IN THE CODE
An employer brand campaign for Amgen
THE PROJECT
As companies continue to transform digitally every sector now finds itself competing for top technical talent. For years, Facebook, Google and the like have been the apple (no pun intended) of the top level developers, interface designers, and data scientists. But that’s not the only place technologists like this are needed. AMGEN, a leader in pharmaceuticals, needed a way to elevate its status and relevance to candidates with these business critical skills.Our objective was to help change the perception of working in pharma for tech folks and help AMGEN increase the quality job applicants for these important jobs at the company.THE OBJECTIVE
This was more than video production.The goal was simple “it’d be great to see if recent hirees reference the video as something that got them excited to work there.” Could we be the final nudge to a top-level candidate applying?Could we help someone say no to Facebook and Yes to AMGEN?Could we have some small part in that data scientist joining Amgen and discovering a pattern that helps cure a disease?
THE CHALLENGES
CREATIVE STRATEGY
As documentary filmmakers our goal is to get authenticity from our subjects, we work hard to capture the truth behind each person’s experience and perspective. These videos were no different. What draws all of us to a story is when the story is, at its very core, human. A good story told is one that hones in on what makes us human. To create this change in perception we needed to highlight the existing company culture, diversity, inclusion and acceptance. Our strategy was to let the people that currently work at Amgen raise their hand in advocacy and share their stories in such a way that others could see themselves working for this company. If you are one of us, there is a spot on the team for you.
THE WORK
We started by working with the The Global Employer Brand & Recruitment Marketing team to find the right team members to cast. As with all film projects to make a compelling story you need compelling characters. Or as the CIO at Amgen put it...“...if we want people to see Amgen IT, we want people to see our staff. Their story is our story.”
The Heroes
We worked with the team to craft casting criteria in order to find the best candidates. People like:They demonstrated the diversity of the people that work at Amgen both inside and outside the company. We also sought out people in early, mid, and late career. And balanced how the tech-focused work met the larger mission of Amgen. The Production Approach
To ensure we delivered relatable stories that connects with the audience on an emotional level, we leveraged a hybrid production approach. It was a documentary-style that reveals authentic stories, but contrary to some of the unfinished edges of documentaries, we used a high gloss finish in the production value. The polish - beautiful cinematography, original music, sound design, motion graphics - are a tool for signaling the quality of the organization, the importance of the message, and the value Amgen places on its employees. THE FINISHED PRODUCT
Results
The work has recently launched so the first measurements have not been recorded. However, we have a few anecdotes from the team at AMGEN:“All I can say is, WOW! These look absolutely stunning. The gravity of Liz’s piece comes through beautifully. Can’t thank you enough for delivering visuals that have gone well beyond expectation.”
“W!O!W! These are incredible!!!!!!! I can’t even imagine how excited everyone will be when they review these. Really amazing job!”