‘Cringe’ | Accenture rebrands employees as 'reinventors' - do corporates have an AI optics problem?

It’s time to say goodbye to nearly 800,000 Accenture employees. Only this time, we’re not talking about mass layoffs…

That's right, it’s a rebrand! Accenture’s entire global workforce will now be known as “reinventors,” as the consultancy sets its sights on becoming an artificial intelligence pioneer.

According to the FT, the consultancy has already overhauled its HR platform with staff no longer marked as “workers.” Chief exec Julie Sweet, meanwhile, has started using the moniker in internal communications.

But while Accenture is evidently amped up by the semantic switch-up, branding experts are less enthusiastic. As Damon Collins, co-founder of creative agency Joint, summed up: “Staff are going to cringe.”