Employer Brand Examples: Positioning Strategies & Taglines

What is Employer Brand?

So, you're thinking about your company's employer brand, huh? It's not just about making your careers page look pretty or slapping a cool logo on everything. It's way more than that. It's about what people really think and feel about working for you. It’s the whole vibe, the reputation you’ve built, and what makes someone say, "Yeah, I wanna work there."

Think of it as your company's "why work here?" story. It’s what attracts the right people and keeps them around.

Understanding Employer Brand Positioning

Employer brand positioning, right? It's not just about slapping a cool logo on your career page. It's way more strategic, like figuring out where you stand in the talent market's mind. (Andrew Ettinger - gtm #talent #sales - LinkedIn)

To really get this, you gotta do a bit of digging. First, you need to understand your current standing. How do people actually see you as an employer? This means looking at a few things:

• Market Research: What are candidates saying about companies like yours? What are they looking for in their next role? What are the general trends in the talent market? This might involve surveys, looking at online reviews, or even just casual conversations.
• Competitor Analysis: Who are you competing with for talent? What are their employer brands saying? What are their strengths and weaknesses? You need to know what makes you different and better.
• Internal Assessment: What do your current employees think? What do they love about working there? What could be better? Getting honest feedback from inside is crucial.

Once you've done that, you can start to define your positioning. This involves:

• Target Audience: Who are you trying to attract? Be specific. Are they early-career folks, seasoned professionals, tech wizards, creative types?
• Unique Selling Proposition (USP): What makes your company a unique and compelling place to work that your competitors can't easily replicate? This is your special sauce.
• Competitive Frame of Reference: What category of employers are you in? Are you a tech giant, a fast-growing startup, a stable established firm? This helps define who you're comparing yourself against.

Basically, it's about telling your truest story to attract the talent that vibes with your mission.

The Power of a Tagline

Okay, so a tagline, right? It's gotta be more than just some words thrown together. It's like, the soul of your employer brand distilled into a super short sentence. It’s a memorable phrase that encapsulates your core employer value proposition.

• Conciseness is queen (or king): Seriously, nobody's gonna remember a tagline that reads like a novel. Think short, punchy, and easy to recall. You want candidates whispering it in their sleep—in a good way.
• Values gotta shine: Does your company value innovation? Community? World peace? Your tagline should hint at that, subtly. It's gotta feel authentic, not like some corporate jargon.
• Speak to them: It's not about what you think is cool; it's about what resonates with the peeps you wanna hire. Are you after creative mavericks or detail-oriented wizards? Tailor that message!

For example, Apple's "Join us. Be you." says a lot without saying much at all, ya know? It's empowering. Link Humans lists some others, like Allianz's "Home for those who dare"—pretty bold, right?

Next, we'll get into the whole tagline vs. slogan thing, 'cause they ain't the same!

Crafting Your Own Employer Brand

So, you're ready to nail down your employer brand? Awesome. It's like, the final piece of the puzzle, ya know? It's not just about making a tagline, it's about crafting something that actually represents you.

First things first, what are you really about? I mean, beyond the bottom line?

• Core values are key. It's not just about slapping some words on a wall. It's gotta be lived, breathed, and felt. Get your employees in on this. Seriously, ask them what they think makes your company tick. It's gotta be authentic, or people will see right through it.
• EVP time. What is an Employee Value Proposition (EVP)? It's the unique set of benefits and rewards an employee receives in return for their skills, capabilities, and experience. What makes you a great place to work? Benefits? Culture? Opportunities? How do you stack up against the competition? Be real, be honest. To develop your EVP, you'll want to:
  • Identify Key Employee Needs: What do your target candidates and current employees truly value?
  • Map Current Offerings: What are you currently providing in terms of compensation, benefits, work environment, career development, and culture?
  • Benchmark Against Competitors: How do your offerings compare to those of similar companies in the talent market?
  • Define Your Unique Promise: Based on the above, what is the compelling and differentiated value you offer?

Next, nail that positioning statement. This is where you clearly articulate who you are, who you serve, and what makes you different in the talent market.

Okay, now for the fun part – taglines.

• Brainstorm like crazy. No idea is too silly at this point. Just get it all out there. Then, test those taglines. See what resonates with your employees and potential candidates.
• Resonance is everything. Does it capture your brand? Does it make people feel something? If not, ditch it.

Remember, your employer brand is more than just a logo or a tagline. It's the whole package. It's what people say about you when you're not in the room. So, make it count, alright?

Employer Brand Examples: Analysis of Positioning & Taglines

Ever notice how some companies just get their employer brand across, like, instantly? It's not accidental. It's about crafting a message that sticks. Let's dive into a few examples and see what makes 'em tick.

• Google: Google's employer brand is all about impact and innovation. Their tagline, while not always explicitly stated as a single phrase for employer branding, often revolves around the idea of building products that touch billions of lives. This is super straightforward, right? But it nails their mission. If you're working at Google, you're building stuff that touches, like, billions of lives. According to Appcast, Google’s career site is simple, clean, and impactful. It highlights the impact and importance of its work, and the value of becoming a Google team member. For instance, their career site often features stories of engineers working on cutting-edge AI or projects that improve global access to information, reinforcing their positioning as a place where you can make a real difference.

• Apple: Apple's employer brand focuses heavily on individuality and creativity. Their tagline, "Join us. Be you," reinforces this. It's empowering. Plus, they use video like crazy to get the message across. These videos often showcase diverse teams collaborating on groundbreaking products, emphasizing a culture where unique perspectives are valued and encouraged. It's all about feeling like you belong, but you can still be you.

• Spotify: Short. Simple. Fun. That's Spotify. It aligns with their brand personality, too. If you love music, you'll probably dig working there. Their tagline, often implied or used in campaigns, promotes teamwork and collaboration, like "Soundtrack your career." They position themselves as a place for passionate music lovers to collaborate and innovate.

• Netflix: Netflix wants you to know they're all about culture and values. They're trying to attract candidates who share those values. It's all about solving tough problems with awesome people. Their employer brand messaging often highlights their unique culture of freedom and responsibility, attracting individuals who thrive in a high-performance, autonomous environment.

• E&J Gallo: Okay, even if you ain't a wine snob, you gotta appreciate this one. It's clever. It hits on growth, sustainability, and innovation. Plus, it gives a nod to their family-owned roots and wine culture. As noted by Appcast, E&J Gallo has done a tremendous job of highlighting growth, sustainability, and innovation while maintaining the legacy-driven values of being a family-owned business that is underscored by respect and humility. Their employer brand messaging often uses phrases that evoke heritage and future-forward thinking, like "Rooted in tradition, growing for the future."

These are just a few examples to get your wheels turning. Next up, let's talk about how to create a tagline that really resonates.