5 Companies Crushing It With Global Hiring Campaigns
Nov 03, 25
McDonald’s – Innovating Global Hiring with “Made at McDonald’s”
McDonald’s isn’t just about fast food; it’s one of the world’s largest employers. Their “Made at McDonald’s” campaign showed just how creative global hiring can get. The campaign introduced voice-activated job applications via Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant — a first-of-its-kind move. Candidates could literally say, “Alexa, help me get a job at McDonald’s,” and begin an application process tailored to their local market. But the real genius? The campaign positioned McDonald’s as a launchpad for lifelong careers. They highlighted alumni success stories, showing that McDonald’s crew members had gone on to become nurses, teachers, and entrepreneurs. The message was clear: a job here is just the beginning. Best Practices to Note Meet candidates where they are — through tech they already use. Build credibility with real data and alumni outcomes. Scale globally but personalize locally (language, region-specific roles).
Heineken – “Go Places” Campaign: Employee Stories on a Global Stage
Heineken’s “Go Places” campaign is considered one of the most authentic employer branding initiatives in recent years. The campaign told the stories of 30+ real employees across 22 markets, each highlighting the adventurous, entrepreneurial culture that Heineken fosters. These weren’t polished ads with actors; they were genuine employee narratives delivered through short films and interactive digital content. What made it powerful was localization: while the overarching EVP was global (“Go Places”), each market adapted the campaign to feature its own employees and cultural context. Best Practices to Note Put employees, not executives, at the center of the story. Define a universal EVP, then translate it for local impact.
Balance HR goals with brand creativity by involving cross-functional teams.
Boston Consulting Group – “Beyond is where we begin.”
Consulting powerhouse BCG reimagined its talent brand with “Beyond is where we begin.” The campaign was rooted in nine months of research across 50+ markets, ensuring the EVP spoke to what talent actually values today: purpose, growth, and impact. The content featured real BCG employees across geographies, each finishing the phrase “Beyond [X]” to show what they work toward — beyond data, beyond borders, beyond expectations. This wasn’t just a campaign. It was a multi-channel refresh rolled out on social media, digital ads, career sites, and employee advocacy. The results: a 118% increase in career site traffic and 40% boost in applicant conversion. Best Practices to Note Ground EVP in deep research, not assumptions. Blend global positioning with local storytelling.
Track outcomes (site visits, applications, conversions) to measure ROI.
Airbnb – Winning Talent with “Live and Work Anywhere”
Sometimes, the best hiring campaign is… a bold HR policy. In 2022, Airbnb announced employees could “live and work anywhere.” Staff could work remotely in their home country with no pay penalty, and live abroad for 90 days a year in over 170 countries. The announcement exploded on social media and generated 800,000+ career site visits within days. Airbnb essentially turned a policy into a viral global hiring campaign, positioning itself as the ultimate flexible workplace — aligning perfectly with its consumer brand promise of “belong anywhere.” Best Practices to Note Align employer brand with your product mission for authenticity. Use bold, progressive policies as employer branding assets. Support the promise with infrastructure (compliance, mobility support).
L’Oréal – Building a Global Employer Brand with “Are You IN?”
L’Oréal has long been recognized as a top global employer, thanks to campaigns like “Are You IN?” Launched on LinkedIn when they hit 300,000 followers, the campaign invited employees and fans to share why they’re “IN” with L’Oréal. This user-generated content spread organically across networks, boosting reach and authenticity. They backed it up with a dedicated career site (“L’Oréal Talent”) and an onboarding app that gamified culture immersion for new hires. The message: L’Oréal doesn’t just attract people — it invests in their growth and belonging. Best Practices to Note Activate employee advocacy to tell real stories. Maintain consistency across platforms (social, career site, onboarding).
Deliver on the employer brand promise post-hire.
FAQs on Global Hiring Campaigns
Q: What is a global hiring campaign? Q: How do you localize effectively? Q: What metrics matter most?
A coordinated recruitment marketing effort that communicates a consistent EVP worldwide while localizing for regional audiences.
Use local languages, feature regional employees, and tailor messages to cultural contexts — while keeping the global EVP consistent.
Career site traffic, application volume, applicant quality, time-to-fill, offer acceptance rate, and employee advocacy reach.
Conclusion: Your Turn to Go Global
execution. McDonald’s innovated with tech. Heineken spotlighted real employees. BCG built its EVP from research. Airbnb turned a policy into a viral magnet. L’Oréal scaled advocacy and backed it with onboarding. For your organization, the playbook is clear: Define your global EVP. Tell stories through real people. Localize without diluting the message. Track what works. Deliver on your promises post-hire.
