Kantar in conversation with Global Employer Brand Leader of the Year 2024:

Congratulations on being named Global Employer Brand Leader of the Year 2024, Jake! We're thrilled to have this opportunity to chat with you. We always like to understand what drives EB leaders in the community and would love to hear more about what inspires you. What would you say is your personal motivator in your work in Employer Branding?

My personal motivation in employer branding stems from a deep passion for both people and marketing. I thrive on the energy that comes from being part of the HR team that unlocks people's potential, empowering them to create value and positively impact others. As a marketer, I’m driven by the power of storytelling - crafting narratives that connect and inspire others, while also developing a compelling creative strategy and design philosophy that help a brand stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Employer branding offers me the perfect platform to combine these two passions. It provides an opportunity to understand both our employees and potential candidates – their needs, aspirations, and values. This insight enables me to craft authentic stories that highlight our collective strengths and showcase the real impact of our work.

Thank you for sharing about your passions and how they inspire you to excel in your work. We’re curious: Coca-Cola is a globally recognized brand, iconic even. Still, Gen Z is hard to attract as employees, but you have taken on this challenge. What have you done and what impact have you seen?

To attract Gen Z talent, we’ve adopted a data-driven approach to redefine our employer brand strategy. We began by deeply analyzing what Gen Z values in an employer - such as purpose, career growth, innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity – and we used these insights to evolve our messaging and campaigns. By leveraging insights from surveys, focus groups, and industry research, we were able to develop an exciting strategy that aligns with Gen Z’s expectations and resonates with their aspirations and values.

Our recently launched early talent initiatives, such as the Coca-Cola Blaze Graduate Program and the Coca-Cola Ignite Internship Program, along with digital campus activations, have significantly boosted our brand visibility. These programs have reestablished Coca-Cola’s presence on the global campus scene, helping position us as a preferred choice for early talent in the region.

As a result, we’ve witnessed a remarkable increase in meaningful engagement across digital platforms, higher application rates for our early careers programs, and strengthened employee advocacy from those who resonate with our refreshed brand positioning.

What is your advice to other companies that have challenges in attracting Gen Z?

To attract Gen Z, start by deeply understanding their core values, motivations, and aspirations. Gen Z prioritizes purpose, authenticity, and belonging. It’s not just about offering perks; it’s about fostering a culture that reflects their desire for transparency, social impact, and personal growth.

Demonstrate a steadfast commitment to making a difference and communicate this with authenticity - through your values, leadership, and the tangible impact they can make as part of your organization. Empathy is key: listen to what matters most to them and shape your employer brand to resonate with their priorities, creating a meaningful and lasting connection.

That’s great advice – empathy truly is at the heart of building strong connections. Now, let’s take a moment to focus on your personal achievements. What accomplishment in your Employer Branding work are you most proud of so far?

I’m most proud of the employer brand transformation I led at the Coca-Cola Bottling Investments Group (Coca-Cola BIG) across Asia and the Middle East between 2021-2023. This strategic initiative reshaped Coca-Cola BIG’s employer brand, changing its long-standing reputation challenge that had hindered its ability to attract, recruit, and retain top talent.

The transformation began with comprehensive employee insights and candidate perception audit, followed by the development of Coca-Cola BIG’s first-ever Employer Branding Playbook. Our transformation strategy focused on five key areas: creating a fresh and compelling EVP, establishing a strong design philosophy, building a robust digital and social media presence, fostering employee advocacy and upskilling ambassadors, and achieving employer of choice recognitions. These efforts culminated in Coca-Cola BIG being recognized as one of Asia's Best Workplaces in 2022 by Great Place to Work, solidifying our position as a top employer with a strong workplace culture in the region.

This initiative successfully repositioned Coca-Cola BIG as an employer of choice and was recognized as a global best practice, showcased at various HR and employer branding conferences across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Its success earned me the honor of being named Coca-Cola BIG’s 2022 People Leader of the Year.

You have moved to the United Kingdom this past year. What do you want to achieve with Coca-Cola’s Employer Branding work next?

While Coca-Cola is globally recognized as a leading consumer brand, we also strive to position ourselves as an employer of choice. Our iconic brands have garnered admiration worldwide, and the challenge lies in ensuring that we are also consistently viewed as a preferred workplace for top talent.

My next focus is to collaborate with our different teams on crafting key campaigns to bring our talent value proposition to life, allowing us to engage our critical talent audiences. This includes not only showcasing what we do but also highlighting why and how we do it.

In this campaign, we aim to highlight our people’s authentic and inspiring stories. We believe our people are our greatest asset, and their stories have the power to showcase our vibrant culture, passionate teams, and the meaningful impact we create every day. We want to connect with talent who resonate with our purpose and values, inspiring them to join us on a journey to make a difference and be part of something greater.

At the heart of our employer brand lies the ultimate recipe for success - our people. My duty is to help amplify our people’s stories with authenticity and inspiration, highlighting their passion, sense of belonging, and the impactful role they play in refreshing the world and making a difference every day.

That’s an inspiring ambition, Jake! Speaking of the world and global perspectives, you’ve worked on Employer Branding across the Philippines (and Asia), the Middle East, and now Europe. What key insights have you gained from these diverse regions, especially in terms of similarities and differences?

While employer branding principles are mostly universal, their application varies across regions due to cultural and workforce nuances. Additionally, advancements in AI, emerging technologies, and evolving workforce trends have reshaped how employer branding strategies are designed and executed globally.

Across these regions, offering growth opportunities is a consistent driver for talent attraction. However, each region has distinct nuances. In the Philippines, for instance, storytelling that emphasizes sense of community and job security is key to resonating with potential candidates. In the Middle East, prestige, stability and comprehensive benefits are top priorities for talent. Meanwhile, in Europe, there is a strong emphasis on purpose-driven work, transparency, impact, and sustainability, with Europe leading the way in integrating the sustainability agenda into its employee value proposition.

Digital platform preferences also differ: Facebook and TikTok dominate in the Philippines, LinkedIn is prominent in the Middle East, and LinkedIn and Instagram are favored in Europe. Digital authenticity and meaningful engagement remain universally important across all regions.

These are valuable insights that I’m sure many employer branding professionals will resonate with – the critical importance of recognizing and adapting to regional and local nuances in talent attraction strategies.

Jake, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us today. Once again, congratulations on the award, and best wishes for continued success in your work!