It seems that everyone wants to appeal to the youth market. Most of the time it is to sell items that appeal to disposable income. Tyler Independent School District had a different need — increase interest and enrollment in courses associated with Career and Technology Education programs.

To achieve this desired result, we conducted focus groups with a cross section of students involved with CTE at TISD. This initial research provided us with crucial insights for reaching them. We developed an understanding of what they view, how they see the world around them, and what influences their choice of courses. In addition to better understanding the students, we also gained an understanding of what the primary influencers needed to know. Parents and teachers each needed a better holistic view of what CTE encompassed and how their students could benefit from the program.

As we wrapped the initial qualitative research portion and began developing the creative communications devices — posters to hang in schools, brochures to educate parents and faculty, and a web site to provide students with all the details about the program — we conducted a second round of research. Designed to test our hypotheses and serve as a last check of creative impact before we rolled into final production, the research proved invaluable for helping us truly understand what would gain the attention of students — other students.

Using actual TISD students in our communications helped us achieve instant credibility with the messages, and drew other students to the posters almost immediately. From there they were sent to the website — www.yourpassionyourplan.com — which reinforced the personality of the print materials and provided a deeper set of information.