A case study in Recruitment success: How 8,000+ applications were achieved using our own media channel

At Convenience Advertising, we took on these challenges in a way only we could: by using our own media channel - bathroom advertising. The results? Over 8,000 job applications and 43,000 QR code scans, yielding an impressive conversion rate of nearly 19% (April - December 2024). Here’s how we did it and why bathroom advertising is a powerful tool for recruitment campaigns.

We needed to recruit Maintenance Officers in specific locations across Australia to support our operations department. This niche yet critical role requires candidates who are detail-oriented, resourceful, and capable of working independently - often outside standard 9-to-5 hours. This flexibility is particularly important for venues like pubs and shopping centres, where public bathroom facilities cannot be closed during peak hours for poster installations and maintenance. Traditional recruitment channels as well as social media platforms were not effectively reaching this specialised group. 

Faced with these challenges, we decided to practice what we preach: using our own media network to recruit candidates. 

Bathroom advertising has several advantages that make it uniquely suited for recruitment campaigns.

Undivided, active attention at a moment of low cognitive attention: People are naturally less distracted in bathroom settings. With between 136 and 166 seconds spent in the bathroom, it’s in these precious moments when the audience experiences a low ‘cognitive load’ and their brain is more open to receiving new information. 
 
The audience and message are also stationary, bang in front of each other.  No craning of heads to try and catch a roadside billboard message as viewers flash past. With bathroom advertising, the message is placed in the natural line of sight. Critically, both the creative and audience are still, for 100 seconds, each and every time. 

The average person spends well over two minutes (136 seconds for males, 166 seconds for females) in a bathroom, giving them ample time to absorb the message content.  In stark contrast, industry experts reveal that 85% of ads on social media platforms fail to deliver 2.5 seconds audience attention - the minimum time required for a person to commit a message to memory - as people scroll through their feeds.  

Our network spans high-traffic locations like shopping centres, universities and entertainment venues, ensuring campaigns reach diverse audiences.  We can also segment audiences and messaging by gender, geographic location and language. 

Through Quick Response (QR) codes and including the collection of key selection criteria data, we bridge the gap between offline and online engagement, making it easy for applicants to act immediately. Prospective applicants were able to pre-qualify themselves and submit their contact details directly from their mobile devices.

To recruit our Maintenance Officers, we launched a bathroom recruitment campaign across our network. The messages were strategically placed in high-footfall venues, designed to be visually engaging and highly informative, and geographically placed to reach people in the areas we were recruiting for. The clear and simple one second call-to-action encouraged viewers to scan a QR code for more information and to apply directly online. 

The simplicity and convenience of the QR code were critical. With a quick scan, individuals could access detailed information about the role and submit their application in minutes. 

The numbers speak for themselves: 

8,000+ job applications: The campaign successfully attracted a significant number of self-qualified candidates who used QR codes to access a self-filling pre-qualification page.

43,000+ QR code scans: The messages were placed in shopping centres situated the areas we were recruiting Maintenance Officers for. 

18.6% conversion rate: Nearly 1 in 5 individuals who engaged with the ad went on to apply - a strong performance, showing the messages were useful, relevant and easy to act on.  

These results demonstrate what Convenience Advertising has known for over 40 years now: the effectiveness of bathroom messaging isn’t just in raising awareness, its real power lies in driving meaningful action through measurable engagement. 

For government marketing managers tasked with recruiting essential workers, the success of this campaign offers valuable insights:  

Targeted placement is key: Bathroom advertising places your message in specific geographic areas, where people naturally spend at least two minutes of time, ensuring higher engagement of relevant potential applicants. 

Actionable CTAs work: Including QR codes or SMS prompts makes it easy for potential applicants to take the next step. It takes only one to two seconds to connect to the application page on the users mobile device. 

Maximise the simultaneous luxury of broad AND narrow demographic reach: Bathroom ads can reach the audience you need: whether that’s students at universities or females in a particular geographic location, to professionals in high-traffic locations, making them ideal for diverse recruitment needs, showing the benefits of narrowcasting over broadcasting in recruitment campaigns. 

Cost-effectiveness: Compared to traditional media channels, bathroom advertising is highly efficient: ‘narrowcasting’ means you’re only paying to reach the audience you want, offering excellent ROI for recruitment campaigns.  

Varying creatives for recruitment for Corrections Victoria and Tasmania Police including QR codes to apply immediately, used across the Convenience Advertising channel in 2024/2025.

While our campaign focused on recruitment, bathroom messaging also has broader applications for government campaigns. Whether it’s promoting public health initiatives, encouraging behaviour change, or raising awareness of new services, this medium offers a unique opportunity to engage audiences in a highly personal and memorable way. 

Recruiting for essential roles isn’t just about filling vacancies; it’s about ensuring critical services remain effective and accessible. The geographical and gender placement of Convenience Advertising offers an innovative, cost-effective and results-driven solution to the recruitment challenges faced by many government agencies. 

By leveraging this medium cleverly, you can meet your recruitment goals and maximise your marketing impact. We’ve proven it works for us, and for our clients. 

Need more information, get in touch.