A logo with a spiral design in orange, green, and blue next to the word 'Stagecoach' in light-colored text.

recruitment

Real Jobs. Real People. Real Results.

Engineers Hero Film

Text that says "Click to Watch" with an orange arrow pointing to the left.

Stagecoach is Britain’s largest bus operator, with over 240,000 staff, running over 8,000 vehicles across the UK. Recruiting and retaining enough staff to keep communities moving is a constant challenge.

Two men are engaged in a conversation inside a tire shop. One man is seated on a chair, wearing an orange safety vest and black work boots, and is smiling while the other man, standing, is gesturing and wearing casual clothing and a cap. Behind them, tire stacks are visible along with a Bridgestone banner and yellow safety signs.
A woman with long blonde hair, wearing a black shirt with lace sleeves, is sitting in an office or control room, laughing with her eyes closed. There are windows behind her showing a garage or station with red vehicles.

As part of a wider agency-led recruitment campaign, Trace Films produced a series of human-focused ads filmed on site with everyday employees. By showing the job as it really is, the roles feel relatable and attainable.

Two workers in orange safety uniforms repairing a red bus with a cordless drill in a garage. One worker is kneeling and using the drill on the bus wheel, while the other watches. The bus has an 'Stagecoach' logo.
A mechanic wearing an orange safety jacket and a cap is working underneath a large red vehicle in a workshop. The workshop has various pipes, hoses, and machinery around.

No hype. No scripts. No filter.

By building trust and emotional connection through honest filmmaking, and streamlining the recruitment journey, the campaign significantly reduced cost per application.

school bus drivers

Text that says 'Click to Watch' with an arrow pointing to the right, in orange font.

social Ads

A bus driving on a road under an overpass with green trees and blue sky in the background.
A suburban street scene with parked cars, green trees, and houses in the background under a blue sky. The word "The" is overlaid on the image.
The image is blank with no visible objects or details.

drive to thrive

The future is long form

When short-form stops working, storytelling starts.
We pitched this six-part fly-on-the-wall series designed to entertain and educate — inviting potential applicants into the real, unfiltered world of Stagecoach.

Exterior view of a Stagecoach bus maintenance facility with open garage bays, located outdoors under a blue sky with clouds.
Group of workers in orange safety uniforms, smiling and talking inside a warehouse or industrial facility.
A black background with orange text that says "Click to Watch" and an orange arrow pointing downward.
A man wearing a dark blue New York Yankees cap, a gray hoodie, and a black jacket, looking to his right against a plain beige background.
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