Challenge
Don’t repeat the corporate history
For most companies, a 25th anniversary is the perfect time to publish a corporate history.
But Rocky Mountaineer had already done that.
Five years earlier, they’d commissioned Trip of a Lifetime by Paul Grescoe, a richly detailed account of the luxury train’s founding and evolution. It was well-written, comprehensive, and paid homage to the early building of the brand.
So for their 25th anniversary, Rocky Mountaineer wanted something different.
They needed a book that would:
- Avoid duplicating what had already been said
- Celebrate the company’s culture and commitment to service
- Honour the stories of frontline staff, not just executives
- And become a reference tool—something that could anchor training and onboarding for years to come
Echo was brought in to build a book that would reflect the present and future of Rocky Mountaineer. It had to be beautiful. It had to be useful. And it had to feel like stepping aboard the train itself.
Solution
A reference book that told a bigger story
From the start, it was clear this wouldn’t be a traditional corporate book.
We worked closely with the internal communications team to develop a modular structure that matched how the book would be used:
- Capturing the guest experience from start to finish
- Celebrating the culture of service
- Providing consistent language for teams across departments
- Onboarding new staff
Editorially, the focus shifted away from chronological narrative. Instead, we organized content around themes: - The values of the company
- The people who brought it to life
- The five rail routes across Canada and the U.S.
- The details of the onboard experience, from culinary partnerships to GoldLeaf service
- The language Rocky Mountaineer uses to speak to its guests
The book’s format reflected that modularity with short, standalone sections with their own visual style.
We used large, full-bleed photography and strategic callouts to make the book both readable and referenceable.
Even the name — Unforgettable Journey — reflected its purpose: a reference book for team members at every level, not a vanity publication.
Result
A brand story that trains and inspires
The 25th anniversary book didn’t just mark a milestone. It became a cornerstone of the company’s employee experience.
New team members now receive the book as part of onboarding. Long-time staff use it to reconnect with the company’s values and guest promise. And the comms team treats it as a tone-of-voice guide, keeping internal and external messaging aligned.
Most importantly guests love it. The first edition sold out in a week as vistas-struck passengers snapped up the keepsake to learn more about the transformative journey they’d just taken. And that popularity has only continued, with multiple reprints ever since.
It’s a brand asset. It’s a training tool. And it’s proof that a company’s best stories often come from the people who live them.
One more cool thing...
The most beautiful job description
One chapter of the book was dedicated to describing Rocky Mountaineer’s “culture of legendary service.”
It wasn’t a list of values. It was a story-driven portrait of what it feels like to work on the train, and what the company asks of every guest-facing employee.
The section read like the most beautiful job description ever written. And for many new hires, it became the part of the book they returned to most.
Another fun feature? To add some engagement to the narrative, our design team carefully concealed Sasquatches in scenic shots, providing a hide-and-seek experience for eagle-eyed readers.
Want to capture what makes your team exceptional?
If you liked this story, you’ll love these. We help companies share their values and culture in print and in practice.
- Company stories
- restaurants
- JOEY Restaurants
- Culture book + magazine
- Company stories
- franchise restaurants
- Taco John's
- 50th anniversary commemorative book
- Company stories
- entertainment
- Pacific National Exhibition
- Centennial commemorative book
- Company stories
- restaurants
- JOEY Restaurants
- Culture book + magazine
- Company stories
- franchise restaurants
- Taco John's
- 50th anniversary commemorative book
- Company stories
- entertainment
- Pacific National Exhibition
- Centennial commemorative book