Bangalore is known as the Silicon Valley of India. Competition for tech talent is fierce, with companies and talent drawn to the opportunities and expertise the city has to offer. NAVEX (owned by VISTA) is a smart governance, risk and compliance company that helps thousands of companies around the world to create ethical cultures. However, its name is not well known among potential talent, so NAVEX approached Wiser to build a brand that would harness local talent rather than relying on contractors.

Research needed to answer three key questions: who is NAVEX, what can the company offer, and why should someone switch from contractor to employee? External research was conducted among 119 people working in tech in Bangalore, asking for feedback on the company’s global messaging. Internally, Wiser and NAVEX analysed global employee engagement data to understand what was universal in their ways of working, and collaborated with the local talent team. Because there were no employees in the Indian market, this research would inform NAVEX of people’s work habits and lifestyle. As a result, Wiser could adjust NAVEX’s global messaging to drive resonance for tech talent in Bangalore. It coded the data into a set of 10 employee experience drivers such as leadership and psychological safety, a series of reasons to join, and a series of reasons to stay.

This culminated in a culture statement of what it means to be a part of NAVEX, which was then distilled into a statement on its landing page. This was accompanied with visual assets that brought a vibrant brand to life and linked to the company’s HQ in Portland, Oregon. Research data was used to build personas for specific talent groups and roles, and Wiser spent time understanding their media habits and the formats they preferred. After a launch event, NAVEX ran an awareness campaign to bring the new messaging to as many relevant candidates as possible. It then targeted candidates in a ‘consideration’ phase, followed by a retargeting campaign with those who were already ‘warm’ about applying for a role. After an event for contractors who had previously worked with the company, 95% of attendees accepted roles. Social posts generated impressive conversion rates and job adverts appealed to candidates’ lifestyles with relevant benefits and offers of flexibility. Ads have gained almost 5 million impressions in key cities in India, and applications jumped from 500 to more than 1,800.