This article prompted some serious concerns in my head, it appears that a general marketing agency is trying to marginalise HR in the employer branding conversation in favour of marketing.  The principle of differentiation is a given and I whole heatedly support this as a key outcome of an EVP project.  My concerns on the approach mooted here is that there is no tangible evidence of a research and insight driven EVP process leading to key themes and pillars that reflect the underlying personality of a company aligned to leadership aspirations.  This should not be in conflict with marketing but how you engage with customers it is different  and the messaging that creates a consumer is not the same as the reasons a job-seeker may join an organisation and we need to ensure that we deliver talent focused messaging in the right channel to attract applicants!

100% this is a joint initiative with marketing and each part of the organisation needs to work with the other but  both have different objectives which they focus on, driving brand and sales and hiring great talent.  In our experience when you share the right methodology with marketing and they see the focus of an EVP project they get on board and support what's happening.  

Differentiation emerges from deep and meaningful insight that identifies the themes that can be owned by an individual organisation that creates clear space between one employer and the next.  This difference is then brought to life from excellent creative execution that "tells the story" in the right way for the talent audiences you need to reach.