TradeUP!
Mississippi Construction Education Foundation
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THE SITUATION
Career and technical education programs in Mississippi had been experiencing a significant decline in enrollment despite the growing demand for trade professionals. The nonprofit Mississippi Construction Education Foundation recognized the need for a unique and compelling awareness campaign to attract students, parental support and top-notch educators. MCEF came to Narrative12 for our expertise in brand positioning and communications.
BACKGROUND
Our mission was clear – to effectively drive the message that students of all types benefit from CTE, including college-bound students, while equating CTE with flexibility, fast tracks to careers, and high-skill, high-demand job opportunities. We chose the phrase “trade up” to convey that CTE is a solid choice for career-minded students and is often superior to four-year degree programs in terms of personal fulfillment and return on investment.
APPROACH
We knew it was important for the Trade Up! initiative to have a modern look and feel, with powerful graphics, compelling videos and an engaging presence on social media. We also wanted our messages to be heard by multiple generations of Mississippians; therefore, traditional media such as newspaper editorials and TV news programs would be instrumental in reaching target audiences statewide.
RADIO SPOTS
RESULTS
After two years of multi-media campaign activities that reached all corners of the state, the signs were clear that “Trade Up” was making a difference. Student acceptance rose, educators were more engaged and supportive and elected officials were sitting up and taking notice. More importantly, statewide enrollment in CTE programs grew from 4,441 to 5,026 — an increase of 12 percent.
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