Randstad Appoints Havas Creative as Its First Global Creative Agency of Record

Randstad – the world’s largest HR services provider – has named Havas Creative as its first global creative agency of record following a competitive, six-month pitch process. The appointment comes amidst a global, post pandemic ‘talent crunch’, requiring a greater focus on building more meaningful and long-lasting relationships with talent.

The appointment spans both the Randstad brand itself, which will be led by Havas London, and subsidiary Monster, which will be led by Havas’ Arnold Worldwide in Boston.

Randstad, the global leader in HR services, offers a seamless talent experience powered by digital and enhanced by access to personal consultants around the globe. Monster, a global online employment solution for people seeking jobs and employers who need great people, is a wholly online experience. While both brands share the same strategic vision and overarching ambitions, their brand positioning and promise are very different. As such, Havas will develop distinct campaigns for each brand.

For Randstad, Havas has been tasked with elevating Randstad’s ‘human forward’ brand promise, geared toward talent, as well as raising both awareness and understanding of its services. For Monster, which invented the online job category 25 years ago, Arnold has been tasked with reclaiming the brand’s early fame to introduce it to a younger job-seeking audience.

Joanna Irwin, global chief marketing officer at Randstad says: “Talent scarcity and mismatches in the labor market remain the biggest challenges for our clients – which is why we are focused on building relationships with talent, who are looking for trusted allies to help realize their potential throughout their careers. Havas impressed us with their strategic thinking and creativity, demonstrating an understanding of our industry and the important role we play in supporting people and organizations in realizing their true potential. This partnership will allow us to accelerate our brand strategy as we continue to deliver on our ambition to become the world's most valued 'working life partner'.”

Xavier Rees, CEO at Havas London says: “Over the past two years, the world of work has been turned on its head. Talent – in high demand, and short supply – now holds the power, while where and how we work have become two of the fundamental post-pandemic questions. The opportunity to shape that debate alongside the world’s largest recruitment firm is one of the most urgent, meaningful and exciting briefs out there.”

Elliott Seaborn, global chief marketing officer at Monster says: “We are at a pivotal moment in history where employees are more in control of their careers than they ever have been before. And Monster is in the incredible position to have the power to help people find the jobs they want to do, not the job they have to. We’re already working hand-in-hand with the Arnold team to create an approach that is smart, fun and compelling around the world. We’re looking forward to launching this work next month.”

Sean McBride, chief creative officer at Arnold Worldwide says: “Monster is the original disrupter in the employment space, with a long history of making unforgettable creative. And right now is exactly the kind of moment the Monster brand was built for – a time of massive change and even greater opportunity. So, we’re incredibly excited to be working with this brand at this moment, and we can’t wait to make the next great Monster campaign together. On top of that, we’re always looking for more chances to partner with our cronies at Havas London. They see the advertising world the same way we do. Better yet, they sound 15% smarter because of the accents.”