FH Aachen – University of Applied Sciences: Employer branding campaign
FH Aachen – University of Applied Sciences
Employer branding. Campaign strategy. Visual system. Website design. Job advertisements. Social media & corporate influencers. Paid media planning.
How do you position a large university as an attractive employer—in a credible, distinctive, and effective way that will have a long-term impact? Over a period of around a year and a half, we developed a comprehensive employer branding campaign for FH Aachen – University of Applied Sciences that combines strategic clarity, visual distinctiveness, and systematic applicability. The goal was to raise the profile of FH Aachen as a modern, relevant employer beyond the region and, in particular, to target and attract professors – without departing from the existing university brand, but with a clearly sharpened employer profile.
Strategic approach
Differentiation within the existing EVP
In the first step, we analyzed the existing employer value proposition, the communication tools used, and the internal and external perceptions of FH Aachen as an employer. All relevant touchpoints were taken into account—from the career page and informational materials to existing recruiting formats.
The results of this audit were consolidated in workshops and consultations and translated into concrete recommendations for action. On this basis, we developed a campaign concept that clearly ties in with the university brand, but also takes the employer profile a step further and sharpens it.
A key lever was the more precise translation of the existing EVP into concrete, target group-specific narratives. Below the general employer promises, we developed differentiated statements for various target groups—especially for the professorial sector.
This transformed an abstract EVP into a connectable communication logic that conveys meaning, creative freedom, practical relevance, and security in a comprehensible and consistent manner.
Strategic campaign aesthetics & visual line
The visual employer brand with its own profile
Based on the existing corporate design, we developed a unique campaign aesthetic with clear recognizability. The color scheme and typography were retained as connecting elements, but were supplemented with new design elements, image logic, and layout principles.
The goal was to create a visual line that:works consistently across all channels can be flexibly adapted to new content, formats, and target groups clearly positioned and visibly differentiated FH Aachen as an employer
The result was a visual employer brand that provides orientation while leaving room for flexibility—a system that can be carried over and further developed from the website to social media, trade fair appearances, print formats, and recruiting materials.
Consistency
Flexible
Visible
Content & Touchpoints
From the website to the social media strategy
In the next step, we translated the strategy and design into concrete communication tools and touchpoints. The central basis for this was the content and structural revision of the FH Aachen employer branding website. In addition to the concept for the general career page, we also developed a separate subpage for the professorial area, which effectively addresses the requirements, motivations, and decision-making logic of professors.
In terms of content, the focus was on presenting complex framework conditions in an understandable way while clearly highlighting the special features of FH Aachen as an employer. This included copywriting and the revision and restructuring of FAQs, as well as the derivation of concise slogans and narratives from the existing employer value proposition. The result was a consistent linguistic framework that can be found across all communication channels.
In addition, we developed image concepts and design guidelines that work for digital applications as well as print formats and trade fair appearances. These include useful elements such as the systematics, design, and textual standardization of job advertisements and more.
Social media and online advertising campaign
From corporate influencers to paid media
In parallel with developing the content and visual identity of the employer brand, we designed a social media strategy with a clear focus on LinkedIn as the central channel for employer branding and recruiting. The aim was to deliver campaign content in a manner appropriate to the channel, systematically build reach, and strategically and emotionally address the relevant target groups, particularly in the academic environment.
To complement institutional employer branding communications, we developed a LinkedIn campaign ramp that also incorporated existing corporate influencer profiles from FH Aachen. Employees were specifically positioned as brand ambassadors for individual employer branding series. To this end, we defined content formats, topic logic, frequencies, and clear copy guidelines that enabled the team to communicate authentically and consistently with the brand.
This created a credible combination of institutional communication and personal perspectives—a key lever for visibility, trust, and sustainable reach in the relevant business network.
The organic communication was flanked by a structured paid media concept. In addition to strategic planning, we provided intensive support to FH Aachen in developing and using suitable ad formats – including advice on asset creation for more complex campaigns such as Google Performance Max. The aim was to ensure a consistent campaign look across all measures and to enable the internal team to implement online ads independently, efficiently, and in a targeted manner.
The result
A strong setup for the employer branding campaign
The collaboration resulted in a strategically sound setup for the FH Aachen employer branding campaign. Instead of individual measures, a consistent communication system was created that is visually clear, precise in content, and designed for the long term—from the website to job advertisements and social media to trade fair formats and paid media.
The FH Aachen is thus positioning itself visibly and distinctively as an attractive employer—with a sharpened employer profile that is particularly effective in the professorial sector. The employer branding strategy that has been developed strengthens the university's supraregional perception and forms a solid foundation for the further development of employer communication in the coming years.
