Nominated for an EMEA SABRE Award in 2026 in the category ‘Employer Branding’.
AbbVie launched an authentic employer branding campaign highlighting real employees’ stories to attract talent in a competitive Dutch labour market. Through videos, podcasts, blogs, and targeted social ads, the campaign achieved 1.5M impressions, increased career site traffic by 80%, and led to hires directly inspired by the content. It positioned AbbVie as a socially responsible, people-focused employer, appealing to candidates seeking meaningful work and demonstrating the power of authentic storytelling in recruitment.
CHALLENGE
Attract talent, including professionals outside traditional healthcare backgrounds, to AbbVie while positioning the company as an authentic, socially responsible employer offering meaningful work, personal growth, and a positive societal impact, beyond its reputation as a biopharmaceutical company.
APPROACH
Research showed candidates value meaningful work, growth opportunities, and work-life balance over corporate perks. We repositioned AbbVie’s employer brand from polished corporate messaging to human storytelling. Three pillars guided the strategy: improving patients quality of life, enhancing the Dutch healthcare system, and delivering broader societal impact. Employees acted as authentic ambassadors, sharing genuine and unscripted experiences.
Content emphasized relatability: internal audiences could see themselves in the stories, while external talent connected emotionally with real-life narratives. Messaging was consistent across video, podcast, and social formats, highlighting impact, pride, and purpose. This approach strengthened AbbVie’s employer reputation, encouraging both recruitment and internal engagement.
EXECUTION
We produced a series of video reportages and podcasts featuring three employees: Jules (Brand Manager), Hanne (Market Access Manager), and Tim (Business Unit Manager). Content focused on authentic, unscripted storytelling to foster emotional connection. Podcast listens averaged 26 minutes, complemented by blogs and targeted LinkedIn and Meta ads.
Distribution prioritized reach and engagement, ensuring candidates experienced authentic narratives while internal audiences felt recognized. Social snippets highlighted key insights and moments, creating shareable content that extended impact. Campaign messaging emphasized meaningful work, employee pride, and societal contribution, differentiating AbbVie from competitors and building long-term employer brand equity.
RESULTS
- The campaign achieved 1.5M+ impressions (LinkedIn: 385,587; Meta: 1,114,001) with a LinkedIn CTR of 17.5%.
- Podcast downloads reached 128, with 26-minute average engagement, surpassing benchmarks.
- Career site traffic increased by 80%, with multiple applicants mentioning the content and at least one new hire explicitly citing the campaign as decisive.
- Internal feedback revealed increased employee pride and enthusiasm for ambassador roles.
- AbbVie’s reputation as an authentic, socially responsible employer was reinforced, enhancing both recruitment and retention outcomes while demonstrating the effectiveness of authentic storytelling in employer branding.