Northern Virginia Workforce Investment Board (NVWIB)

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Challenge:

Originally funded by the Department of Labor, the NVWIB initially needed to brand itself throughout the seven jurisdictions it represents. At the core of stet NVWIB’s branding was the need to promote its mission of offering no-cost screening and training services to job seekers, as well as offering no-cost placement of these job seekers to employers in these jurisdictions. NVWIB faced two big challenges.

The first was that NVWIB gets funding based on how many people are placed and there was insufficient knowledge about the services they had to offer. The second was the general impression of the 10 SkillSource Centers that the NVWIB manages—that such government-funded programs encompass mostly low-skilled, non-English speaking people, which was not the case.

After establishing an identity NVWIB was ready to follow with new initiatives, such as: promotion of its 2003 Community Forum, a long-term care staffing and recruitment campaign, a National Emergency Grant initiative devoted to serving those impacted by the 9/11 attacks, a National Emergency Grant campaign focused on the 3,000 displaced Independence Air workers, and the launch of a Business Services Guide to introduce NVWIB to thousands of Northern Virginia business owners.

Solution:

LeapFrog Solutions (LFS) helped establish quick wins for the NVWIB’s initial branding challenge by:

1. Developing a database of at least 5,000 names made up of members of the Northern Virginia Coalition of Chambers (approximately 6 chambers) and introducing the SkillSource Centers to companies via direct mail
2. Crafting a media plan to increase and enhance brand awareness
3. Creating an image, look, and feel to strengthen the NVWIB and its SkillSource Center brands to attract qualified job seekers in IT, Health Care, etc.

LFS helped the NVWIB in other projects by:

1. Writing print and radio campaigns in seven languages to promote community forum conferences and National Emergency Grant campaigns
2. Moderating focus groups and integrating participants’ thoughts, concerns and knowledge into the development of a brochure that addressed issues surrounding long-term care recruitment and staffing
3. Creating brochures and other collateral materials for the long-term care recruitment and staffing, Independence Air National Emergency Grant, and Business Services Guide initiatives
4. Translating brochures into a variety of languages in an effort to target a wider audience

Result:

The majority of the chambers and workforce development committees provided their databases at no charge. In fact, LFS helped NVWIB develop a data base of over 16,000 names, exceeding the goal by more than 300% enabling the NVWIB to reach a larger audience. LFS’ ability to create a wide variety of materials, find appropriate media for pieces, moderate focus groups, incorporate feedback, and translate materials ensured success in all project launches.

Services Provided:

• Marketing audit/plan
• Branding & collateral
• Customizing templates
• Advertising media plan, design and multilingual translations, & placement
• Public relations strategy & campaign
• Public service announcements
• Direct mail & posters
• Media buys
• Copywriting & editing