Eastern Health

Driving job applications in a competitive market

Eastern Health is one of Melbourne’s largest metropolitan public health services, operating across more than 40 locations in the city’s east. As a longstanding creative and digital partner of Eastern Health, we had the privilege of collaborating on a recruitment campaign for their Mental Health department. This initiative followed the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, which introduced new government guidelines for the healthcare sector. With these changes came increased competition for experienced mental health professionals, making it essential for Eastern Health to position itself as a leading employer in Victoria’s mental healthcare landscape.

Approach

Rather than relying on a single creative direction or channel mix, we tested multiple creative approaches and messaging to determine what resonated best. Messaging hypotheses were generated through a series of workshops with relevant departments and target roles. This informed a structured A/B testing framework, allowing us to refine ad formats, copy, and audience targeting in real-time.

Simultaneously, we trialled different digital channels, continually optimising towards the most effective platform combinations. This iterative approach meant we didn’t just launch a campaign—we engineered a system that incrementally improved performance over time.

Results

By systematically optimising creative, messaging, and placements, we achieved a 21% year-on-year increase in applications for key mental health roles:
- Allied Health Discipline Specific - YoY Increase 21%
- Mental Health Clinician - YoY Increase 15%
- Mental Health Nurse - YoY Increase 14%
- All Target Roles - YoY Increase 21%
- Non Target Roles - YoY Increase 79%
Key Takeaways
- Test, learn, refine—systematic A/B testing of creative and messaging uncovered the most effective approach.
- Channel performance was not static—we adapted in real-time to prioritise platforms that drove the best results.
- Incremental improvements led to sustained success—ongoing optimisations ensured continued growth in applications.
Conclusion

This campaign wasn’t just about driving job applications—it was about building a repeatable, scalable digital recruitment framework. By leveraging data-driven experimentation and real-time optimisation, Eastern Health strengthened its position as a leading employer in mental healthcare. Off the back of this work, Eastern Health are planning two further recruitment campaigns for Doctors and Midwifery Nurses.
Read more