CareerBuilder found itself grappling with an identity conundrum. The brand's essence was being dispersed across various divisions, making it challenging to maintain a clear focus on their target audience. To make matters more complex, the new leadership had a strong aversion to the existing brand logo. CareerBuilder needed a swift yet smooth refresh and transition for their brand while also ensuring proper organization and implementation across current channels to prevent further dilution. As a leader in creative marketing and an expert brand consultant, I was eager to take on this challenge and help CareerBuilder regain its footing.
CareerBuilder faced a unique challenge: revitalizing its brand without the extensive overhaul of a full rebranding. With the company in a transitional phase and an impending office move, a full-scale rebrand was not feasible. Instead, leadership opted for a refresh - a subtler, yet impactful approach to re-energize the brand while maintaining its core essence.
In response, my team and I focused on crafting cohesiveness in key areas that would significantly impact the brand's look, tone, and feel, while still retaining a sense of familiarity. This strategy involved developing a refined color palette and guidelines for its usage, with a shift towards primarily using one-colored logos and reserving the full-colored versions for special branded moments.
Additionally, we revisited the brand's 'big why,' defining what CareerBuilder stands for and its significance to both businesses and clients. This exercise was crucial in aligning the brand refresh with the company's evolving narrative and ensuring that their audience could see themselves in the brand.
An integral part of this refresh was introducing a more fun and playful aspect to the brand. This not only breathed new life into CareerBuilder's image but also opened doors to explore diverse avenues for future brand positioning. The refresh successfully reinvigorated the brand, aligning it with contemporary trends while staying true to its foundational values.
Our goal was to help the CareerBuilder brand begin the transition into a more playful and positive brand on both the client and business side. By continuing to close the gap between their very silo'd brand approach to B2B and B2C we could begin to create a cohesive brand across both channels. As leadership shifted, changed and refocused it became clear that a total rebrand would be in the future for CareerBuilder. The brand refresh was designed to serve as a stepping stone for the brand's future evolution, laying a solid foundation for ongoing change and growth. We especially focused on developing social media vibes and tones that could grow along with future marketing strategies.
The new brand refresh was applied to a variety of mediums that allowed to showcase a different side of CareerBuilder. From presentation decks to social media posts and e-books, the brand refresh pushed the brand in a more vibrant visual direction and an overall more approachable positioning.
The transformation of in-person events at CareerBuilder embraced a more playful, dynamic approach to branding. This fresh initiative aimed to help attendees personally connect with the brand, infusing a sense of inclusivity and relatability. This was achieved through interactive elements like engaging event games, unique marketing materials, and innovative interactions involving AI and real-life interactions, all complemented by exciting prizes. This approach not only enlivened the events but also fostered a deeper, more personal connection between the brand and its audience.
The brand refresh at CareerBuilder opened doors to a vibrant, playful realm of possibilities. Embracing a lighter tone, the brand shifted from a serious demeanor to a more approachable, relatable identity. At the heart of this transformation was the desire to resonate with job seekers at various stages of their careers. The goal was to create a sense of belonging and aspiration, encouraging individuals to see themselves in the brand's narrative—whether they were seeking career advancement or solidarity with others on similar paths.
This new ethos was meticulously woven into CareerBuilder's social media strategy and overarching brand guidelines, infusing a sense of excitement and relatability. A unique aspect of this strategy was the incorporation of hand-drawn elements, particularly in social campaigns targeting platforms like Instagram. These elements not only added a personal touch but also delivered impactful, tangible advice to job seekers, enhancing their connection with the brand. The team reveled in this creative direction, finding joy in crafting content that not only looked great but also genuinely supported and guided those navigating their career journeys.
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