Today's marketers must play a greater role in attracting and retaining talent than they currently play. Cultivating a cult brand culture is far more important than most of the activities that marketers spend time or money on. No amount of advertising can build brand affinity if you have a dysfunctional culture or disengaged workforce.

1. Enlightenment Series: January 2014
Cultivating Cult Brand Culture
How Top Brands Attract & Keep Top Talent

2. FEBRUARY 19 - 20, 2014
www.CultGathering.com

3. Cult Brand Nominees (but non winners)

4. 66%
Senior executives fear that lack of skills and talent
shortages are going to have a major impact on their brand.
2012 Economist Intelligence Unit survey of 350 executives from multinational companies

5. HR is vitally important, but under qualified
and/or under-resourced to attract and groom
brand ambassadors.
Their skillsets are increasingly focused on:
- Interviewing and counseling
- Benefits administration
- Legal compliance issues
- Performance reviews
- Administrative (i.e. record keeping)

6. THE RISE OF
HR MARKETING
HR is on a collision course with Marketing…
“The right people can bring a brand to life in remarkable ways, but as
brands increasingly rely on their culture as a differentiator, attracting
remarkable talent is becoming more complex.”
- Forbes, What Should HR Leaders Focus on in 2014

7. 4
Things To
Consider
1.
2.
3.
4.
Employer Positioning
Policies & Procedures
Candidate outreach
Show some personality

8. 1) Employer Positioning:
“Leading brands with great talent
have acknowledged the
importance of transparency and
committing to a higher purpose
within the marketplace.”
Forbes, 5 Lessons on Influencer Marketing & Brand Transparency – 2013

10. SCHILLER GROUNDS CARE: Before

11. SCHILLER GROUNDS CARE: After
The site and manifesto was transformed to better appeal to candidates by accentuating Schillers’
authenticity through its manifesto and company history and by including compelling visuals and
compelling content to help inspire candidates of the Schillers brand.

12. <20%
Of organizations have an employer branding strategy, so the opportunity for
greater interdisciplinary collaboration is HUGE!
EBI “Rise of Employer Brand Research”, Lynda Gratton Hot Spots Movement

13. 2) Policies & Procedures
“Creating customer loyalty, one employee at a time,
generates competitive advantage.”
- Hani Kafoury M.A. Psychology & Business Consultant

14. One cannot create engaged customers without
first having engaged employees.

15. Attracting candidates - just like
attracting customers - begins with
understanding their needs, values
and behaviours.

17. 3. Candidate outreach
Job seekers perceive a brand’s
presence in emerging media and
alignment with current issues as
indication of how progressive the
brand is and how vibrant the
brand’s work environment is.
How Top Brands Attract & Keep Top Talent, 2013

19. K+S: The CHALLENGE

20. 4. Show some personality
The right people can bring a brand
to life in remarkable ways, but as
brands increasingly rely on their
culture as a differentiator,
attracting remarkable talent is
becoming more complex.
How Top Brands Attract & Keep Top Talent, 2013

22. WHOLESALE SPORTS OUTDOOR OUTFITTERS

23. WE PRACTICE WHAT WE PREACH...
Creative Job Descriptions
Facebook for Culture
Website: Employee Fun Facts

24. My Point…
Often, the reason why business strategies fail is
people mistakenly assume that the organization
can get the right talent to perform the strategy.
All too often organizations cannot attract or
develop it, and as a result, the strategy is not
feasible.
What Should HR Leaders Focus on in 2014
- Forbes

25. The path to marketing enlightenment starts here.
cult.ca
© 2014 Cult Collective Ltd.
@CultIdeas
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followme@cult.ca