Principal Engineers: The Mission is part of HSBC’s larger strategic initiative to support talent acquisition by creating compelling recruitment films that engage and attract diverse top talent for critical roles. HSBC were aiming to boost their awareness and consideration as a tech employer to attract exceptional professionals, with a hiring target of 2,100 technologists in 2025. This film was a key recruitment tool designed to address hiring challenges by positioning HSBC as a leader in financial technology and emphasising the critical role their principal engineers play in shaping the bank’s future. Additionally, the film had to push the boundaries of what a recruitment film looks like to differentiate the company through creative, high-quality content.
The team at HSBC carried out individual research calls with a number of their Principal Engineers from all over the world, as a key element of this campaign is to showcase the international scale and footprint of the bank.The team finally selected 6 candidates to be featured in the film - with a focus on representing as many different personalities and skillsets within the role as possible. This role is vital to HSBC and all big tech companies - these are the people that push the business forwards into the future. From this initial stage onwards, the entire process was a collaborative effort, with the Casual and HSBC teams working closely with the Principal Engineers to understand the ins and outs of their jobs, the challenges, the opportunities - and to find out how to best speak to this very niche audience of potential candidates.
One of the key findings during the research phase was that many of the target audience do not consider HSBC as a tech employer. They are unaware this Principal Engineer role exists in the bank and that the bank works with leading tech such as quantum. This film had a huge job to do in order to overcome this misconception and present HSBC as a leader in this tech space in order to attract these candidates. During this creative collaborative effort, it quickly became apparent that this film would have to be grounded in authenticity for it to resonate with the audience. It couldn’t be fantastical or abstract, it had to showcase real scenarios, real people, real problems and real code. At every turn during the production process the team was careful to balance style with substance, ensuring that the film looked incredible but at all times remained grounded and true to its purpose.
From a creative direction point-of-view, the camera is constantly in motion, throwing the audience straight into the action. Sweeping wide shots establish the scale of HSBC’s global reach, while immersive macro close-ups highlight the intensity of coding, security tests, and high-speed trading. Every scene is crafted with urgency and intensity, elevating the real-life work of HSBC’s engineers. This isn’t about over-glamorising tech—it’s about showcasing the thrill, precision, and expertise that go into every keystroke. Using HSBC’s own engineers as the stars, the film captures raw authenticity while ensuring they look and feel like the main characters they are. Set against global cityscapes across the UK, Hong Kong, China, and India, each location enhances the narrative, grounding the film in reality while amplifying its cinematic impact.
Innovative real screen captures replace generic animations, adding authenticity while seamlessly integrating into the film’s high-tech aesthetic. Lighting plays a crucial and distinct role in crafting the film’s look. Contrasting hues and dynamic shadows heighten the drama, making everyday tasks feel like pivotal moments in an atmospheric and captivating thriller.
The campaign successfully positioned HSBC as a competitive tech employer, boosting awareness, consideration, and conversions. It generated 16.9M impressions, a 50% video view rate, and a 9x increase in LinkedIn page views, influencing 14% of tech hires. Despite initial concerns, engagement among female audiences was strong in most markets, especially in Hong Kong (66%), UK (59%), and Mexico (64%). With steady traffic to the Careers in Technology page, this campaign expanded the talent pool, engaging professionals from key sectors like IT services, consulting, and cloud computing. LinkedIn drove nearly 3,000 hires, while tech job applications rose by 59% globally in one month (Aug-Sep 2024), reinforcing HSBC’s appeal to top tech talent.
