The client had a big problem to solve: how to get more teens into engineering, so that UK PLC can thrive in the future? It’s a big, big issue, as there’s a huge skills shortage. Because the target audience thought engineering meant hard hats, hi-vis jackets, pneumatic drills. And white men (only). This social led campaign has genuinely kickstarted a generational conversation.

 

This started as a pitch. The client was sick of their old agency throwing TVC ideas at them. We knew teens don’t watch broadcast TV. This had to be social led. And the target audience has heard plenty about STEM subjects, as such. What they really needed to know is that engineering can take you down every possible career path. In a line: That you can follow what you love into engineering. We just had to show them what engineering really is.

 

Rolled out across YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, OOH and DOOH, content included hero films, long-form interviews, shorter cuts and posters. We also created a website which provided further information about engineering careers for students, teachers and parents. Executions were developed into TV commercials which were broadcast in prime-time slots.

 

The stats speak for themselves:

 

• 21m views

• 670,000 online engagements

• Content shown at events attended by over 125,000 people

• Before launch, 39% of teens said they would consider an engineering career. After seeing the campaign it was 72%

• Consideration higher among female teens and those from BAME backgrounds

• 1 in 5 students recall seeing the campaign and 3 in 5 students did something as a result of seeing it 

 

It was shortlisted for 2018 Communications Campaign of the Year by the Third Sector Awards (the charitable arm of Campaign). And since the launch campaign, there have been many more rounds of executions of our idea. Great to see this one fly.