IBM, Apple, White House Launch Workforce Readiness Ad Campaign

With nearly 18 million Americans out of work amid the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 200 public, private and nonprofit members of Business Roundtable and the White House's American Workforce Policy Advisory Board (AWPAB) have joined together in an ad campaign to help people all ages, experiences and backgrounds develop their skills for the rapidly changing job market.

The campaign, created by the Ad Council encourages Americans to "find something new" at FindSomethingNew.org, which offers resources to explore a wide range of education and training options, including online and virtual learning.

"IBM is proud to support the Find Something New campaign as part of our commitment to ensuring that the Digital Era is inclusive and one in which Americans from all socioeconomic backgrounds can participate in the modern economy, said Ginni Rometty, IBM Executive Chairman and co-chair of the AWPAB working group responsible for this campaign. “Find Something New will help more Americans discover new pathways to skills training and new collar careers, which is essential as our country and economy recover from the COVID-19 pandemic."

The website helps students and adults across the U.S. identify and pursue the right path for their career goals. The website offers an interactive tool that recommends education pathways for each user, information about rising careers to consider and a directory of resources for life services like childcare, food assistance and internet access. Pathways featured include online learning, professional certification programs, associate's degrees and vocational, technical and trades education.

The campaign ads feature stories from real individuals who found fulfilling careers after embracing new ways of learning. The ads were created pro bono by EightBar, a collective of WPP talent dedicated to IBM, and were filmed remotely to accommodate social distancing.

"Now more than ever, we need to ensure that everyone has the tools they need to succeed and seize new opportunities,” said Tim Cook, CEO of Apple and co-chair of the AWPAB working group. “To invest in our future, we have to invest in people, in education and the many paths to a well-paying job or starting a new business. This initiative is about empowering people across the nation to discover a more hopeful future for themselves and their families."

The AWPAB and Business Roundtable are mobilizing their members and additional leading private companies, policymakers and nonprofit organizations to amplify the campaign's message and share their commitment to training and hiring workers with these valuable skills. Through the White House's Pledge to America's Workers, over 440 leading corporations and trade associations have committed to offering over 16 million training opportunities for American workers over the next five years.

The Find Something New campaign will appear nationwide in donated time and space across all platforms, including TV, digital, print and out of the home. Omnicom media agency OMD is donating media strategy and outreach to support the campaign. Acxiom, Cox Communications, The CW Network, Facebook, Fox Corporation, NBCUniversal and Snap Inc. are among the media organizations that have committed significant support.

Funding for the campaign is provided by 20 organizations who are committed to promoting workforce readiness for the American public: