How This Manufacturer used Wisdom to Cut Cost Per Hire by 60%
Hiring for manufacturing roles has never been easy, but one global employer recently faced a particular challenge. In the North East of England, their appeal score was just 4.1/10, time-to-hire was dragging, and pressure from senior stakeholders was mounting.
The answer wasn’t more job ads. It was better use of employer brand data.
The Challenge: Low Appeal and Slow Hiring
Manufacturing talent valued impact and purpose, but the company’s messaging was off. They had been leaning too heavily on “connection” themes while under-indexing on the sense of purpose that mattered most to candidates.
This is where employer brand tracking proved its value. By measuring sentiment and priorities across target audiences, the team uncovered the gap - and redesigned their employer branding strategy around it.
The Solution: Data-Led Employer Branding
Armed with employer brand data, the team launched a purpose-focused campaign, spotlighting how employees’ work directly impacted local communities. The approach wasn’t built on assumptions; it was guided by data.
Alongside this, the company used Wisdom to:
- Identify target audiences – including mobile talent in specific regions.
- Refine EVP messaging – tailoring by archetype, priorities, and geography.
- Track competitors – benchmarking performance against other FMCG brands.
- Direct spend effectively – prioritising the most impactful channels region by region
The Results: A Strategy That Worked
The shift paid off. Over a six-month period, the campaign delivered:
- 47.1% increase in brand appeal
- 60% reduction in cost per hire, down to £1,100
- +11% increase in consideration for manufacturing roles globally
- 16% improvement in brand alignment with audience priorities
“Before we had employer brand data, it felt like we were working in the dark. Now all my reporting is fact-based. It’s been a game changer for me.”
Why Employer Brand Data Matters
This case highlights why employer brand tracking should be at the core of every strategy for employer branding:
- It shows you where your messaging is misaligned.
- It helps you understand what your target audiences truly value.
- It makes reporting to leadership concrete, not anecdotal.
- It shifts conversations from opinion-driven to data-driven.
In short: employer brand data doesn’t just improve campaigns. It changes how employer branding is managed inside the business.
Final Word
This global manufacturer’s transformation proves that employer branding becomes powerful when it’s rooted in tracking and data. With the right insights, they didn’t just improve perception—they accelerated hiring, cut costs, and built credibility with leadership.
Want to see how employer brand tracking can sharpen your own strategy? Book a demo with Wisdom
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