Early childhood educators are a vital part of children’s and parents’ lives. They help lay the foundation for success, preparing children for kindergarten and beyond. Yet Indiana is at a crossroads, facing a shortage of qualified workers. According to a report released by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Indiana Chamber of Commerce, and Early Learning Indiana in September 2024, only 61% of Indiana children can currently be served through the existing capacity of childcare providers across the state.

Our challenge? Help drive awareness and interest in this career path and increase enrollment in early childhood education programs at Ivy Tech. More importantly, remind people that this is rewarding work that impacts lives — not just a stepping stone career.

We listened and learned.

Creative should be as impactful as it is beautiful. To ensure our campaign would resonate, we first spoke with current college students and educators in the field to better understand what drew them to early childhood education, what keeps them in the profession, and what future educators should know before entering it.

We heard consistent themes emerge: both professionals and students are driven by a deep love for young children and the joy that comes from impactful teaching moments. While this wasn’t necessarily surprising, the way these educators expressed it reinforced that our messaging needed to lean into the emotional and intrinsic rewards educators experience while demonstrating the role of educators in the profession.

Impacting Families’ Lives

With those insights in hand, we developed scripts for :30 and :15 second spots. The story is told from the perspective of a working parent, highlighting the value early childhood educators bring not only to children, but to entire families. These spots help build awareness around the essential role educators play in helping families thrive.

Alongside the video and audio creative, additional campaign assets were developed to support awareness efforts and drive enrollment at Ivy Tech. With pathways ranging from short-term certificates to programs that transfer into four-year degrees, Ivy Tech is positioned to support both current and future educators at every stage of their journey.

In its first year, the campaign is projected to generate more than 61 million impressions.