ASOS Case Study: Intentional Storytelling: Driving Connection and Shaping Behaviour

In this Engage Employee Summit podcast episode, Stephanie, Head of Culture Change at ASOS and an organisational psychologist, reveals how “intentional storytelling” transforms abstract strategies into real experiences that people remember, share and act on.Drawing on work across ASOS, Carlsberg, Halion and Euromonitor, Stephanie explains the psychology behind storytelling – from social identity and emotional encoding to social proof – and why people might join for the job title but stay because of the stories they’re part of. She brings this to life with vivid examples: colleague‑led stories during a demerger and stock‑market listing, global “Olympics” and 007‑style missions to embed behaviours, and small symbolic moments – like a can of beer on a desk – that quietly anchor culture and leadership expectations.