Attract the people you want – without sounding like a recruitment ad.
The best candidates can smell a recruitment video a mile away.
This is the most important insight to start with if you are considering employer branding video. Because 9 out of 10 EB videos fail not because they lack production value. They fail because they are too sharply staged. Smiling employees on trampolines. “We have high ceilings”. Table football. The classic EB trap.
This kind of video attracts exactly the candidates you don’t need – and repels the ones you do. Specialists, experienced managers and high-performers can smell a fake. They don’t want to work somewhere they feel sold to.
At Story & Co, we make EB video that works because it’s honest – strategic, but honest. We don’t produce fantasy images of culture. We find the real culture and let it carry the movie.
Why employer branding video works - when it does
The research is clear: 75% of job seekers research the company before applying, and video is the preferred source for those who do. A well-placed EB video can significantly increase application quality – because it filters candidates *before* they apply.
But there is a premise. The movie must reflect reality. If the candidate sees the movie, applies for the job, comes to the interview and experiences a completely different workplace – you lose them on the first interview, often with a negative Glassdoor rating to boot.
EB video is therefore not a marketing discipline alone. It’s an HR discipline, a culture discipline and a production discipline all at the same time. We typically work closely with your HR function or People & Culture team throughout the process.
The four EB formats we produce
Employee portraits
The most effective EB format we have measured. 60-180 second portrait of one employee talking about their work in their own words. Loosely scripted – we interview for 30-60 minutes and edit it clean. The result is honest because there’s nothing to hide.
Manifesto/value film
Longer format (2-4 minutes) that tells the company “why” – the purpose, the direction, what you believe in. Typically used on career pages and in onboarding. Must be pointed – vague manifestos are worse than no manifesto.
A-day-in-the-life
Documentary-style video that follows an employee through a working day. Often shown for specialist roles where candidates need to understand the job itself before applying. Highly informative – requires time and access.
Recruiting content for social media
Short 15-60 sec cuts for LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok. Used to get “passive” candidates to notice you. Often produced as a series of 6-12 short cuts from one shoot, keeping the cost per asset low.
How to avoid the EB trap
Three specific things we do differently than most:
We do not cast. We film real employees. If the movie requires “actors” that are better than reality, then the movie shouldn’t be made.
We don’t script the answers. We prepare the questions. What the employee says are her own words – we cut it sharp, but we don’t fake the culture.
We include the real thing. A good EB movie also shows what’s challenging about the job – not as negative rejection, but as realism. It’s counterintuitive: honest movies attract more qualified applicants than perfect movies.
Cases - EB video that has delivered results
Case 1: [Customer name] - Employee portraits
Goal: [INSERT – e.g. “attract more applicants for specialist roles”]. Format: 4 portraits of 90 sec + LinkedIn cuts. Result: [INSERT – e.g. “+47% qualified applicants in 3 months, watch-rate 73%”].
Case 2: [Customer name] - Manifesto film
Target: [INSERT]. Format: 3-min manifesto for career page. Result: [INSERT – e.g. “reduced time-to-hire by 22 days”].
Case 3: [Customer name] - A-day-in-the-life
Target: [INSERT]. Format: 8-minute documentary + 4 cuts. Result: [INSERT – e.g. “applicant quality increased, drop-off in the interview phase halved”].
What does an employer branding video cost?
Employee portraits: typically 25,000-60,000 DKK per portrait (lower for bundles). Manifesto films: 80,000-200,000 DKK. A-day-in-the-life: 100,000-250,000 DKK. Recruiting content for SoMe (6-12 cuts): DKK 60,000-150,000
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to produce an EB video?
Employee portraits: 3-5 weeks. Manifesto films: 5-8 weeks. A-day-in-the-life: 4-6 weeks. We plan with plenty of breathing space because access to employees is often the biggest logistical element.
Do you want your employees to be professional actors?
We don’t. We explicitly recommend against it. Real people provide authenticity that actors can’t replicate. We prepare them thoroughly and make them feel comfortable on set so they can be themselves on camera.
Can we get the movie translated into English or other languages?
Answer. We usually plan from the start with English subtitles and possibly dubbed versions. It’s a small additional cost if we know this from the start.
What happens if an employee leaves the company after joining?
It’s a common concern and a good reason to choose more portraits than one. If someone leaves, we can typically re-prioritize usage – or produce a replacement. We always do at least 2-3 portraits in parallel to spread the risk.
Can we use the films in recruitment ads?
That’s right. We design from the start with both organic and paid placements in mind. Cuts for LinkedIn ads, formats for Meta and TikTok cuts are often part of the delivery.
How much input is expected from HR?
We typically need 2-3 meetings with HR/People & Culture: 1) Strategic clarification, 2) Casting of employees, 3) Review of script/structure. We handle the actual shooting with the employees directly.
Should we make EB video that works?
Tell us who you want to attract – and what culture you want to show. We’ll get back to you the same day on business days.
