Press
Adweek Ad of the Day / The New York Times / CNN / The TODAY Show / Vox / Forbes / Fast Company / Bloomberg / AdWeek Ad of the Day / AdAge / Forbes x2 / The Drum / Best Ads On TV / Diversity Inc. / Human Truth Podcast / Adweek x2 / LA Times / Entreprenuer / PR Newswire / AdForum / Shoot Online / iSpot / McKinsey & Co / Newsy / Working Nation / Media Village / Business News / LinkedIn / Media Post / Flipboard / AdCouncil / Agency Daily / Work in Progress Podcast / Feedy / AOL News / The Dispatch / The Center Square / The Forem / Diversity Inc. x2 / AgencySpy
Recognition
Effies > Winner, x4 times
Cannes > Shortlist, Design, Experiential
PR Week > Winner, Best B2B Campaign
One Show > Merit, Design
One Show︎︎︎> 3x Shortlist
Anthem Awards > Silver, Non Profit
Anthem Awards > Silver, Branded DE&I
Telly Awards >︎︎︎Gold, Branded Content
SHOTS >︎︎︎Shortlist, Charity
ADCOLOR > AdWeek Ad of the Year, Runner UpThe Idea
For a long time, a degree was mandatory for most professional careers. But a college education isn’t the only way to learn career-ready skills.
Alternative paths to hone these skills, like trade schools or on-the-job training, are valid means of education yet still overlooked by employers, contributing to a serious economic barrier for those without access to a college education.
With this in mind, our team together with nonprofit Opportunity@Work and the Ad Council created “Tear the Paper Ceiling,” an activation made up of more than 30,000 pieces of paper consisting of real resumes that represent the more than 70 million workers in the U.S. who are skilled through alternative routes (STARs).
The installation, which debuted at the 2022 CES conference, is part of a larger multiyear campaign aimed at changing the narrative around the value and potential of STAR workers by raising awareness around degree discrimination.
The “Tear the Paper Ceiling” installation was developed in collaboration with artist Samuelle Green. The resumes featured in the work include names and skills and are intentionally not fully visible, as companies often don’t see the skills of STARs, acting as a physical demonstration of the economic tension these workers face.
Enabling Change
Beyond buzz, the campaign drove impact. The Paper Ceiling is becoming part of culture and a powerful tool in driving change.
Six states (and counting) – Maryland, Pennsylvania, Alaska, Utah, North Carolina, and New Jersey – have now passed executive orders removing degree requirements for thousands of jobs in each state.
These are critical steps to building a more equitable and inclusive labor market based on skills, not degrees.
Results
2.3 Billion impressions
197 M+ Twitter shares
1,124 Media impressions
764 M Website visits
6 U.S. States changed their hiring policy
100 K+ more jobs created