Abiomed Employer Branding
BACKGROUND
Abiomed Inc., headquartered in Danvers, Massachusetts, USA, is part of Johnson & Johnson MedTech and a global leader in innovative medical technology. Its unique portfolio is setting new standards in heart health.
At its centre is the Impella® heart pump – the smallest of its kind in the world. It supports the heart, reduces its workload and creates the conditions for recovery. The aim is to save patients in acute emergencies and restore their health and quality of life as treatment continues. From emergency medicine to complex coronary interventions, Impella® has become an essential part of modern cardiac care. It was developed in Aachen, where it remains the company’s core business: since 2005, Aachen has been home to Abiomed’s European headquarters and a production site.
Abiomed operates in a highly specialised field, in a market that is little known outside the medical world. One particular challenge: production requires skills that do not fit neatly into traditional job profiles or vocational qualifications.
Our brief was to create visibility for an attractive regional hidden champion offering careers with purpose and prospects. After all, the products made here are indispensable to many patients.
Abiomed primarily addresses two audiences: technology-minded graduates, especially engineers, and highly dexterous skilled workers with a steady hand and strong powers of concentration. Both groups should recognise the opportunities Abiomed offers as an employer and feel inspired by these exceptional roles.
THE CREATIVE APPROACH
The people who bring Abiomed to life every day are at the heart of its employer branding communication. Their message takes the form of the familiar heart-hand gesture – a symbol of commitment, conviction and emotional connection.
Employees tell their stories from their own perspectives. They show what working at Abiomed means: more than technology, it is about a real goal – improving or saving thousands of lives.
Every team member actively contributes to developing and manufacturing state-of-the-art medical technology, bringing expertise, dedication and team spirit. This makes Abiomed much more than a “me-too employer”. Working here is truly a matter of the heart.
LIVE AND INTERACTIVE –
THE CAMPAIGN
The employer branding campaign focuses on visibility and interaction.
Alongside ambient and digital activities, local activations in Aachen and the EUREGIO – the border region of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands – bring Abiomed directly to people.
Mobile promotion teams take to public spaces, inviting passers-by to get to know the company first-hand. Small interactive games reveal talent: who has a steady hand and an eye for detail? Who has the potential to join the production team?
Live career events at the company site make Abiomed tangible: authentic, open and on equal terms. The aim is to meet the people at Abiomed in person and feel the company’s heartbeat – show, don’t tell.
Abiomed also has a presence in sport.
As an exclusive partner of Alemannia Aachen, and through women’s volleyball, cycling and the Aachen company run, it builds an approachable public profile, supported by eye-catching activities from our promotion teams.
RESULTS
The campaign achieved its goal – and exceeded it. Awareness of Abiomed as an employer grew significantly and became firmly established in the Aachen region.
More than 28 million digital ad impressions, numerous out-of-home placements, over 30 promotions and strong sports partnerships ensured maximum visibility.
The impact was clear: more than 550 people attended the two open days, and 150 applied on site. Particularly encouraging: the number of hires in the core target groups of production and engineering rose by almost 50 per cent.
