L’Oréal Brandstorm attracted 380,000 participants from 64 countries in 2026 as the cosmetics company continues using a competition format to identify young talent. The program gives participants the chance to pitch business ideas, gain access to professional opportunities and, for the international winner, secure a job at L’Oréal.
Yumi Liberman experienced the process in 2024, when she and two friends reached the UK final with an idea for a haircare app. They later placed third at the global final in Paris, and Liberman impressed L’Oréal executives enough to secure a marketing management traineeship that leads to a full-time position.
Competition Offers Another Route Into Employment
Brandstorm requires participants to work in teams of three, develop an idea and submit a presentation before selected teams advance through local and international rounds. L’Oréal says the program is open to people aged 18 to 30 without requiring a particular professional background or previous experience.
Interest has increased sharply. L’Oréal said in an official 2026 Brandstorm update that 380,000 people from 64 countries participated this year, compared with more than 240,000 in the previous edition.
The growth comes during a difficult period for younger jobseekers in the UK. The unemployment rate among people aged 16 to 24 reached 16.2% in April to June 2026, compared with an overall UK unemployment rate of 4.9%.
Liberman said the competition suited her better than conventional recruitment assessments, particularly because she has severe dyslexia. She also moved directly from university into her chosen field while some of her peers have struggled to secure employment.
Critics Question Time and Accessibility
Not everyone supports competition-based hiring. Melissa Alcruz, who previously competed for a promotion while working at MTV, said candidates were expected to complete substantial projects outside their existing working hours, even though she ultimately won the position.
Former recruitment consultant Katrina Collier warned that lengthy competitions could disadvantage applicants who cannot afford to devote significant unpaid time to the process. She questioned whether candidates with stronger financial support would therefore have an advantage.
Gartner talent acquisition director Jamie Kohn said employers can find competition formats useful for evaluating applicants, but should avoid demanding too much work and provide feedback to unsuccessful candidates.
Psychologist Amanda Potter also warned that competitive presentations could favour extroverted candidates over quieter applicants. She said companies using these formats should consider whether the recruitment method discourages certain personality types from participating.
L’Oréal says Brandstorm helps it reach young people who may not otherwise have considered applying to the company. For Liberman, the format provided that route, taking her from a student competition to a management traineeship and a planned full-time position.
Featured image credits: Careernomics.com
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