Case Study:
Hershey’s 2026 Investor Day: Bringing a Bold Strategy to Life
Project Overview
Client
The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY)
Event
2026 Investor Day
Venue
New York Stock Exchange
Presentation details
Presenters
CEO, CMO, CCO, CSCO, CFO
Format
Half-day format: Main stage (~2 hours) + 3 breakout sessions
Scope
Story and structure consulting, content development, new design system, on-site support
Timeline
~10 weeks
The Hershey Company is home to some of the most recognized brands in consumer packaged goods, from Hershey’s Chocolate and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups to more recent additions like SkinnyPop and Dot’s Pretzels. Hershey’s Investor Day on March 31, 2026 came after several years of margin pressure from elevated commodity costs. Performance had been improving. Cocoa prices were softening, portfolio shifts were showing in results, and 2026 was shaping up as a year of recovery.
The catalyst was the appointment of a new CEO in mid-2025. The company had completed its strategic planning cycle, secured board alignment, and was ready to take the story to investors. The plan was centered on Leading Next-Gen Snacking, built on three strategic pillars: Next-Gen Portfolio, Retail of the Future, and Modern Supply Chain.
We have been working with the Hershey IR team for six years, partnering on their CAGNY presentation annually and their 2023 Investor Day. There is a deep trust between their IR team and ours. They always put forward strong thinking and strategy. Our role is to help make it clear, and visually compelling and match the caliber of Hershey’s iconic brands and its leadership.
What the Engagement Looked Like
The engagement followed OUTKREATE’s Investor Day methodology, a proven process that flexes to each client’s goals. It moved through three phases, each building on the one before.
Phase 1: Foundation (Weeks 1–3)
We started with the big picture: the agenda, key messages, and overall outline. Hershey’s IR team developed the initial framework. We served as a sounding board, filling in gaps, sharing investor day best practices, and offering perspective on pacing, messaging, and sequencing.
At the same time, we built a brand-new visual identity for the event. There was no detailed creative brief or mood board. After six years together, the trust is there to move fast. The IR team wanted something bold, modern, and unmistakably Hershey. Our creative director took the latest brand guidelines, focused on what resonates with institutional investors, and developed several directions. The IR team aligned on the new look with the management quickly, and the design style became a non-issue for the rest of the engagement.
Phase 2: Build (Weeks 3–8)
This was the heavy lift. Five main stage sections were built iteratively: CEO, CMO, Chief Commercial Officer, Chief Supply Chain Officer, and CFO.
The starting point for most sections was internal strategic plan material developed for the Board. These slides were rich in information but built for a different audience and format. For investor day, we believe storytelling should be one message per slide. Let the visual carry the idea. Let the presenter provide the detail. Not everything needs to live on the slide. Our job was to take that substance and simplify it into a format that was easy to follow and gave each presenter room to talk.
We had weekly check-ins where the full Hershey team reviewed progress together. Good people on both sides, pushing things constructively, iterating fast. With our hybrid US-India design studio setup, we were able to turn revisions on a near 24-hour cycle, keeping the momentum high across the entire build. This phase was the bulk of the work.
Phase 3: Polish and Deliver (Final 3 Weeks)
The work shifted from building and revising to making the full day feel like one connected story. Together with the Hershey team, we ticked and tied every number across all five sections. We synced the messaging throughout. The visual system held together from the first slide to the last.
After the main stage presentation and Q&A (~2 hours), every attendee rotated through breakout sessions in smaller groups. We also built the three breakout sessions: Brand Building, Innovation and R&D, and Commercial Capabilities. Content was led by the respective business leaders; we focused on design and aligning the look with the main stage deck.
The day before the Investor Day, March 30, our creative director was on-site at NYSE for leadership’s dress rehearsals, supporting any live edits. With the presentation already in a strong place, the home-stretch adjustments were minimal.
The Result
Hershey’s Investor Day took place at the New York Stock Exchange, and the day was well orchestrated from start to finish. The IR team had a lot on their plate: event logistics, five presenters, three breakouts, and a strategy that needed to land. We were there to make it easier. Over 10 weeks, we pushed and pulled collaboratively, iterated continuously, and brought the experience we’ve built across dozens of investor days to every conversation and to the outcomes below.:
- Board slides transformed into investor-grade design. The starting point was text-heavy strategic plan material built for a board audience. The ending point was a presentation where each slide communicated one idea with precision.
A coherent story across five presenters. From the CEO’s opening to the CFO’s financial outlook, the day felt cohesive and connected. What the CEO said, the three business leaders reinforced, and the CFO brought it home. It felt like a unified Investor Day, not five standalone presentations.
“Less is more” visual storytelling. Roughly 80% of slides were designed with fewer elements: one headline, one visual, one takeaway. The speaker and the slide worked in tandem.
A new visual identity that set Hershey apart. Bold, consumer-centric, and modern, designed for the investor audience. The products came through vividly, and the strategy carried the appropriate weight. Several Hershey team members were impressed by the quality and finesse of the design.
Seamless event execution. The disciplined build process meant the deck was ready well before the day. The breakouts ran smoothly. The day came together as planned.
Beyond the Investor Day, the visual system and design language we developed has extended into Hershey’s internal town halls and leadership presentations, giving the work a longer life than a single event
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