HotJobs Launches New Ad Campaign

Online recruiting and job-posting site HotJobs.com launched a new, $50 million ad campaign this week, replacing its tagline “The hottest hand on the Web” with an inspirational, less aggressive series of ads.

The “Onward. Upward.” campaign reportedly will include television, print, outdoor and online ads.

It’s also the first campaign from HotJob.com’s new agency of record, Weiss Stagliano Partners, New York, which it appointed in August.

The company is banking that its new creatives, which will run through next year, will iconize its logo — specifically, the first “o” in its name. The new campaign, more optimistic and less edgy than its previous effort, also appears diametrically opposed to Monster.com’s whimsically cynical “When I Grow Up” spots.

HotJobs’ television spots will be broadcast during network prime time beginning this month, and will also run on some cable channels. Print will break at the end of the year, as will radio and outdoor in major markets.

HotJobs reportedly also retained Boston-based online media planner HookMedia to assist in the Internet marketing effort, which includes 100 million impressions throughout the fourth quarter. The buy will stretch across vertical sites, high-traffic sites and ad networks.

The company ran 100 million impressions third quarter, and plans to optimize its next 100 million impressions based on their third-quarter results. The company said buys include Yahoo and the DoubleClick network.

HotJobs will also launch an opt-in newsletter with resume-writing and career tips.

HotJobs’ campaign comes as Monster.com retools its own campaign strategy. The company awarded its $70-90 million domestic account last month to Boston-based Arnold Communications, and recently announced that it purchased ad time in the Super Bowl — its third consecutive Super Bowl buy.

Monster.com has not yet released details of its creative theme for its new campaign.