AstraZeneca is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of science to deliver life-changing medicines and is always looking for exceptional people who align with its values. The company had previously utilised various referral schemes to enhance talent acquisition and improve retention worldwide, however, it wanted to streamline these into a unified, cohesive programme across different functions and regions across the world – a global employee referral programme.

The campaign aimed to motivate employees to refer suitable candidates from their networks by showcasing the benefits of bringing in talent and highlighting potential rewards for successful referrals. To ensure widespread adoption across a diverse, global workforce, the campaign had to be easily understood across different cultures and translatable into nine languages. The +1 concept – inviting someone you know to join you at something special – resonated strongly with global focus groups.

A library of personas was created to represent a diverse cross-section of individuals from all areas of AstraZeneca’s global business. These personas were paired with striking science imagery, using a bold interpretation of a split-image treatment that was central to the Talent Acquisition guidelines. The economy of the +1 name, combined with contrasting visuals, created a modern and impactful aesthetic that highlighted AstraZeneca’s focus on both people and science.

The +1 device was designed for versatility and can be used in a variety of ways. It can appear in – and be reversed out of – any of the brand colours. It can also be outlined and placed on top of science imagery. While the ‘+’ and the ‘1’ are aligned by default, they can be separated horizontally to create space for people imagery between them. To maintain consistency and optimise usage across different applications, three specific separation positions were established.

As part of the campaign, we created a toolkit of editable assets for use in all regions. It included identifiers, imagery, messaging and design templates for both print and digital formats. The ready-made, customisable materials simplified the rollout, helped local teams implement the campaign easily and ensured a consistent look across all markets. This boosted brand recognition and strengthened the campaign’s global impact.

We also created a Playbook to support the promotional activities of the +1 programme, providing clear instructions, best practices and key messaging, along with guidelines to maintain visual consistency. It also included visuals of all assets, with direct links to the corresponding artwork files in the Toolkit. The Playbook helped local teams to adapt the campaign for their specific markets, while staying true to the campaign’s core message and global objectives.

The campaign was warmly embraced around the world, resonating with diverse cultures and regions. Its simplicity and universal message allowed it to connect with employees in multiple countries, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose. The +1 concept proved to be relatable and engaging, encouraging active participation and a huge increase in referrals worldwide.

We created a dynamic animation to bring the +1 campaign to life. It combined vibrant imagery and other graphic elements to reinforce the campaign’s message and highlight the key elements of the referral programme. The animation became a powerful tool for driving engagement and spreading the campaign’s message.

Three years after the launch of the programme, we were asked to update all +1 assets to include AstraZeneca’s new people imagery. This refreshed approach helped to make the visuals feel more authentic and people-centred. We simplified the design by removing the science imagery from the +1, allowing for a cleaner and more modern look. This also enabled the use of coloured and white-out versions of the +1 over imagery. The introduction of more flat colours across all applications brought vibrancy and a contemporary feel to the updated visuals.