Spring was appointed to deliver a compelling campaign which would raise the profile of STEM and STEM based careers, capture the imagination of young people and their parents and lead to a measurable increased uptake in STEM subjects at 14, 16 and 18.
The challenges facing us in delivering this programme were chiefly to do with the range of often disengaged audiences. We needed to engage young people and their parents or influencers who had little or no interest in STEM subjects, and no knowledge of the opportunities they bring to young people.
In addition many of our routes to this audience were cluttered or too busy – schools, for example, with all the other requirements made of them by Ofsted and other organisations.
Our Open Minds route is deliberately challenging. We do not talk down to our audience, instead we ignite their imaginations with mind benders, amazing scientific facts and a glimpse into the variety of experiences STEM can bring.
The colour palette and image selection are quirky, attention grabbing and cool – with as much appeal to a parent as to a young person.
This is a great example of what can happen when a public sector commissioning body and agency work together collaboratively to great effect.