20/12/2025
5 Lessons learned in 2025
2025 was an interesting year; a year in which we ditched many defaults in employer branding and change communications. Now, we want to share the lessons we learned along the way.
Insights
1. Don’t say you can make an impact. Prove it.
In employer branding, the idea of “making an impact” comes up again and again. But when this slogan is used too literally, it often ends up meaning very little. Today’s audiences are smart and critical; they quickly distrust vague, feel-good statements that aren’t backed up by anything concrete.
That’s why tangibility matters. When you show how people make a difference in real, everyday ways, you prove that this isn’t just a promise or a buzzword. It makes the message more credible and far more relevant for the right target groups.
For that reason, we deliberately chose, together with NMBS, to move away from the word “impact” altogether, and focus instead on clear, tangible realities that people can truly recognize and believe in.
2. Don’t avoid the topics HR wants to avoid. Use them.
Over the years, we’ve had many discussions about what we can and can’t talk about. Certain topics are often considered sensitive because of internal perceptions, past experiences, or ongoing challenges. As a result, they’re frequently avoided, even though they play a big role in how the organization is experienced from the outside.
Yet these are often exactly the topics that matter most to the target group. Candidates are already aware of them, already talking about them, and already forming opinions. By acknowledging and addressing these subjects openly, rather than sidestepping them, you build credibility and trust.
That’s exactly the approach we took together with Lidl: facing the difficult conversations head-on and turning them into opportunities.
3. Don’t burry your head in the sand. Confront.
Sometimes, the challenge you’re facing isn’t an internal issue at all, but a societal one: a rigid, deeply rooted perception that lives in people’s minds. Employer brands are rarely inclined to challenge these assumptions. They tend to play it safe, avoiding anything that might feel confrontational or uncomfortable.
But playing it safe often leads to messages that are forgettable or worse, apologetic. When outdated perceptions remain unchallenged, they continue to shape who feels welcome, capable, or “right” for the job.
That’s why, together with the Belgian Federal Police, we chose a different approach. Instead of adapting to the existing perception, we confronted it head-on, questioning the narrow idea of who the “ideal” candidate should be and opening the door to a broader, more realistic view of the role and the people who can fill it.
4. Don’t just say things the expected way. Surprise.
Tone of voice plays a decisive role in whether a campaign gets noticed or ignored. Yet too often, it becomes a limitation rather than a strength. Discussions about wording are common and sometimes necessary, but they’re not always rooted in what the campaign needs to achieve. Instead, they’re frequently driven by personal preferences, internal sensitivities, or boxes that need to be ticked.
The result is a message that’s been softened to the point where it loses its stopping power, something you simply can’t afford when trying to reach highly sought-after IT experts.
That’s why, together with the Belgian Federal Police, we took a different route. We deliberately challenged comfort zones with a bold, unexpected tone. It may have felt unfamiliar at first for a lot of stakeholders, but it helped the campaign stand out, reach the right audience, and deliver the results everyone was aiming for.
5. Don’t get stuck in a bubble. Collaborate.
In many organizations, business and HR are under constant pressure. The business side wants quick results (and even faster hires), while HR is juggling a long to-do list. Both want to move fast, so when we ask for time with their already busy (IT, engineering, data, …) experts, it can feel unexpected or even inconvenient.
But taking that time is crucial. These experts have the knowledge and insights that help us solve the problems by making campaigns more effective. By involving them, we can unlock creative ideas.
That’s why, together with Telenet, we made collaboration with business and HR experts a standard way of working. Ensuring their input leads to campaigns that get results.
Long story short:
Let’s Ditch more Defaults in 2026.
Meer inzichten
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Insights
16/07/2024
Zomer! En die rekruterings-campagnes dan?
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Events
09/10/2025
Fantastic wint Effie voor employer branding met de MIVB
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Eenheidsworst is overal. Maar jij bent hier, dus je wil het duidelijk anders aanpakken. Geen copy-pastecampagnes. Geen kant-en-klare formules. Jij zoekt karakter, lef en resultaat voor je employer brand of change traject. Dat treft, wij ook.