Tell it how it is

Campaign Strategy and Creative

Slough Borough Council

It's recruitment Jim, but not as you know it.

Working with a team who want to do things differently, and who are always ready to listen - is simply the best.


The Executive Director for strategy and improvement, HR and Marketing teams worked together to brief us on the Employer Brand recruitment campaign, to bring in the right people for a range of senior roles.

Our first step was to dig deep into the insight. To find out as much as we possibly could about the team, and most importantly, the type of candidate that they are hoping to attract. Spoiler alert - only brave, ballsy, go-getters need apply.

The honesty from the team, and the desire to express that in the campaign was strong. This is a council in recovery and the stark reality of the scale of delivering this transformation is huge.

It was very clear to us, that we needed to actually take the truth of the situation and reflect this to potential candidates in a way that was honest, and gritty - but intriguing. Those with the 'right attitude' would be drawn to a challenge, to the refreshing honesty that is so frequently missing from public sector narrative.

So, we devised a short, sharp, speedy and anonymous survey for the team to send out to staff. The aim was to uncover the truths from within, looking wider than the teams involved in delivering the campaign, to get unfiltered input from those at the coalface.

And we found some real gems. So much so, that these became the backbone of the creative campaign, statements that were bold and honest, but also positive and challenging. Using real words, from the very mouths of those 'future colleagues', coupled with bold use of the Slough brand colours, has given us a fresh and gritty campaign, completely different to the usual council recruitment approach.

Have a project in mind?

We’re always happy to chat to good people, so drop us a line and tell us what stuff is on your mind. The Merest gem of an idea, or a fully-fledged brief, we’re ready for you.

WORK WITH US