Client story · Agricultural cooperative · IntranetAuraïa: a new intranet designed and rolled out in 54 days to make the merger a success
Born from the merger of Terres du Sud and Vivadour, Auraïa had to bring 2,000 employees together around a shared culture from day one. With We Advocacy, its partner for six years, it launched “Mon Auraïa” on 1 June 2026 at 8 am, on every screen.
Merge two intranets, SharePoint and Google Sites, into a single engaging tool, without the budget of a major vendor, in eight weeks.
A tailor-made intranet in Auraïa's image, integrated with Google Workspace, connected to the newsletter, pop-ups and email signatures.
A launch on the day of the merger, information accessible to everyone and a communication team that is independent day to day.
“The impossible bet turned into the first big win of the Auraïa merger.”
One merger, two ecosystems, a radical decision
On 1 June 2026, Terres du Sud and Vivadour, two cooperatives with 30 years of history each, merged to create Auraïa: a new group of 2,000 employees spread across more than 280 sites throughout south-west France.
Over a hundred jobs to bring together
Agronomists and field technicians, drivers and logistics staff, food plant workers, sales advisers in around forty Gamm vert garden centres, support staff and managers: Auraïa has more than a hundred different jobs. All of them need to find their place in a shared culture.
At Vivadour
- A SharePoint intranet, in a 100% Microsoft 365 environment.
- Shutdown decided by IT for the merger.
- 600 employees losing their bearings.
At Terres du Sud
- A “temporary” Google Sites for three to four years, with a We Advocacy news widget.
- Top-down information only, with no interaction.
IT's decision: move all 2,000 employees to Google Workspace and make do with the existing Google Sites, simply renamed. The risk: welcoming every employee into an impersonal, static tool at the very moment when buy-in and collective pride were needed.
The dream of a major vendor, and the budget wall
The communication team had long identified the ideal solution: a social, collaborative intranet with likes, comments and communities, native to Google Workspace, with a modern design. But in a difficult farming context and in the middle of a merger, management decided: too expensive, we'll stay on Google Sites. Eight weeks before D-day.
“I was told: it's far too expensive, we'll stay on the basic Google Site for now and see later. I'd already been on it for four years. I know that can last a very long time.”
A trusted partner and AI-accelerated development
Auraïa had already been working with We Advocacy for six years: email signatures and banners, news pop-ups, internal emails, then a news widget. In mid-March, the communication team called Thomas Artiguebieille, CEO of We Advocacy, and laid its cards on the table.
We Advocacy relies on an AI-accelerated development model that lets it deliver tailor-made features at unprecedented speed. AI is used for development only: it plays no part in using the platform or in processing personal data.
“Send me your dream specifications. With AI, we can now do incredible things in very little time.”
54 days, from blank page to launch
- 7 AprilSignatureSpecifications inspired by the best features on the market.
- 23 AprilMock-upsAround ten interactive HTML mock-ups.
- 4 MayVersion 1Front office and back office up and running in 16 days.
- MayParallel runContent writing and technical testing in parallel.
- 1 JuneGo liveOpens automatically on every workstation at 8 am.
Monday 1 June, 8 am: a surprise on every screen
On Friday evening, employees left Terres du Sud and Vivadour. On Monday morning, switching on their computers, they discovered Mon Auraïa in their new company's colours. An email from the CEO appeared, a pop-up invited them to the launch video call, and site signage had changed over the weekend: full immersion from the very first hour.
Every employee's work portal
Mon Auraïa is not a showcase: it is the page employees open in the morning and keep open all day.
Google Workspace integration
Calendar, tasks and Drive in sync. Each department manages its own shared Drive, which feeds the library automatically.
Group news
Sorted by topic, with the option to like them.
Division news flashes
Departments publish their own short news from a simple shared sheet, without going through communication.
Idea box and FAQ
Moderated, with an official answer published. The FAQ still receives around two questions a week.
Organisation and directory
Department pages and an org chart, to know who does what among 2,000 colleagues.
Events and applications
A calendar of key moments with registration, access to HR tools and internal forms.
Intranet, internal newsletter, targeted pop-ups and email signature banners are all managed from a single back office, in a few clicks. Every Tuesday, a weekly newsletter links back to the intranet and measures engagement; pop-ups are kept for reminders and news flashes.
The first big win of the merger
Information for everyone
Complete, centralised and transparent information, accessible to each of the 2,000 employees, including from a mobile phone.
Value for money
A modern experience worthy of the major vendors, without blowing the budget. Almost all of the specifications were delivered.
An independent comms team
A simple back office: three people use it every day, with no difficulty getting to grips with it.
“In the very first week, employees sent us their first questions, mostly on HR topics linked to post-merger concerns.”
Very positive feedback
Employees were surprised by the immersion in Auraïa from day one. Members of the executive committee wrote to the communication team to congratulate them, and feedback from the sites, from the canteen to the corridors, was unanimous. In a merger where people risk no longer knowing who to turn to, Mon Auraïa provided an immediate point of reference.
October 2026: communities open
Step two is communities: spaces run by a lead, with their own Drive and events, where members post, react and ask questions. Three access levels are available: public, by invitation or confidential. The first, dedicated to Pink October, is open to all; the managers' community follows.
What's next
Notifications
Flag what's new to make people want to come back to the intranet.
Advanced statistics
Measure engagement by content, by business line and by topic.
Mobile app
The number one priority for drivers, plants and stores.
Keep reading.
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