We are proud to share that Cogito has recently completed an extensive salary benchmarking research project for Territory Studio, examining remuneration in the creative industry.
For niche roles in creative industries, traditional benchmarking rarely reflects the reality of skills, responsibilities, or market expectations. For this reason, we carried out bespoke salary benchmarking, examining further motives and factors going beyond basic pay data.
What we found
The results revealed both challenges and opportunities for employers in the creative sector. Market uncertainty remains high, with ongoing industry strikes, competitor restructures, and tariff threats on UK film from the US leaving many professionals anxious about job security. Permanent roles are also limited, with this scarcity driving strong engagement with our research as candidates seek stability and clarity about their prospects.
Salary continues to be the strongest motivator for creative talent. VFX and film organisations tend to pay more competitively for VFX roles, while motion design competitors lead the way in engineering and finance positions. Alongside pay, benefits and flexibility are increasingly valued with 84% of respondents currently receiving hybrid working options and 81% saying they have access to healthcare. Nearly all (94%) said home working is a key consideration when evaluating new roles, with most preferring to work from home three days a week.
However, career development remains a significant gap. Only 4% of respondents reported having clear career pathways, and the lack of progression opportunities was cited as the number one “push factor” driving people to explore new roles. On the other hand, the main “pull factors” attracting and retaining talent are clear: competitive pay, flexible working patterns, and opportunities to work on interesting and meaningful projects.
What we did
Our research began by mapping professionals across a range of competitor organisations, identifying key roles and structures. From there, we conducted detailed telephone interviews with individuals in comparable positions to gather first-hand insights into their experiences and perspectives. These conversations were supported by extensive desk-based benchmarking, allowing us to produce robust comparisons across the sector.
This approach went beyond pay: we explored working practices, benefits, and motivators to understand what keeps people in their roles and what makes them consider moving.
Implications for Employers
At a time of uncertainty, understanding what really motivates candidates gives employers the edge. Our research not only provided reliable salary data but also revealed the push and pull factors shaping talent decisions.
By leveraging these insights, organisations can design compelling offers, strengthen their employer brand, and secure the creative talent they need to thrive.
For further information on how Cogito can support your business, visit:
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The Brief
Our Client is a well-known Global Fire and Security Business, providing their customers with essential systems, equipment and services. The business approached Cogito to undertake a competitor-led Employer Value Proposition (EVP) research project, focused on sales and engineering talent.
With the market for engineering and sales talent highly competitive, the client required in-depth insight into candidate motivators, employer brand awareness, and candidate expectations to shape a compelling EVP that enables them to become an ‘Employer of Choice’.
What We Did
Our experts designed and executed a comprehensive research project, combining in-depth competitor analysis, telephone interviews with prospective candidates, and desk-based brand and benefits benchmarking.
We identified over 1,000 professionals across engineering and sales functions and engaged in 101 in-depth telephone interviews to explore current perceptions of the client, motivational drivers for candidates, and their expectations from a future employer.
In addition, our people insights team reviewed and analysed the career sites, social channels, job adverts, and employee review platforms of 17 competitors. This allowed us to benchmark EVP elements such as working patterns, benefits, progression opportunities, and recruitment marketing best practice.
The Outcome
Cogito delivered a detailed EVP Report and feedback session outlining strategic recommendations across several key areas:
Improve the Brand Perception
While the huge majority of candidates had heard of the client, a large proportion had a neutral view, meaning that a positive impression of the culture and careers opportunities wasn’t getting through to them. We advised developing messaging that tells real employee stories, highlights career development and showcases the client’s scale and impact, while also addressing historic concerns around flexibility and support.
Shape the Proposition
Amongst the most valued factors by prospective candidates were pay, benefits, and meaningful work. We advised benchmarking salaries for hard-to-fill roles, promoting underleveraged benefits and clearly outlining career paths and training opportunities in order to create a proposition that resonates with prospective talent
Refine Recruitment Strategy
We identified a window of opportunity to target professionals approaching three-year tenure marks, as well as disengaged candidates at competitors. Demonstrating which platform was the dominant job search tool, used by over 90% of those interviewed, highlighted the importance of optimising the client’s presence there and taking an active approach to engaging with talent in competitor organisations.
The Legacy
The client now holds detailed, competitor-informed insight into its perception and proposition — with a clear roadmap to elevate its employer brand, strengthen its recruitment marketing, and attract in-demand sales and engineering talent.
For further information on how Cogito can support your business with unrivalled insights, visit:
People Insights | Cogito Talent
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Cogito's long standing embedded recruitment partnership with Arval BNP Paribas Group has been recognised with a finalist place in the Outsourced In-house Recruitment Team (RPO / Embedded Solution) category at the 2026 In-house Recruitment Awards.
Written by:
Marc Drew
Managing Director
ArticleTalent Acquisition
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Marc Drew
Managing Director
Article
Numbers tell one story. Candidates tell another. Recruitment data shows what happens — who applied, who progressed, who withdrew — but candidate surveys reveal why it happens. And in a hiring environment where expectations, behaviours, and perceptions shift faster than traditional recruitment models, understanding the “why” has become a strategic advantage.
Written by:
Marketing
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BLOCK, The Fairfax, Pithay Court, Bristol, BS1 3BN
Cogito Talent Limited is a limited company registered in England and Wales with company number 09101894. Registered address Cogito Talent Limited, BLOCK, The Fairfax, Pithay Court, Bristol, BS1 3BN.
