The Best Employer Branding Video I Have Ever Seen

Allow me to show you the ultimate employer branding masterpiece.

Introducing: "The Last Repair Shop", a 2024 Oscars contender for Best Documentary Short.

The movie talks about a repair shop from the US that fixes musical instruments for public school kids.

So, let's explore the reasons why this documentary is far more effective than any other employer branding video I have ever seen. 

What sets this video apart is, firstly, the storytelling

This documentary goes beyond the surface and beyond that almost insufferable lingo of diversity, competitive salary, unparalleled growth opportunities, world-class team, etc.

None of that matters for them.

Instead, they offer viewers an intimate look at the employees' passion for their work and their unwavering dedication to the community they serve.

It's a narrative that resonates deeply in today's job market, where candidates are increasingly looking for roles that offer purpose and a sense of belonging - 9 out of 10 people are willing to earn less money to do more-meaningful work.

The video excels in showcasing the company's culture without a single word of overt promotion

People hate ads. They have a 7th sense when it comes to it. They run for their lives when they sense it. 

What this short film is doing right is that no one brags about how cool they are.

They simply:

- show the impact of their work by including 4 interviews with public school kids (by the way, those selected kids are uber confident & charismatic);

- have no fear in recognising that they work extremely hard. They have 80.000 (!!!) instruments to keep in good shape and only 16 employees! This is not a job for the fainthearted.

- do not include in the video random hobbies, facts or irrelevant stories of their employees, just to come across as laid back or fun. Everything in that video makes sense and is in complete accordance with the mission/vision of the company.

So, long story short, this movie wins the hearts of prospective candidates, without even having this purpose, because:

- you see how your colleagues are actually like

- you see how the workspace looks like

- it is not glamorised to look perfect - you see the sweat and they repeatedly tell you about the hard work. No wrong impressions here, just pure truth

- you see the impact the company has on the life of its customers

How can you replicate it? 

What you see in "The Last Repair Shop" is real, raw emotion. No fiction. 

They did not have a script for this. The interviewees did not memorise lines. 

They just told their story. 

All you need, really, is just a set of good questions. And the ability to actively listen. 

You might think that what they did cannot be replicated with the budget you have.

But what if I tell you that the core elements of it can be accomplished with almost no budget at all?

To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if this repair shop has a huge amount of people asking for a job there, as a result of this video.

I know I would go for it, if I were in the US. Probably you will want that too, after you watch the video.

So, maybe in your future recruitment processes, you will think of putting a tiny, authentic video next to that job description. 

I can guarantee you it will make a big difference.

Because in a sea of corporate fake, your video will finally give the candidates something real to look up to.