Choose U

Choose U is an organization dedicated to educating and employing adults across America. They were brought in by Guilford County, North Carolina after the county couldn't reach their enrollment targets for a Manufacturing Technician 1 training program. When the original outreach window closed with only six applicants registered, Choose U called me.

The ask was straightforward: get at least 30 applicants in less than a week. I had four days notice. No creative brief, no brand guidelines beyond a county flyer, no approval process. Just a deadline and a number to hit.

Starting from a flyer

I took the county's existing flyer, extracted the key program details, and worked backwards from there. I wrote the scripts myself because there wasn't time for a feedback loop. Every hour spent in review was an hour not spent getting ads in front of people. The client trusted me to deliver sight unseen, and I treated that trust seriously.

My campaign launched on Saturday evening. By Wednesday, we had 40 registrants.

The video production process was a compressed version of a workflow that normally takes weeks. I wrote the scripts, generated AI voiceovers, sourced stock footage relevant to the Greensboro and High Point area, created 2D motion graphics and animations, edited the sequences, and mixed the audio. Three complete video ads, each with a different angle and call to action.

Multi-format delivery

The videos needed to work across multiple platforms and contexts. Connected TV ads for households in Guilford County. Social media video ads for Meta platforms. Static social ads for broader reach. Each format has different requirements for length, aspect ratio, and pacing. The CTV spots could breathe a little more. The social cuts needed to hook in the first two seconds.

Reaching the right people

The media buying strategy was geographic and demographic. I targeted Guilford County ZIP codes specifically, focusing on High Point, Greensboro, and surrounding areas. The program was designed for adults looking to enter or re-enter the workforce, so the targeting reflected that. Connected TV put the ads directly into 27,000 households across the county. Social media extended the reach with a quarter million impressions in the first five days.

The numbers told the story. The campaign started Saturday evening with 6 existing applicants. By Wednesday, we had 40 registrants, exceeding the 30-applicant target by a third.

Performance metrics

The social media ads achieved a cost per click between $0.45 and $0.67, well under the education and job placement industry average. Connected TV reached 27,000 households in Guilford County. Social ads generated over 250,000 impressions in the first five days. The campaign ran lean and hit hard.

Real outcomes

The enrollment numbers were strong enough to fill two full cohorts of the Manufacturing Technician 1 program. Both cohorts completed their training in March 2026. Many of the graduates were unemployed before enrolling. They're now gainfully employed in manufacturing roles across the region.

This wasn't a vanity metrics campaign. It was a workforce development effort with a hard deadline and real consequences. People who needed jobs now have them because the right message got in front of the right audience at the right time.