Interbrand beats Landor for Hays rebrand

Interbrand recruited by Hays for rebranding Interbrand has this week won the pitch against rival Landor Associates to rebrand international recruitment network Hays.

The global recruitment specialist is embarking on a major strategic brand review, which will result in a new corporate identity and an overhaul of its digital operations.

Hays marketing director Sholto Douglas-Home invited Landor and Interbrand to compete for the project last month in what was deemed to be a ‘very fair and professionally handled’ process.

Douglas-Home says, ‘We felt it was far easier to manage two consultancies that would give us their undivided attention, which is not always the case with four or five. We need a global footprint, the best in the industry, and we wanted to demonstrate how serious we were about the challenge.’

Interbrand will now undertake an initial brand audit, taking stock of positioning and strategy, with a view to overhauling the existing fouryear- old corporate identity within the next four to five months.

According to Douglas-Home, the project will impact on internal engagement, as well as campaign activation, roll-out and promotion.

Meanwhile, digital design and research consultancy Th_nk, which was appointed in June, is exploring how best to harness emerging digital technologies as part of a fiveyear Web strategy that could result in new systems and processes for Hays. Research analytics and strategy development workshops are already underway.

‘It’s about how we can look at the digital space in a commercially savvy way,’ says Douglas-Home. Hays has been criticised by industry analysts for failing to keep up with technology and simply ‘feeding jobs boards’ online.

Investment in the corporate, digital operations and marketing of the international recruitment brand is expected to be ‘significant’ and is part of a wider overhaul of the business set out by Hays chief executive Alistair Cox last year.

Interbrand London chairman Rita Clifton  says, ‘Hays’ chief executive has a strong vision, and is a fervent believer in the power of brand and what it can do for the organisation as a whole. With marketing playing such a central role, it’s very encouraging, and bodes well.’