Repositioning Northwest BC for a New Generation of Residents and Workers
PROJECT: Workforce + Resident Attraction (WARA) Project
/ Services Provided
Advertising + Ad Buying
/ A Region Full of Opportunity, Facing a Visibility Challenge
Northwest BC is home to thriving communities, world-class outdoor recreation and growing economic opportunities. Yet despite its many strengths, the region faced a significant challenge: attracting the workforce needed to support future growth.
As major industrial projects and investments accelerated across the region, competition for talent intensified. Communities needed a coordinated approach that would not only raise awareness but reshape perceptions among prospective workers and residents across Canada.
Recognizing the scale of the opportunity, the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine (RDKS), City of Terrace, City of Prince Rupert, and District of Kitimat came together to create a shared vision for a regional workforce and resident attraction initiative.
/ Award-Winning:
2022 BCEDA: Economic Development Marketing Innovation Award
/ Changing Perceptions Through Strategic Storytelling
The Workforce & Resident Attraction initiative was built around a simple idea: people cannot choose a place they do not know.
The strategy’s foundation was rooted in social change marketing in order to shift perceptions about Northwest BC, and ultimately influence the behaviour of prospective residents and workers to move to the region.
Extensive audience and market research, stakeholder engagement and audience analysis informed the development of a comprehensive attraction strategy designed to position Northwest BC as a place where people could build meaningful careers, raise families and enjoy an exceptional quality of life.
The strategy combined digital marketing, media relations, advertising, community engagement and destination storytelling to reach audiences at every stage of the decision-making journey.
By aligning messaging across communities and channels, the campaign created a stronger and more compelling regional narrative.
/ FEATURED CAMPAIGN: What’s Holding you Back?
In 2021, we launched the ‘What’s Holding you Back?’ campaign which featured four ads that aimed to highlight the realities of smalltown living.
The new ads and subsequent paid advertising and marketing campaign successfully increased visibility with over 6M impressions that drove over 30k new visitors to the Northwest BC website over a three-month campaign period.
1. The Promotion 2. The Date
3. The Commute 4. Welcome Home
/ Crew
Director: Brandon Thompson
Producer: Amanda Munro
Cinematographer: Nolan McAllister
Editors: Chris G. Miller & Andrew Park
Produced by Munro/Thompson & AO Pro
/ Turning Strategy Into Sustained Action
The resulting marketing plan became the foundation for a multi-year attraction effort that continues today.
Since its initial launch in 2021, the project has evolved into an on-going initiative that focuses on sharing the stories of locals and new residents by employing traditional, digital and social campaigns. The project partners continue to receive genuine leads from new and potential newcomers wanting to learn more about the communities they are thinking of calling home.
By helping tell the Northwest BC story at a regional scale, the project has contributed to broader efforts to attract talent, support economic growth and strengthen the region’s long-term competitiveness.
