Ogilvy New York worked with non-profits the Ad Council and Opportunity@Work, with the support of 50 additional companies and organizations, to fight degree discrimination and help millions of skilled workers who do not have a bachelor’s degree to get a fair chance at better paying jobs and access upward economic mobility. This has an outsized impact on minorities and disadvantaged populations. As a result, companies struggle to both find talent and to reach their DE&I goals.
Problem
We launched Tear The Paper Ceiling, an initiative to get employers and society at large to grasp the scope of the problem, initiate a cultural shift and change their hiring processes. Alongside a nationwide PSA campaign with print, film, radio, digital and social assets, we created an immersive art installation for people to physically experience the paper ceiling and join the fight against degree discrimination. The campaign is driving major impact and becoming part of culture and a powerful tool for change towards a more sustainable inclusive labor market, with talent based on skills, not degrees.