Disney ABC
Powerful connections: Creating an effective and inspiring employer brand
Situation
How does Disney ABC engage global employees in highly diverse business units and foster a competitive edge in the talent marketplace?
Although Disney acquired ABC more than a decade ago, the Disney ABC Television Group had historically been challenged to bring together more than 25 highly diverse business units, including news and entertainment, as well as the Disney headquarters in Los Angeles and ABC offices in New York. To position itself as an employer of choice, the company needed to overcome this internal partisanship, as well as attract top talent in an increasingly competitive market.
Solution
Baker recognized that attracting and retaining top talent required a strong employer brand—one that reflected the organization’s authentic values, qualities and practices, as well as aligned its employees around them. Using this insight, Baker crafted an employer brand platform that distilled the essence of what connected the company’s employees across geography and business units: a passionate commitment to creating and delivering innovative, quality content. From this platform emerged an integrated communications program through which Disney ABC united its many voices into a rich, powerful one that rang true and deeply for all.
Results
Since its launch the employer brand has been embraced companywide—and worldwide. The tagline has become a rallying cry enmeshed in employee dialogue. This success has spurred the development of targeted communications for recruitment, Human Resources, and other internal training and recognition programs. The result has been continued momentum toward building an effective employer brand that motivates and inspires Disney ABC’s most valuable asset and competitive advantage—its people.