Recruitment marketing has changed. Top talent no longer responds to job postings alone; they want purpose, clarity, and a sense of belonging. For National Express, a UK transport leader with a fleet of iconic coaches and a market-leading bus operation in the West Midlands, the challenge was clear: attract new bus drivers, increase female representation, and turn curiosity into applications, all without an existing Employer Value Proposition (EVP).

Over the next five years, National Express aimed for 20% of bus drivers to be female. Without a clear EVP, campaigns risked being generic, overlooked, and ineffective. This Marketing Case Study shows how we transformed that challenge into measurable results. This is where we came in: to craft a strategy that connected people with purpose, turning engagement into meaningful action.

Understanding the Challenge

Many organisations underestimate the power of a structured EVP. Research from Brand Finance shows that 69% of job seekers would not consider working for a company with a weak employer brand, underlining how a strong EVP can be a powerful magnet in recruitment marketing. National Express had strong brand recognition, but no defined narrative for the bus division. The absence of an EVP meant messaging wasn’t targeted, candidate journeys weren’t optimised, and opportunities to convert interest into applications were being missed.

From a talent lead perspective, this is familiar: campaigns can generate clicks, but without a framework that explains why a role matters, those clicks rarely turn into hires. Our goal was to address that gap, creating a campaign that would resonate, educate, and convert.

Crafting “A Route For Everyone”

We began by defining a clear EVP framework, “A Route For Everyone,” developed through cross-functional workshops and stakeholder engagement. This framework wasn’t just a tagline, it became the lens for every campaign element, from social posts to a dedicated careers microsite.

Internal and external launch plans ensured consistent messaging while adapting creative formats to audience needs. Real drivers shared their stories, behind-the-scenes content showcased the role authentically, and every touchpoint reinforced the EVP pillars. The principle was simple: show, don’t just tell.

This Marketing Case Study highlights the impact of grounding creative execution in a unified EVP.

Execution That Converts

Strategy alone isn’t enough; execution determines impact. We deployed multichannel campaigns across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, driving traffic to the microsite designed to educate candidates and streamline the application process.

Short-form content was central: dynamic reels, driver testimonials, and branded templates created a cohesive and engaging social presence. Behind-the-scenes insight made bus driving relatable, credible, and aspirational.

The microsite became the hub for the candidate journey, guiding users through the ATS and improving conversion. This ecosystem allowed us to measure engagement in real time and optimise content for maximum effect, an essential principle in any Marketing Case Study.

Results That Matter

From the start of 2025, the campaign delivered outcomes that demonstrated the power of a clear EVP, intentional storytelling, and a well-designed conversion ecosystem:

• Over 250,000 TikTok views, reaching audiences who had never considered bus driving before and opening up an entirely new talent pool through accessible, scroll-stopping short-form content.
  
  
• 38% female follower representation, showing that the creative direction and messaging resonated strongly with the women National Express aimed to attract, evidence that purposeful content can influence perception and interest.
  
  
• 4,565 “Apply Now” clicks driven directly from social content to the EVP-led careers microsite, proving that education, clarity, and authenticity at the top of the funnel translate into genuine intent and action.
  
  
• 234 offers generated, largely through direct referrals from the microsite, demonstrating how a considered user journey can convert awareness into hires without relying on heavy paid media.
  
  
• £95,000 in projected savings after National Express were able to turn off two job boards due to the performance of our campaign, illustrating how strategic EVP-driven recruitment marketing cuts costs while improving outcomes.
  
  

These results show what becomes possible when EVP, storytelling, and execution work together: a campaign that doesn’t just attract attention, but reshapes perception, drives behaviour, and delivers tangible, measurable impact.

Lessons for Talent Leaders

• A clear EVP provides focus and differentiation.
  
  
• Authentic content builds trust and relatability.
  
  
• Multichannel storytelling guides candidates through every stage of the journey.
  
  
• Strong measurement enables continuous optimisation and real ROI.
  
  
• A well-designed careers microsite can significantly increase conversion and reduce cost-per-hire.

Turning Insights Into Action

This Marketing Case Study proves that thoughtful strategy, creative storytelling, and multichannel execution can transform recruitment marketing. The key takeaway is this: campaigns must do more than generate clicks; they must educate, inspire, and convert.

Whether it’s creating an EVP, building careers microsites, or producing scroll-stopping social content, we help clients craft frameworks and campaigns that deliver results, reduce costs, and connect with the right candidates.

If you want to build a recruitment marketing strategy that resonates, converts, and delivers measurable impact, get in touch with us today. 

Let’s explore how we can help you attract, engage, and convert the right candidates through data-driven, creative, EVP-led strategies that actually move the needle.