The Challenge: Awareness
In 2022, fewer than 3 in 10 people recognised the brand. Their employer brand appeal was low too - averaging below 5/10 when candidates were asked if they’d want to work there
The problem wasn’t just visibility; it was perception. Retail as a sector often battles outdated assumptions. For this company, the employer branding challenge was convincing people that retail careers could be exciting, developmental, and full of progression opportunities.
The Turning Point: Using Employer Brand Data
Rather than relying on gut feel, the team turned to employer brand data. By tracking awareness, perception, and appeal over time, they began to see the story clearly.
Market insights revealed that retail talent valued four things most: exciting work, learning and development, progression, and impact. These became the pillars of their new employer branding strategy.
The Strategy: Employer Branding That Works
The company focused on three data-led priorities:
- Leverage familiar sub-brands – Using household names already associated with the group to drive recognition.
- Launch myth-busting content – Showing retail as a place of progression and impact, not just “shop floor” roles.
- Build excitement around the work – Highlighting learning and development opportunities and projects that inspired pride.
This wasn’t just employer branding for show—it was strategy rooted in employer brand tracking and data-driven decision-making.
The Results: Awareness and Appeal Up
By 2024, brand awareness had nearly doubled. Employer brand appeal also climbed steadily, improving from under 5/10 in 2022 to above 6/10 in 2024
As the company’s Chief People Officer explained:
“Wisdom was essential for building trust in our brand. We used the platform to track our transformation. Along the way we understood so much more about the talent we needed to hire and, using the insight, boosted our inbound quality applications significantly.”
Why Employer Brand Tracking Matters
This story highlights why employer brand tracking is non-negotiable. Without real data, employer branding risks becoming a guessing game. With data, you can see:
- Which messages resonate with your audience
- How perception changes over time
- Where industry-specific differences matter
- Whether your strategy for employer branding is actually working
In other words: employer brand data turns strategy from reactive to proactive.
Final Word
This retail brand’s transformation shows what’s possible when employer brand tracking is taken seriously. They didn’t just increase awareness; they built credibility with talent. That credibility translated into stronger appeal, better perception, and ultimately, more quality applications.
Want to see how employer brand data can sharpen your own employer branding strategy? Book a demo with Wisdom.
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