Staffing Success Magazine (November–December 2009)
The Economy of Effective Communications
By Reem El-Khatib
The winners of the 2009 ASA Staffing VOICE Awards competition demonstrated that it is quite possible to "turn economic limitations into very successful communications solutions," said Many staffing firms used humor, grassroots production, and teamwork to deliver efficient and cogent messages to target audiences.
Eric Gilpin, president of the recruiter business unit at CareerBuilder, was another judge for the 2009 competition. "It was great to see the participating firms leading the way in terms of effective communication to candidates and clients," he said.
The third competition judge was Chad Wandler, vice president of strategic services for communications firm Novak Birch. He noted that a competition like this, especially in times like these, serves as a reminder that creativity and strategy are the most important elements in standout campaigns.
"What the VOICE Awards competition provides is an insider's look into the staffing industry," said McFadin. He added that the winning companies "really know staffing, and really know their audiences, and their work reflects that."
The competition recognizes the vision, originality, innovation, creativity, and effectiveness (VOICE) of communications campaigns from ASA member firms in 16 categories, from direct mail to public service. A panel of judges evaluate the entries for
- General appeal and overall quality
- Content and message
- Originality of approach
- Target audience and objectives
In all, 13 staffing firms were honored in this year's competition. The award-winning entries were displayed at Staffing World® 2009 in Orlando, FL, in October. The 2009 ASA Staffing VOICE Awards competition was sponsored by CareerBuilder, an ASA corporate partner providing customized products and services to help staffing firms increase their exposure among candidates and potential clients.
Top Honors
Awards of excellence and merit celebrate achievements in individual categories in the competition. Entries that display superior qualities overall are honored with "crystal" awards and top honors in the competition: the Communications, Best of Show, and Judges' awards.
- The Communications Award honors the best campaign in each class that advances the overall image of the industry.
- The Best of Show Award recognizes the best single entry in each class, regardless of category, in the competition.
- The Judges' Award is conferred at the discretion of the panel for exceptional achievement.
"It's exciting to see the energy within the staffing industry and the high-caliber marketing plans being implemented," said Gilpin.
Communications Award
Independent
Arcus
It's very easy to remember a company's name when it's stamped on the pen or mug on your desk, or on the bag leaning against your drawer—and it will likely put a smile on your face when the company name is holding mints, telling you happy birthday, or delivering a chocolate bar. Such positive reinforcement of the corporate identity, supported by solid information about the firm, made Arcus' "high-touch" campaign a branding success. Information that can be reviewed and implemented when needed is important to the preservation of a campaign's shelf life, noted McFadin. It doesn't hurt if some of it can be digested too.
The company's signature red arc dresses its leave-behinds and crosses over seamlessly to its Web site, arcus.net. Clean and interactive, the site provides a user-friendly forum for job seekers, employers, and media professionals to learn about the company's history, services, projects, and company culture. Arcus "put time and energy into its Web site," noted Wandler, "and that makes a very strong impression of professionalism."
National
Labor Ready
Labor Ready "produces work that not only fits with its industry, but also maintains its character—you know it's Labor Ready," said McFadin.
That is key to creating a cohesive and successful campaign. Images that resonate with the company's key audience are complemented by Labor Ready's corporate blue in the firm's NASCAR advertisements, branch signage, and company publications. Clever correlations like these filter through to the firm's winning "20/20 Focus" campaign and celebratory posters, designed specifically for its 20th anniversary. Informative, multifaceted, and fun—and all tucked under a representative hard hat that would make anyone wearing one as a Labor Ready temporary or contract employee feel like a superhero super worker.
To honor its super corporate employees, the firm produced branch of the year videos that showcased well-performing branches and honored them as the company's role models. Labor Ready positions itself as a leader in the industry by providing its clients with Staffing Smarter, an interactive and easy-to-read newsletter that shares valuable information and success stories. The company also connected with its community in a public service event that brought its clients and suppliers together to raise funds for a local charity.
Overall, it's the consistency that makes Labor Ready projects easy to identify, whether they are created for employees, clients, or the community, said Wandler. "The campaign clearly delivers a very favorable impression of the company and the staffing industry overall."
Best of Show Award
Independent
PSG—Professional Staffing Group, Other Advertising
Bright gold, bold black, and big round PSG stamps dress the metropolis and direct Bostonians riding buses, taking taxis, or walking around town to the Professional Staffing Group for the "best jobs" and the "best people." The company strategically placed uniform ads on various forms of transportation media, such as bus decals and taxi toppers, to drive its brand and message all throughout the city.
The individual pieces of this campaign come together great as a whole, according to McFadin, and present "a clear objective with a clear solution." The PSG transportation ads come together great as a whole, according to McFadin, and present "a clear objective with a clear solution." Wandler concurred, adding that the PSG advertisements simply "gets noticed and gets the job done."
National
The Delta Cos., Company Publication
A standard often represents that which is common or status quo. But Delta's company publication, the Standard, stands out from the rest and serves as a benchmark for the best. With a bold and uncomplicated aesthetic, Delta places the focus on the invaluable information held inside. It further sets the Physician Recruiting Standard and Healthcare Recruiting Standard apart by providing them free: The company notes these are "the only free, quarterly resources in the health care industry with a summary of compensation, placement data, and trends in health care recruitment."
"This delivers a great service to clients and positions the company as an expert in its field," said Wandler. "This is a great example of strategic communications."
Judges' Award
TrueBlue Inc., Other Advertising
For TrueBlue Inc., the art of collaboration builds employee pride—and 3,000 employees working together created a beautiful and interactive poster that unified six brands into one "strong" company. The company contracted with collage artist Jason Mecier, who melded together employee submissions of photos, business cards, license plates, nail polish, and more to create a one-of-a-kind piece of art. "TrueBlue Inc. does an outstanding job at being aware of the importance of employee morale and taking the necessary steps to make sure morale stays high," said Wandler. The company found special way to illustrate true-blue teamwork.
Winners by Category and Award
Direct Mail
Independent
- Berks & Beyond Employment, excellence
- Clark Personnel Service, merit
National
- QPS Cos. Inc., merit
- Randstad, merit
Print Advertising
Independent
- Berks & Beyond Employment, merit
National
- Delta Locum Tenens (The Delta Cos.), excellence
- Labor Ready, merit
Specialty Advertising
National
- Delta Locum Tenens (The Delta Cos.), excellence
- Delta Physician Placement (The Delta Cos.), merit
- Select Staffing, excellence
Other Advertising
Independent
- PSG—Professional Staffing Group, excellence
National
- Labor Ready, excellence
- TrueBlue Inc., excellence
Company Web Site
Independent
- Arcus, excellence
- Berks & Beyond Employment, merit
- RealStreet Staffing, merit
National
- Atled Finance & Accounting (The Delta Cos.), merit
- Health Care Placement (The Delta Cos.), merit
- QPS Cos. Inc., excellence
Multimedia
National
- Delta Locum Tenens (The Delta Cos.), merit
- Labor Ready, excellence
Company Newsletter
Independent
National
- Labor Ready, merit
- Pridestaff, excellence
Company Publication
National
- The Delta Cos., excellence
- Labor Ready, merit
Company Identification
Independent
National
- Delta Flex Travelers (The Delta Cos.), excellence
- Delta Locum Tenens (The Delta Cos.), excellence
- Labor Ready, excellence
- Select Staffing, merit
- TrueBlue Inc., excellence
Media Relations Program
National
- The Delta Cos., excellence
- Randstad, merit
Public Service
National
- The Delta Cos., merit
- Labor Ready, merit
- Randstad, excellence
The Judges
A panel of three judges—two communications specialists and one representative of an ASA corporate partner—judged the 2009 ASA Staffing VOICE Awards competition.
Eric Gilpin is president of the staffing and recruiting group at CareerBuilder (careerbuilder.com/staffing), an ASA corporate partner and the sponsor of the Staffing VOICE Awards. He has more than 10 years of experience in the staffing industry, which includes leading a CareerBuilder team in the creation of customized solutions for staffing and recruiting companies. Eric is responsible for developing sales teams and strategies to help clients meet their goals and to promote the staffing industry overall. With people development and industry awareness as priorities, Eric is focused on technology, social media, and product design as key growth drivers for the staffing and recruiting industry.
Kevin McFadin is co-founder of Fan Works Design (fanworksdesign.com), which designs Staffing Success magazine, Staffing World® graphics and publications, and other materials for ASA. McFadin has nearly 20 years of professional experience as a graphic designer and illustrator for clients of all types and sizes, including start-ups, national corporations, and nonprofit organizations. His illustrations have been exhibited at the Illustrators Club of the Washington metropolitan area, showcased in juried exhibitions, and featured in trade magazines for the art industry. A portfolio of McFadin’s work is available at kevinmcfadin.com.
Chad Wandler is vice president of strategic services for Novak Birch (novakbirch.com). He has 15 years of experience producing effective communications and public relations campaigns for Fortune 500 corporations, start-up firms, and associations—including ASA. Wandler has played major roles in the association’s National Staffing Employee of the Year program, "Hard Facts, Human Faces" public relations campaign, and other media outreach efforts. He previously had worked with a major Manhattan public relations firm and had served as deputy press secretary to Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT).
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