s goodbye, and thank you.

Samantha: Thank you very much.

Paula: This show is sponsored by Wise Marketeer Group, operating the Wise Marketeer and Loyalty Academy.

Paula: For nearly 25 years, The Wise Marketer is the industry’s longest-serving publication and source for news, information, and insights, which now includes its own branded industry research, insights, and advice.

Paula: For global coverage of customer engagement and loyalty, check out thewisemarketer.com and become a Wise Marketer member or subscriber.

Paula: The Loyalty Academy sets a global industry standard for loyalty education.

Paula: With its Certified Loyalty Marketing Professional or CLMP designation, which has created a community of more than 1200 marketing executives and professionals across more than 50 countries.

Paula: Learn more about global loyalty education for individuals or corporate training at loyaltyacademy.org.

Paula: Thank you so much for listening to this episode of Let’s Talk Loyalty.

Paula: If you’d like us to send you the latest shows each week, simply sign up for the Let’s Talk Loyalty newsletter on letstalkloyalty.com.

Paula: And we’ll send our best episodes straight to your inbox.

Paula: And don’t forget that you can follow Let’s Talk Loyalty on any of your favorite podcast platforms.

Paula: And of course, we’d love for you to share your feedback and reviews.

Paula: Thanks again for supporting the show.