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L'Oreal uses pitch competitions to recruit job candidates
The Brandstorm contest drew about 380,000 applicants this year, up 58% from 240,000 in 2025, and only the top team members receive guaranteed full-time roles.
L'Oreal is using a competition format for hiring, where young applicants pitch business ideas on stage in front of judges and an audience. BBC Business describes how participants can earn interview opportunities and some secure roles, including marketing traineeships that lead to full-time positions.
In the UK, one participant, Yumi Liberman, reached the Brandstorm UK final in London in 2024, then went on to the global final in Paris where her team came third. BBC Business reports that although only the members of the first-place team automatically receive full-time jobs, Liberman impressed senior figures enough to earn a marketing management traineeship with a full-time position at the end.
BBC Business notes the broader context of youth unemployment and says the UK youth unemployment rate for young adults is 16.2%, compared with 4.9% overall. The report also highlights the scale of interest, saying 380,000 people applied for the competition this year, up 58% from 240,000 in 2025.
The article also raises questions about whether these structured competitions are fair or overly pressured for candidates. L'Oreal told the BBC that Brandstorm helps attract a wider range of recruits, including people who might not have considered applying to the company.