{"id":6286,"date":"2020-08-03T13:39:00","date_gmt":"2020-08-03T19:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/board.org\/?p=6286"},"modified":"2026-01-30T13:09:07","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T19:09:07","slug":"jessica-mccadden-at-capital-one-shared-how-theyve-built-out-an-authentic-employer-brand-through-their-video-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/board.org\/talent\/resources\/jessica-mccadden-at-capital-one-shared-how-theyve-built-out-an-authentic-employer-brand-through-their-video-strategy\/","title":{"rendered":"Jessica McCadden at Capital One shared how they&#8217;ve built out an authentic employer brand through their video strategy"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=&#8221;in_container&#8221; full_screen_row_position=&#8221;middle&#8221; column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; scene_position=&#8221;center&#8221; text_color=&#8221;dark&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; row_border_radius_applies=&#8221;bg&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; shape_divider_position=&#8221;bottom&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221;][vc_column column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; column_position=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221;][vc_column_text text_direction=&#8221;default&#8221;]<strong>Key takeaways:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Authenticity Drives Engagement:<\/strong> Jessica&#8217;s focus on showcasing real human interactions and emphasizing diversity in Capital One&#8217;s videos fosters a deeper connection with audiences, reflecting the company&#8217;s inclusive culture.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Strategic Storytelling for Recruitment:<\/strong> By aligning videos with high-level goals and tailoring messaging to different audiences, Capital One effectively builds relationships with potential candidates, offering transparent insights into company culture and benefits.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Balancing Professionalism and Authenticity:<\/strong> While investing in polished professional videos for long-term messaging, Capital One also embraces user-generated content for short-term engagement, ensuring both types complement each other in an overarching video strategy that prioritizes human connection.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n[\/vc_column_text][divider line_type=&#8221;Full Width Line&#8221; line_thickness=&#8221;1&#8243; divider_color=&#8221;default&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=&#8221;in_container&#8221; full_screen_row_position=&#8221;middle&#8221; column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; scene_position=&#8221;center&#8221; text_color=&#8221;dark&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; row_border_radius_applies=&#8221;bg&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; shape_divider_position=&#8221;bottom&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221;][vc_column column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; column_position=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221;][vc_column_text text_direction=&#8221;default&#8221;]\n<p>When\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jessicamccadden\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jessica McCadden<\/a>, Video Content Strategist at Capital One, joined the talent marketing team this past October, her number one goal was scaling their video production capabilities and finding new, creative ways to make authentic content that connects with their audience.<\/p>\n<p>And, as someone coming into the corporate world from a creative background, Jessica wanted to build on talent marketing\u2019s overall video strategy by focusing on finding new ways to create engaging content that tells the stories of real employees, and building a user-generated content library.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">According to Jessica, showing human interaction was something they really wanted to get across in their videos.<\/h2>\n<p>She said she\u2019d noticed a lot of talent marketing videos, across industries, often featured just one person talking to camera.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat you\u2019re missing there is the natural human interaction that happens every day in the workplace,\u201d said Jessica. \u201cI wanted to bring that feeling of connection into the videos, giving potential candidates a better sense of what it\u2019s actually like to work at Capital One.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And in that process, she also wanted to emphasize Capital One\u2019s commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture in their videos. \u201cFor me, that doesn\u2019t just mean featuring a black associate during Black History Month, or a woman\u2019s story during Women\u2019s History Month,\u201d she explained. \u201cWe should be creating and viewing all of our content through the lens of being inclusive and celebrating diversity.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">To meet this new focus, Jessica and her team recently launched a video series called \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=6tim3ufILDc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Creating Connections.<\/a>\u201c<\/h2>\n<p>This series takes Capital One associates who\u2019ve never met, introduces them, and has them interview each other. \u201cIn that process they\u2019re finding similarities, differences, and learning about each other,\u201d explained Jessica. \u201cWe see it happening naturally all the time on our teams, so we wanted to find a way to share those moments via video.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To launch this series, Jessica and her team relied on recruiters and HR contacts, as well as the leads of their business resource groups, to help them identify associates. Then, once the series got going, they expanded their reach through word of mouth and will start to use Slack as a way to engage even more associates in future marketing efforts.<br \/>\nThen, to execute on these videos and others, Jessica worked with internal teams who have a video background, as well as several digital agencies and production companies.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Through this series and other videos her team is developing, Jessica\u2019s goal is to tell the story of what it\u2019s like to work at Capital One with transparency and authenticity.<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cWe want to talk about how our benefits have real life impacts,\u201d she explained. \u201cBy communicating what the culture of the company is like, from the cool amenities on our campuses, to deeper stories of associates\u2019 experiences with mentorship and career mobility, our goal is to bring the full Capital One experience to life.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She said through this focus, they\u2019re trying to create content that is memorable, real, and connects with the audience.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">But before they move forward with a story, they look at their high level goals and how that story can help build relationships with prospective candidates.<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cWe always want to think about how a story can help develop our relationships with potential candidates, sometimes before they\u2019re even looking for a job,\u201d she explained. \u201cWe also look at the business goals we\u2019re driving toward.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Once they have those two things, she works together with one of the integrated marketers on their team and their Social Media Strategist\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/madigan-cochran-3ba64475\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Madigan Cochran<\/a>\u00a0for next steps.<\/p>\n<p>They put together a detailed brief with the business objectives, KPIs, channels, and other tactical details \u2014 as well as the creative direction. \u201cWe\u2019re trying to tell a story with all of our work, and that story is different for every line of business,\u201d said Jessica. \u201cIf we are creating videos to help recruit experienced tech candidates versus business analysts, the messaging is significantly different.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Once they are aligned on the creative direction and have the video team on board, they schedule pre-interviews with the production team and associates to start thinking of how they can best tell the story.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">According to Jessica, it\u2019s important to let each associate\u2019s actual story drive the creative.<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cWe want to make sure we\u2019re not trying to shoehorn our associates into a story we\u2019ve already developed,\u201d said Jessica. \u201cWith a lot of our videos, we\u2019re trying to demystify the inner workings of the company and be transparent about what it\u2019s like to work here. We want that to be driven by what our audience wants to know and the real stories our associates have to tell.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Once they have the stories, they start scheduling and finding locations for the shoots \u2014 which are usually their own offices.<\/p>\n<p>When the videos are finished, they\u2019re published on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCPAckIYnGSixUctt6LMVJKw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Capital One\u2019s YouTube channel<\/a>, embedded on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.capitalonecareers.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">their career site<\/a>, and cut down to 15 and 30 second teasers that run on their social media channels.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">To continue growing their authentic video content, Jessica and the talent marketing team are planning to launch a user-generated content platform in the coming months.<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cThrough data and insights, we\u2019ve learned the content our associates make themselves can be the most authentic, trusted, and relevant type of video,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Through this new platform, Altru, they\u2019ll be able to easily populate their social channels and website with user-generated content \u2014 as well as share and link to them. According to Jessica, it will also make the turnaround time for content creation and approval much faster.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ll be able to log into a dashboard and, in real-time, see how videos are performing and not have to wait 12 to 16 weeks to see how people are responding to our content,\u201d she said. \u201cOur hypothesis is that we expect to see higher engagement with our user-generated content than we get with our professional content.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">But, Jessica emphasized that doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019re letting go of the polished, professional videos they\u2019ve been working on.<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s important for us to determine the right time and place for those higher concept videos that take us several months to create versus something quick that could be equally impactful,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n<p>She said the professional videos are created with specific, strategic use cases in mind that offer long-term benefits as part of their messaging, whereas user-generated content is better suited for short-term, social-oriented content. Her goal will be to make sure the two kinds of content complement each other as part of an overarching video strategy.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Jessica says her background as a television writer, producer, and storyteller has helped keep her focus on human connection at Capital One.<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s important to be aware of what we want people to walk away feeling after they interact with us, not just what we want to tell them,\u201d she said. \u201cI think that\u2019s maybe where creative people can look at things a little differently.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She said that with videos, knowing what they\u2019re trying to evoke and whether they can do it through humor, or common experience, or something more emotional, is key.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou need to think \u2018How am I going to connect with the audience so they care about what we\u2019re telling them and see the value in our content?\u2019\u201d she explained. \u201cI think that people connect with other people before they\u2019ll connect with a brand, so we need to keep that mindset at the forefront.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">For anyone looking to build out or develop successful video content for their brand, Jessica emphasized making sure you stand out.<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cDifferentiate yourself from the competition, and make sure that your creative work isn\u2019t a one-way conversation,\u201d she said. \u201cOne way to do that is making sure you look to the audience to guide your content creation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to Jessica, that could be through research on social channels and other places, like LinkedIn and Glassdoor, where people are talking about your company \u2014 then addressing what they\u2019re saying through your content in a creative, engaging, and easy-to-consume way.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd video is a great medium for that work. It\u2019s mobile-friendly, and you can take a complex idea and make it funny and interesting or interactive through video,\u201d she explained. \u201cBut being in tune with what your audience is talking about and what they want to know \u2014 along with your company\u2019s strategy, brand, and business goals \u2014 is so important. That\u2019s the sweet spot where the best content comes from.\u201d<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=&#8221;full_width_background&#8221; full_screen_row_position=&#8221;middle&#8221; column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image=&#8221;10232&#8243; bg_position=&#8221;left top&#8221; background_image_loading=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_repeat=&#8221;no-repeat&#8221; scene_position=&#8221;center&#8221; top_padding=&#8221;75px&#8221; bottom_padding=&#8221;50px&#8221; text_color=&#8221;dark&#8221; text_align=&#8221;center&#8221; row_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; row_border_radius_applies=&#8221;bg&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; shape_divider_position=&#8221;bottom&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; gradient_type=&#8221;default&#8221; shape_type=&#8221;&#8221;][vc_column column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; column_position=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Interested in learning more?&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h2|font_size:35px|text_align:center|color:%23000000|line_height:1.5&#8243; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][divider line_type=&#8221;No Line&#8221; custom_height=&#8221;15px&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;As a leader, your mission is important. We\u2019re here to help you win.&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|font_size:30px|text_align:center|color:%23000000|line_height:1.5&#8243; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][divider line_type=&#8221;No Line&#8221; custom_height=&#8221;15px&#8221;][nectar_btn size=&#8221;medium&#8221; button_style=&#8221;regular&#8221; button_color_2=&#8221;Accent-Color&#8221; color_override=&#8221;#000000&#8243; solid_text_color_override=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; icon_family=&#8221;fontawesome&#8221; text=&#8221;Apply to Join&#8221; icon_fontawesome=&#8221;fa fa-chevron-right&#8221; url=&#8221;\/join\/&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row type=&#8221;in_container&#8221; full_screen_row_position=&#8221;middle&#8221; column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; scene_position=&#8221;center&#8221; text_color=&#8221;dark&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; row_border_radius_applies=&#8221;bg&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; shape_divider_position=&#8221;bottom&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221;][vc_column column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221;&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1388,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[105],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-6286","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-talent","8":"content-type-blog"},"acf":{"boardmc_hide_post_header":null,"boardmc_hide_site_header":null},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/board.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6286","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/board.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/board.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/board.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/board.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6286"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/board.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6286\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/board.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1388"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/board.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6286"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/board.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6286"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/board.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6286"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}