Dutch Postillion and NHL Stenden launch employer branding campaign developed by young Hotello's*

Netherlands-based Postillion Hotels and Hotel Management School NHL Stenden join forces and launch an employer branding campaign developed by young Hotello's*: the result of the educational challenge The NXT CAMPAIGN. The competition is designed for first-year hotel management students and offers them the opportunity to develop, test, and execute a marketing campaign in the hospitality industry. The winning team will go live with the campaign on May 11 through the social and online channels of Postillion Hotels

Hotel Management School NHL Stenden and Postillion share the vision that the best environment for learning is practice. The competition takes first-year hotel management students out of the (virtual) school desks, to discover how the theory is implemented in the field. This underlying philosophy ties in seamlessly with the Design-Based Education (DBE) educational concept of Hotel Management School NHL Stenden. Director Marco ten Hoor: "We want students not just to get their noses in the books, but to experience their future working environment. Together with fellow students, organizations, and companies, our students work on current issues and innovative ideas that are tested in practice and carried out through this educational challenge. "

The NXT CAMPAIGN Challenge kicked off earlier this year in January with the Postillion DBE Hackathon. For three days, about 100 students worked on a prototype for a high-level employer branding campaign, in which they presented and substantiated their ideas. In this process, they were guided by professionals from the field such as Kim van Velzen from KIMspiration and Jeroen Kraak from Connextlab.

A team of Design-Based Education and Hospitality experts assessed the final versions of the different prototypes. From the findings of the jury, Postillion chose the winning team consisting of Ettje Dittman (Germany), Aliisa Niittylä (Finland), Jaro Klamer, and Cas van IJssel (Netherlands). Under the professional guidance of Postillion and marketing agency KIMspiration, they developed the concept into the current campaign.

Employer branding strategy

With this campaign, Postillion wants to attract new employees and trainees. "We are looking for energetic, ambitious Hotello's, with an eye for detail and people, with whom we can make a difference in the field of hospitality", says Postillion Hotels CEO Erik-Jan Ginjaar. "In these times of crisis, it is a challenge to find the right people. We notice that the corona crisis has made a career in the hotel industry uncertain and therefore less attractive for young Hotello's. However, it is and remains our belief that there is - virus or no virus. - there are always possibilities if you dare to think creatively and innovatively with a good dose of guts With The NXT CAMPAIGN Challenge, the students set up a campaign with which they think Postillion as an employer can present itself more attractively in the market. the opportunity to learn directly in practice. "

* Hotello's are Stundents and Alumns of Dutch Hotel Schools

About Postillion Hotels

Postillion Hotels is a Dutch hotel chain with locations in Amsterdam, The Hague, Utrecht Bunnik, Rotterdam, Amersfoort Veluwemeer, Arnhem, Deventer and Dordrecht. The hotel chain focuses primarily on the meeting and conference market. With the Meet Work Stay concept, Postillion Hotels meets all the needs of today's business traveler. Meet Work Stay is a total concept in which meetings, work and stays form an integrated formula. In the business operations of Postillion Hotels, innovation and exploration of new opportunities in the market are an important point of attention.