How did we hack the burger into a unique Employer Branding campaign?
Recruiting talent in the IT industry is one of the hottest topics today. We’re excited to share a brief case study on how we created a brand-new product (a burger) and used it to develop a special Employer Branding campaign for our client, Levi9.
While the end doesn’t always justify the means, we’ve witnessed various tactics companies use to draw attention to themselves and boost their reputation. The competition is fierce, and when you add in Employer Branding trends, it can feel like a true battlefield—except the frontlines are saturated with a “storm” of information. In terms of content, it’s fair to say there were some real creative explosions, though not all hit the mark.
What happened in the job market?
On one side, we have companies pushing the “sky’s the limit” narrative, while on the other, we have an audience that’s often like, “so what?” This has led to a wave of satirical content aimed at showing that even behind big corporations, there are fun and well-meaning individuals. It’s entertaining, sure—but the real question is, what comes next?
Looking at the market, it’s clear that some companies have managed to succeed in their efforts. They’ve drawn attention in new ways, and the community has largely responded well. While an informal tone is appealing, finding the right approach to stand out is crucial.
So, how do you find the ideal channel and align your message effectively? Our partners at Levi9 set us a clear challenge: to design a recruitment campaign that would resonate with the community. Challenge accepted! And here’s our response—shared through a brief case study now live on Netokracija.
Identifying the right communication channel
Our first steps involved thorough market analysis—how companies communicate, and how recipients react. Given the IT community’s unique nature, the results were mixed. But after so much observation and brainstorming, we got hungry. That’s right, this is where our “aha” moment happened. We would use food to deliver the message about open positions at Levi9. We created the first edible job ad! We realized the right channel had been under our noses all along—it smelled amazing, but we couldn’t lose sight of the narrative. Our goal was to ensure recruitment campaigns would never look the same again.
We identified that food had not previously been used to convey messages and information—especially not in this way. It’s also important to highlight that from the start, we had the full support of the client, who recognized the potential of the idea. However, we asked ourselves early on: what do developers like to eat? More market research was needed to uncover what type of food appeals to the broader community. So, we decided to run a survey.
With more than 650 employees at Levi9 Serbia, we had direct access to a target group that could give us the answer. Food is cultural, and food choices reflect a company’s culture as well. It sounds philosophical, but it’s really quite simple. For instance, a shared love of food opens up conversations and brings people closer together. According to our survey, burgers are a favorite among developers. Okay, maybe we didn’t need a survey to figure that out. Ha!
In a conversation with the developers, but also on a concrete example, we concluded that our target group loves burgers.
A burger is a fantastic thing to brand, especially considering the rise of burger culture in this region in recent years. The challenge here was primarily about finding the right partner to bring the project to life. Since Levi9 employees are based in multiple locations, covering Novi Sad, Belgrade, and Zrenjanin was crucial. Hmm, how about partnering with someone who makes amazing burgers, has a food truck, and is eager to join forces for this campaign?
Burger House Bros as the Ideal Partner
With the channel defined and the idea approved, it was time to find the right collaborator for the execution of the project. As I mentioned earlier, food is a cultural thing, especially prominent in the burger community. That’s why we approached the brothers responsible for laying the foundations of burger culture in Serbia. Burger House Bros have been part of the local scene since 2013. Their unique recipes and tailor-made approach make their products stand out.
Stefan, Lazar, and Mirko were thrilled by the idea of teaming up with an IT company for such a groundbreaking project. They immediately saw the vision and agreed to help us create the first burger tailored for the IT community, to encourage people to apply for open positions at Levi9.
Beyond just making great burgers, BH Bros also brought serious logistical support in the form of their food truck, which was a perfect solution for Novi Sad and Zrenjanin. When we discussed the logistical challenges, the whole process became much easier. At that point, BH Bros was already well underway with preparations to open their first restaurant in Novi Sad. Logistics were no longer an obstacle—our burger, or rather, our message, was on its way to the community. Some skeptics said, “IT folks aren’t the only ones who eat burgers.” We addressed that too, but stay tuned. The next challenge was to determine the flavor, name, price, and look of the burger.
Project Development and Preparation
1) The Recipe for Successful Employee Engagement
We established that developers love burgers, but what was missing was figuring out the perfect flavor. We decided to invite the Levi9 community once again, but this time on a secret mission. Since the burger concept wasn’t yet communicated to everyone in the company, we saw an opportunity for a small team-building activity with added significance—the so-called Niners helped us finalize the recipe. Internally, the word got out that we were working on a different type of project and that the call for participation was open to everyone, though the details remained a mystery.
As in any good restaurant, participation was on a first-come, first-served basis. The response was excellent, and thus, our focus group for perfecting the recipe was born. While colleagues were being briefed on their task, the BH Bros kitchen was heating up. The brothers faced an additional challenge: to incorporate exactly nine ingredients into the recipe. They succeeded in creating two distinct burgers, each made up of nine ingredients.
We used the opportunity of a small team building to collect information from the employees about the ingredients most interesting to them in the burger – without them knowing what we were preparing for them.
They added an extra twist—none of the ingredients had ever been used in any burger on the menu before. To ensure we tested every aspect of the recipe, the Niners filled out a detailed survey during the tasting session, evaluating the bun, meat, sauces, spices, and toppings. They approached the task seriously, and the feedback they provided helped us refine the best of both worlds.
The winning combination? A mozzarella-topped bun, a spice mix, broccoli pesto sauce, arugula, pure beef patty, mozzarella, grilled marinated cherry tomatoes, and bacon. Given the uniqueness of the project, our colleagues were also given the chance to name the burger that would represent their company within the community.
The true value of this process lies in the sense of satisfaction felt by the colleagues who actively participated in the development of such a fun and innovative project. While developers are used to building things, being part of a narrative that reflects the company’s values is a completely different role. And when they contribute to sending the right message—well, that’s the key to successful engagement.
2) Identity
After the focus group, the next step was to create the burger’s identity and find the best way to convey the message. Although the project had various working titles throughout the planning and preparation stages, there was always a sense of authenticity coming from the kitchen. Several name options, suggested by the focus group, stood out. At first glance, they seemed simple and somewhat obvious, leading us to wonder if they were the right fit. However, when we considered the potential for message distribution, we realized the name was a perfect match for the campaign. And thus, the **BH Bros HACKER** was born—a masterfully crafted burger and the first edible job ad. Named by the Niners, they did a great job.
Price is always a critical factor, regardless of the financial status of the target audience. However, price also reflects the brand’s positioning. Significant efforts were made by all parties involved to determine the right offer. We not only succeeded in setting a price that matched the product’s quality but went a step further. The Hacker burger comes with fries, served as a meal, and is uniquely priced at **999 dinars**. The menu was hacked, and now you know why.
3) Communication Mechanism
The most important message, of course, is the **call to action**—encouraging potential candidates to apply for open positions at Levi9. The message needed to be clear and straightforward, with no room for ambiguity. Therefore, we followed the principle that **less is more**.
The burger packaging was designed with repetitive messages placed in various spots to ensure visibility. The design includes a **QR code** that directs you straight to the open positions page. Next to the code is a headline inviting everyone to visit the site, and just as importantly, there’s an additional message for those outside the IT community. If you’re not from the industry, recommend the company to someone you know who is. Take that, skeptics! As an extra communication tool, we also included an **insert** as a reminder in case you missed the message on the packaging. The insert carries the CTA along with a **mini sticker pack** for all lovers of clever messages.
The unique packaging also contains a QR code that, by simply scanning, leads visitors to the section with open positions in the Levi9 company.
One might think that hacking carries a negative connotation, but it evokes that sense of affinity with the anti-hero—those movie characters who are always on the edge, always themselves, and always capable of finding the right information. Positive narrative carriers. The messages practically wrote themselves:
– Levi9’s hacker invasion of BH!**
– IT company hacks BH and launches its own burger!**
– Hack the house!**
– We hacked the burger recipe.**
– We hacked the recruitment campaign!**
How to Assess and Measure the Campaign’s Impact?
Our edible recruitment campaign runs until March 14th, so we don’t yet have enough data on its overall effectiveness. We still have a full month ahead, and it’s impossible to conduct a detailed analysis of the results since more activities are yet to come. However, we’ve managed to pull some initial metrics. When creating campaigns like this, it’s crucial to identify which lever can serve as the basis for quantitative measurements. In this particular case, that’s the **number of burgers sold**.
The sale of BH Bros Hacker burgers is initially a good indicator of the campaign’s popularity. During the planning phase, we worked with the BH Bros team to estimate that the expected monthly sales would be around 200 units. This figure was derived from the analyses that BH Bros conduct when assessing their own sales. Given the specificity of the campaign and previous experiences with new products on their menu, this number seemed quite realistic. However, the market had other ideas—almost 200 Hackers were sold in the first week alone. As of now, we’re sitting at approximately **1,500 burgers sold**, which is an excellent result!
Important to note…
The share of sales via delivery apps ranges between 30% and 35%, fluctuating based on pandemic factors and weather conditions. However, an additional channel that “opened up” for this campaign was delivery itself. Since BH Bros collaborates with various delivery companies, the nature of the campaign gained another opportunity to communicate with the audience through third parties. This approach further increased the visibility of the campaign within the target group, making the most of the opportunity.
Creativity and quality as a response to market changes
Companies need to find their voice before they present it in a noisy market. Innovating tactics will yield results in an environment saturated with information being distributed daily. The key isn’t creating content just to follow trends; rather, the key lies in analyzing trends and adapting them to the company and the audience you’re communicating with.
Quality partnerships have proven to provide sharpness and value when creating content. Companies should understand the importance of finding the right partner, an ally, who will help ensure that creative “ammunition” isn’t wasted but is used effectively and on time.
Conclusion
If you liked this case study, I’m sure you’ll also love the **burger**. This limited-time offer runs until March 14th this year. You can visit BH Bros restaurants in Belgrade and Novi Sad, or order the **Hacker Burger** via delivery apps. I highly recommend that everyone try the burger, especially developers who are “hungry” for new professional challenges!
Article published on netokracija.rs.
