Embark Announces Rebrand, Declares 'Consulting is Dead' in Obituary Campaign

With a rebrand and provocative marketing campaign, the fast-growing firm looks to shake up a tired industry

DALLAS, April 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Embark, a Texas-based business consulting firm with offices across the U.S., has set a new standard for industry growth by focusing on...happiness. In a move that signals a new era of consulting?one centered on employee and client happiness?the firm has invested in a major rebrand and advertising campaign with the tagline, happy works.

Embark believes in a radically different way than the rise-and-grind culture that has long been consulting's hallmark and no longer aligns with the values of the workforce. Announcing "Consulting Is Dead" through a tongue-in-cheek national marketing campaign from independent creative agency Angry Gods, Embark seeks to grab the attention of clients and consultants alike by proclaiming the "death" of the traditional consulting model. 

To anchor the campaign, readers of The Wall Street Journal will see a full-page ad in the April 23 edition of the paper, while CFOs around the U.S. will receive physical coffin-shaped boxes with a copy of the issue inside. To cap off the campaign, Embark will stage a "funeral procession" through New York City, complete with a hearse adorned in ornate floral arrangements spelling "RIP Consulting". The campaign will also feature a social media takeover done in partnership with major industry influencers. 

"Embark was founded on our core belief that happy is good for business and that people do their best work when they're happy," said Embark CEO Clancy Fossum when speaking about the campaign's genesis. "It may sound obvious but it's pretty revolutionary in an industry that has become the poster child for bad work culture. That's what differentiates us from every other firm in the space?the health and happiness of our employees is our top priority, not just lip service." 

Embark's unprecedented growth and ability to attract top-tier talent are the ultimate proof that its fanatical focus on employee happiness and client hospitality is working. While the industry at large is knee-deep in cultural malaise and plummeting public opinion, Embark has seen its annual revenue soar from $4M to $149M in the past seven years, a growth rate 20x the industry average. Its NPS?a widely utilized measure of client satisfaction?is 70% higher than the industry average and among the best in any industry, rivaling NPS stalwarts like Apple, Ritz-Carlton, and Chick-fil-A. Likewise, the firm's employee satisfaction rate consistently hovers at an incredible 90%. 

"It's time to tell the world about Embark. Our goal is nothing less than to create the most iconic brand in our industry around our core belief that happy is good for business," said Embark Founder Paul Allen. "The consulting industry isn't going anywhere, but the old way of consulting is long overdue for change. Embark is ushering in a new era of consulting, where people do their best work because they're happy."

The campaign is currently live and CFOs will receive the coffins next week.

About Embark

Embark is a next-generation consulting firm founded on the belief that Happy Works. As one of the world's fastest-growing consulting firms, with the highest client satisfaction and lowest employee turnover in the industry, Embark has proven that happiness isn't at odds with good business, it's the key to it. Embark now spans 17 offices and counting, bringing deep expertise in accounting & finance, technology, M&A, IPOs, HR, and operations to clients across the US.

SOURCE Embark