OPWDD
New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities
Facing a critical challenge that has far-reaching implications for individuals with developmental disabilities, OPWDD teamed up with Vibrant Brands to confront a significant shortage of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs). This scarcity has placed considerable strain on agencies tasked with providing indispensable support, thereby hampering their capacity to offer vital services.
#MoreThanWork—Elevating the Essence of Direct Support
The #MoreThanWork campaign emerges as a strategic response to this pressing issue, aiming to spotlight the profound impact and inherent rewards of DSP work. The initiative seeks to alleviate the immediate shortage, affirm the value of a career in direct support, and recognize and elevate the indispensable role DSPs play in empowering individuals with developmental disabilities to lead fulfilling lives. The $9 million statewide campaign was designed to complement the great work of DSPs, provider agencies, and OPWDD as a whole.
A Personalized Approach to Recruitment
Innovatively addressing this challenge, Vibrant Brands has spearheaded the development of a unique solution through the campaign’s website, www.DirectSupportCareers.com, which randomizes provider listings by county to ensure wide visibility for job listings. Further enhancing this strategy, we’ve introduced custom landing pages linked directly from our advertisements, designed to speak directly to the diverse personas we’re targeting. These personas include career shifters, parents transitioning back to the workforce, high school graduates, experienced caregivers, and more, ensuring that each finds a message that resonates with their specific circumstances and aspirations.
A Diverse Mix for Statewide Engagement
A key component of this $9 million campaign is to leverage an extensive array of media — from digital advertising and social media platforms to traditional print and broadcast outlets — to ensure comprehensive coverage and engagement across the state. Central to our approach is the strategic targeting of specific personas through messaging that speaks directly to those individuals, effectively meeting them where they are in their lives and careers.
A pivotal element of the campaign’s strategy is the use of influencer marketing, harnessing the power of voices that resonate with a broad audience to amplify the campaign’s message and reach potential DSPs in every corner of New York. This tailored approach ensures that our message not only reaches a wide audience but engages them in a meaningful and personal way, encouraging a diverse group of individuals to explore a rewarding career as DSPs. We are working in tandem with OpAd Media to strategically place ads across various platforms.
Starting the #MoreThanWork Conversation
In our dynamic approach to bring the #MoreThanWork campaign’s message full circle, we’ve launched a comprehensive social media strategy, utilizing platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube, to weave our hashtag and tagline into the fabric of everyday digital interactions. Through a collaborative effort with Baker Public Relations and Government Content, we’re crafting and disseminating a vibrant mix of content that includes engaging videos and authentic stills of real-life Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), showcasing the meaningful work they do and the impact they have on the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities.
DEI: Building a Diverse and Inclusive Workforce
A core focus of the #MoreThanWork campaign is its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), aiming to attract candidates from varied backgrounds, including recent graduates, retirees, new Americans, and veterans. Vibrant is proudly working with Tangible Development to ensure the campaign is accurately representing the DSP community.
The Impact of #MoreThanWork
Christopher Quereau, founder and CEO of Vibrant Brands, expresses pride in leading a campaign with such a significant societal impact, stating, “The opportunity to support a statewide mission and make a significant impact on the disability community is both an honor and a responsibility we take seriously.” Through collaborative efforts with industry partners and a focused, innovative marketing strategy, the #MoreThanWork campaign is set to inspire a new generation of DSPs to join a field that offers not just a job, but a fulfilling career that makes a real difference in people’s lives.
The #MoreThanWork campaign is now live and we look forward to seeing the results. See more of our work to learn how we can help your brand lift off!