Rewriting the formula for creativity.

From lab breakthroughs to daily life, Evonik brings the value of chemistry to light.

>90%

of social content produced in Adobe Express

100%

focus on being brand conform

1,000%+

growth in Adobe Firefly usage in a single quarter

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Where science meets storytelling.

Morning light reflects off the canal as ships move through the port of Marl. In a new episode of Evonik’s #AskTheExpert series on LinkedIn, an Evonik specialist stands on the dock, explaining how a single cargo vessel can replace around 70 tankers and cut CO₂ emissions significantly. Another shares how regular training and inspections keep one of Europe’s busiest inland harbours running safely and efficiently.

The #AskTheExpert videos take audiences behind the scenes to show how chemistry — and the people behind it — shape a safer, more efficient world. The series reflects Evonik’s larger goal: helping people understand how its innovations touch everyday life including how it communicates and experiments with AI to tell those stories. Bringing that vision to life across a global organisation, however, required a faster, more consistent way to create content.

To raise awareness of how its speciality chemicals improve performance, efficiency, and sustainability across industries such as automotive, pharmaceuticals, and consumer goods, Evonik produces a constant stream of content. These range from social media posts and internal updates to campaign videos and infographics in multiple languages and markets. Before introducing Adobe Express, creating even a single piece could take nearly a week. Each asset moved from concept to text writing, then to design in a variety of tools, and finally through multiple rounds of approval. The process was slow and fragmented, making it difficult to respond quickly to new topics or opportunities.

“Different teams used different tools, but nobody was really trained on one,” says Sophia Hellenthal, Digital Communications Manager at Evonik. “We needed something intuitive, fast, and safe for everyone to use.”

Adobe Express changed that. Now, a social post can be easily produced. Team members across communications, HR, and marketing open a locked template that was developed together with Evonik’s brand team. They then add their text and visuals and publish confidently, knowing it meets Evonik’s brand standards. “It feels simple and creative at the same time,” says Hellenthal. “Adobe Express brings structure without taking away personality.”

The team’s adoption of Adobe Express also opened the door to generative AI. Integrated Adobe Firefly capabilities now help creators test ideas, enhance images, and add subtle motion within a safe, brand-approved environment.

Turning chemistry into a global conversation.

One of the first campaigns created in Adobe Express was #EvonikHistory, a weekly LinkedIn series that highlights key moments from the company’s 170-year story. Archival photos are paired with clean, modern designs that align perfectly across platforms, showing how Evonik’s scientific discoveries continue to shape the world today. In one post, the team revisited the origins of Evonik’s Hanau site — once home to a 19th-century explosives factory that, after decades of reinvention, became a centre for advanced materials and innovation.

Soon, regional teams began using Adobe Express to create their own materials. The corporate communications team now posts daily across English and German channels, while local teams in Latin America and Asia craft Portuguese, Spanish, and French versions of the same content. “We lock our key brand elements, but teams still have flexibility to adapt visuals for their audience,” says Hellenthal. “That’s what keeps everything coherent but never rigid.”

The improved efficiency allows Evonik to respond faster to trends and events. For example, when the sustainability team needed a fresh way to present progress on sustainability and resource reuse goals, they used Adobe Express to design an interactive PDF slider for LinkedIn. Each slide was visually connected by dotted design lines, encouraging viewers to swipe through to the end to create a continuous journey.

Creative connection across continents.

Evonik’s adoption of Adobe Express has grown from a pilot of 10 users to more than 130 active creators, with additional regional rollouts in the works. Today, more than 90% of Evonik’s social media content is produced using Adobe Express, delivering a consistent look and feel across every region and channel.

To support collaboration, the team launched an internal community for Evonik employees using Adobe Express. There, they share their favourite templates, ask questions, and celebrate creative wins. “It’s created a real sense of unity,” says Hellenthal. “People are proud of what they make and are excited to see what others are doing.”

Evonik’s brand management team works closely with corporate communications to ensure every template reflects the company’s global identity. “When colleagues log into Adobe Express for the first time, they already see Evonik templates ready to use,” says Hellenthal. “That gives them confidence right away and helps them focus on storytelling instead of formatting.”

From lab science to brand safety.

In the chemical industry, safety and compliance are as vital in communications as they are in the lab. Every image, animation, and video must be commercially safe and properly licensed. For Evonik, this level of assurance is essential. With Firefly models built for safe commercial use and Adobe Stock assets that are fully licensed, the team can focus on storytelling rather than risk management.

Firefly has also unlocked new ways to visualise science. The team uses its generative tools to expand images, adjust compositions, and add motion that captures attention. In one campaign, plastic bottles rotated across the frame to illustrate mechanical efficiency. In another, bubbles floated through liquid to represent a chemical reaction.

“Video performs best for us,” Hellenthal notes. “Even a short animation can double engagement because people stop scrolling to see what’s happening.”

That same principle guided Evonik’s #FinancialFigures series, where the team used Firefly to transform static charts into 30-second motion videos. By combining data, colour, and typography, they turned complex financial information into clear, visually engaging updates that invite audiences to watch — not just read.

Evonik also relies on Adobe Creative Cloud applications such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Premiere – including Firefly features – for more advanced projects produced by its in-house photographers and video editors. Those tools are used for larger-scale storytelling such as brand films, corporate campaigns, and high-resolution photography, while Adobe Express powers most daily content. Adobe Stock supports both sides of this ecosystem by providing brand-safe imagery and visual assets that integrate directly into each workflow.

“It’s helpful that everything connects,” Hellenthal says. “Our designers can refine visuals in Photoshop or pull approved images from Adobe Stock, and our communications teams can use them instantly in Adobe Express and Firefly.”

Faster creation, stronger storytelling.

Since adopting Adobe Express and Firefly, Evonik has optimized and standardized content creation.

In a single quarter, Firefly usage in Adobe Express grew by more than 1,000%, showing how quickly teams embraced AI-assisted creativity.

“Everything runs easier and smoother,” says Hellenthal. “But what really matters is that people feel empowered. Adobe has helped us democratise design across Evonik. Anyone in the company can now create content that looks professional and tells our story the right way.”

A new era of scientific communication.

Evonik’s approach to digital communication mirrors its scientific mindset: precise, innovative, and focused on people. By combining creative tools and shared vision, the company has built a way of working that helps science speak to everyone.

“We’re a company built on innovation,” says Hellenthal. “Adobe helps us show that spirit in every post and every story. It’s how we lead beyond chemistry.”