From Shortage to Talent

Does this sound familiar? The pressure is mounting, you need people, but the right employees are nowhere to be found. That was exactly the challenge facing dnata, a global leader in aviation services. Summer was approaching—the busiest season—and they urgently needed to expand their team. In a situation like that, every applicant counts, every right match matters. Thanks to our focus on performance marketing, smart data, and a hyperconnected approach, we chose the right strategy to make a difference.

The aviation industry is facing a flood of challenges. One of the biggest problems? A shortage of qualified employees. dnata had a specific goal: to recruit at least 150 new employees within 6 months for critical roles such as Flight Dispatcher, Ground Steward(ess), Baggage Handler, and more. Traditional recruitment channels didn’t yield the desired results. How do you actually attract the right people in such a tight labor market? We knew we had to do things differently.

At Clever Strategy, we build media strategies that are 100% results-driven. No cookie-cutter solutions—just custom approaches that put your goals first. We use data, smart technology, and the right channels—such as Google Ads and social media—to reach your target audience at exactly the right moment. It’s all about delivering measurable growth—not just talk, but action.

At Clever Strategy, we don’t believe in doing things halfway. We combine data with technology to reach the right target audience as directly as possible. For dnata, we leveraged our expertise in omnichannel marketing. Not just any campaign, but a customized, hyperlocal approach via Google Ads, Meta, and other socialchannels such as TikTok and Snapchat.

We started with an A/B test of various Unique Selling Points (USPs): flexibility, career advancement opportunities, salary, and working in the aviation industry.

We increased dnata’s brand awareness by using Seamless Ads and Native posts within the DPG network. By reaching the target audience across multiple channels with different messages, we created a powerful synergy that led to an increase in job applications.

That wasn’t all. Not only did we actively screen candidates for quality, but we also designed an application process with clear questions that immediately filtered out unsuitable candidates. This saved us time and ensured we attracted the right talent.

You can’t argue with results. Thanks to our approach, we generated 2,644 leads in just six months. More than the 150 targeted hires? Absolutely—we brought in a whopping 220 new employees, exceeding our target by 146%!

What did we learn from this case? That tailoring campaigns to specific needs is the key to success.

By combining different channels and carefully monitoring what works, we are able to continuously optimize our approach.

Once again, it became clear that the power of social proof and a simple, goal-oriented customer journey are essential.

TikTok and Snapchat proved to be surprisingly effective channels for attracting young talent.

With targeted retargeting campaigns, we were even able to convince those who were on the fence.