North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities
Campaign: One Workforce: Inclusive Employment in North Carolina
Scope of Project
As a part of its client’s effort to bring awareness and attention to hiring people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities in competitive, integrated work environments, The North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD) commissioned 23 East Group to develop, produce and launch One Workforce: Inclusive Employment in North Carolina. The project entailed a photography employment lookbook to bring attention on how employees in a competitive and integrated workplace provide a pathway to independence and financial benefits for people with disabilities.
The Challenge
In North Carolina, there are approximately 1.3 million individuals with disabilities who experience disproportionately high levels of unemployment, residential segregation, dependence, and poverty. Additionally, less than 35 percent of North Carolinians between the ages of 18 and 64 who have a disability are employed – a stark contrast to the nearly 76 percent of North Carolinians without disabilities who are employed.
The Approach
The firm hired a person with I/DD as the project’s Creative Director, supported by the in-house team. We also hired a photographer and developed an intake approach to gathering stories and interests from those around the state. We chose ten stories from each region – Piedmont, Coast, and Mountains for the equal spread of the state. The Lookbook targeted employers, statewide agencies like Vocational Rehabilitation, human resources, community-at-large, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and the media.
The Lookbook also featured inclusive employers, EY & Wells Fargo, to tell their story of benefits and impact of inclusive employment.
The Marketing Tools
The firm built an online storytelling portal utilizing high-resolution photography and copywriting of each person participating in the Lookbook. The web, design, and project management team ensured the stories were well displayed and impactful on the website. The website is also Section 508/WCGA compliant, ensuring that it is accessible to those who use assistive technology.
We also designed and developed the branding and messaging for the campaign. The Lookbook brought to life 30 compelling stories of employment and self-determination and provided educational resources for individuals looking for work or to increase employment probability.
The Lookbook was launched at a sold-out event in Asheville, North Carolina In addition, we utilized NCCDD’s social media, email marketing, video marketing, and press relations to highlight each story throughout the year.
The Results
The Lookbook was part of a year-long campaign, EveryBody Works NC, resulting in increased awareness and knowledge of the benefit of hiring those with disabilities, ultimately passing legislation to make North Carolina an Employment First state. The targeted PR campaign resulted in seven activities, with four earned media spots, including 1,000 influencers engaged, and reaching over 250,000 unique viewers per month.