We were growing weary of the typical corporate social media posts for holidays. You know, the familiar “Happy [Holiday]” posts that flood our feeds? Total scroll-over material. So, when it came time to plan our Labor Day social media post, we decided to take a very different approach. This is how our company-wide challenge “If Labor Day Hired an Advertising Agency…” came to be, and how the holiday became our latest (and toughest!) client.
We let go of our assigned agency roles and all became creatives for an afternoon. We thought about the brand promise of Labor Day, and what it meant for us – and for the American people as a whole. And in the end, we gathered over 10 submissions for a new ad campaign for our client, Labor Day. Each submission captured - perfectly, and in its own way – the spirit and the sentiment of Labor Day. This is why, when reviewing submissions, we knew we couldn’t choose just one. Here are our top three:
Naomi’s Campaign: To All the Bosses
Naomi aimed her campaign towards the holiday’s main decision-makers: the bosses. Instead of presenting Labor Day as a day off for employees, her 90s-inspired retro campaign tempts bosses into honoring Labor Day, because after all, they deserve a day off, too.
Maia’s Campaign: Leave the Laptop
Maia’s playful concept framed Labor Day as an opportunity to unplug from work. It features an employee leaving for vacation, gleefully waving goodbye to her laptop-dog, while he watches longingly in dismay, awaiting a chance to plug in and go for a productive walk.
Deb’s Campaign: Respect Summer’s Last Wishes
Deb’s campaign took the distinct approach of marketing Labor Day as the wistful end of a glorious Summer. The personification of Summer and her playful ways, combined with the powerful imagery behind the campaign, help us to associate Labor Day with the bittersweet feeling that comes with letting go of the season.
Every submission to this company-wide challenge revealed the diverse narratives that can be woven around this often-overlooked holiday. It was fun to witness the creative chops of our full team, and to find a new way to celebrate Labor Day. It’s safe to say that this challenge was a success, and our newest client was highly satisfied!
