Leaders for Tomorrow
Case Study
Talentor is an international network of recruiters and headhunters represented in over 20 countries worldwide. It enables complex searches to be carried out across national borders to fill critical positions at specialist and management level. The partners benefit from each other’s expertise and grow by working together. In doing so, Talentor performs a difficult balancing act:
Where there are different countries, there are also different cultures. Individual entrepreneurs meet medium-sized businesses. And local and regional brands need to be taken into account. Co-branding strategies are required. That poses an interesting challenge for our project, because the ultimate goal is a common visual identity: the starting point could hardly be more multifaceted.
Rather than a homogeneous identity, the network sees itself as the sum of individual identities that coexist respectfully and live their individual values alongside shared values.
Together with the client, we look for common ground. A survey of all partners at country level, as well as interviews with several key personalities from marketing and management, provide indications of common strengths and motivations. The collective desire for individuality quickly becomes apparent, as each partner has their own goals and sees Talentor as a vehicle to realise their own visions.
The identities in the Talentor network are as colourful as my infographics at the time.
A gamechanger network
The network has a refreshingly down-to-earth culture, which is unusual in the executive search industry. With its transparent processes, commitment to service and extremely fair fees, the network appeals to potential clients who do not appreciate the usual lack of transparency in executive search. Talentor is thus tapping into a new market, targeting in particular market followers and SMEs that have so far only relied on traditional recruitment methods.
The new claim, "Leaders for tomorrow", is a promise of success for companies seeking to achieve sustainable growth through smart management.
Talentor’s down-to-earth attitude and transparency is formulated into an emotional USP, forms the basis for the argumentative level and has an early influence on the design of the brand in words and images: because leaders are rarely paid for their beauty. This is why we choose to cast suitable models in the direct environment of the marketing and design.
The Talentor cast is made up of ordinary people.
Photography: Christian Huber
It consists of people who also hold leading positions in real life.
Photography: Christian Huber
Instead of the usual models, Talentor shows tangible and authentic personalities – people like you and me. And thus, people with whom it is easier to identify.
Leading by example
The task behind executive search is to search for and find a single person. In terms of design, mug shots come to mind: the front and side views of a face are used by American authorities to accurately identify people. Our first creative experiments result in a graphic cut that divides the front and side views of a person in half and combines them to create a new image. This stylistic device is a very direct reference to the core competence of the recruiter and his different points of view.
The imagery uses a stylistic device reminiscent of the mug shots used by American law enforcement.
Photography: Christian Huber
Combined into one image, they express the different angles from which Talentor perceives its candidates.
Photography: Christian Huber
However, good managers are characterised by more than their professional aptitude: humanity.
Photography: Christian Huber
A staged portrait is combined with an emotional snapshot.
Photography: Christian Huber
Talentor's differentiated view of human nature becomes the centrepiece of the new campaign.
Photography: Christian Huber
Talent’s perception of leadership is differentiated. In order to fulfil a new leadership task, it is important to take into account the existing corporate culture – and this is shaped by people and their social interaction with each other.
A person's suitability as a manager is measured not only by their career steps or professional qualifications, but also by their soft skills, i.e. their social behavior and humanity.
We take the idea of the mug shot a step further: instead of combining two objectifiable angles of a face, we put together a staged, frontal view with an emotional, almost intimate snapshot. In this way, Talentor creates a comprehensive portrait of a sought-after person and at the same time conveys a holistic understanding of his or her role in the market.
Talentors brand colours consist of various shades of blue and salmon, which is used as an accent colour for elements that need to stand out.
The graphical Framework
Time magazine uses a red frame on the cover and explains the idea with a wink: “Everything inside the frame is of interest. Everything outside is not. As a space-defining element, it also plays a key role in the new brand design.
The focus of executive search is on a single person, and the frame puts them visually at the centre of our attention.
While the portrait stands out aesthetically from the mundane surroundings, the frame uses simple means to create recognition and branding across all media. The claim “Leaders for tomorrow” is flanked only by the domain, logo and brand name. The graphic design is deliberately minimalist to give the message the space it needs to make an impact.
Made by Haemmerle & Luger
Art Direction: Vinzenz Luger
Brand Strategy / Storytelling: Florian Hämmerle
Strategy, Storytelling & Copywriting: Florian Hämmerle. Graphic Design: Vinzenz Luger, Daniel Kalkhofer, Andrea Holzner, Daryna Eder, Florian Hämmerle. Image Concept: Florian Hämmerle. Photography: Christian Huber. Projekt Management: Cornelia Neuwirth. Web Design: fredmansky.
Client: Talentor International GmbH. Industry: Executive Search. Geography: Vienna, Austria. Target Market: international. Cathegory: Company Brand. Project Scope: Brand Strategy, Storytelling, Brand Design, Logo Development, Claim, Slogans, Image Concept, Shooting Assistance, Ads, Stationary, Whitepaper, Workshops, Social Media.
