When the shortage of teachers began to become a real, big problem, especially in our home state of Alabama, we knew that something had to be done, and quickly.

With critical shortages taking place in math, science and special education, we recognized that we needed to reach existing and potential educators, as well as tout the state’s educational programs and initiatives to improve overall perception throughout the state and across the Southeast. Plus, we needed to promote and elevate the highly noble and super important profession of education with a message that was loud, proud and profound.

We started by creating an innovative campaign that simply thanked teachers across the state for all that they do. Our “Thank You” campaign was strategically launched during the challenging backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic. Recognizing the prevailing sentiments during this period, our team made a deliberate decision to steer clear of a recruitment campaign, which might not have resonated positively with our audience. Instead, we chose to double down on our existing teachers, expressing our sincere gratitude and providing them with heartfelt encouragement. What started in 2020 has grown into an annual event and a constant reminder to spread the love to our selfless and dedicated teachers.

Across 3 years, accolades include:
– 236M+ Earned/PR Impressions
– 227K+ Organic Social Impressions
– 42.4M+ Paid Media Impressions

Next, we tapped into the emotions being felt by teachers and the relationships they have with their students as a way to connect to prospective educators. It aimed to highlight the profound, yet often intangible, rewards that stem from the micro-moments shared between students and teachers. These moments, marked by meaningful achievements, served as the cornerstone of why teaching is such a fulfilling profession. Beyond this emotional connection, the campaign also sought to cast a wider net, targeting a broader audience with the intention of reshaping prevalent perceptions regarding education as a career choice.

– 500K+ Website Visits
– 2.25M+ Social Reach
– 100M+ Paid Media Impressions
– 986K+ Paid Social Engagements

With the enactment of the TEAMS (Talent Expansion and Attraction Measures in States) Act, we felt that it was imperative to adopt a verifiable and straightforward communication strategy to effectively draw talent from regions beyond our state’s borders. This deliberate choice not only positioned us as a formidable contender within the Southeast region but also effectively highlighted the significant commitment Alabama is making towards the advancement of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education. By doing so, we underscored our dedication to nurturing a robust and highly-skilled STEM workforce, which will undoubtedly shape the future of our state’s technological and scientific landscape.

– 4.1% increase in intent to become a teacher after being exposed to a “TEAMS” campaign ad
– 7,500+ interested applicants
– 3,500+ positions filled (goal 3,000)

Knowing that we needed to bridge the generation gap between educators and students, we created a campaign that told the Gen Z audience that they have the potential to be a different kind of influencer for our schools, students and communities. In both message and media, we created a social-driven campaign for the first social-native generation—reframing what it mean to be an influencer.

The “Influencer” campaign delved deep into the psyche of Gen Z, meticulously unravelling their profound connection to social media, content creators and influencers. Our overarching objective was to persuade our target audience that the most potent source of real-life influence resides within the realm of teaching. Whether it involves sparking inspiration among a collective, crafting captivating content, or amassing a substantial following year after year, there exists no more influential figure than a teacher.

– 3.7M brand engagements
– 10M+ video completions
– 12% increase in overall awareness
– People exposed to an “Influencer” campaign ad were 26.5% more likely to report experiencing positive feelings towards considering the teaching profession.

Overall, the We Teach Alabama campaign has delivered 201.9 million brand exposures to people in and outside of the state of Alabama.

Filmmaking seems like an unsolvable puzzle. With infinite moving and morphing pieces that must come together, the complexities are often concealed and misunderstood. When you conquer the process – it is revealed that only passion and perseverance can glue everything together. 

This was top of mind when Big approached the 2023 Sidewalk Film Festival sponsor video to celebrate the miracle of filmmaking.

In honor of 25 years of Sidewalk, we challenged ourselves to explore new areas. Our 2D and 3D opening sequence sought to inspire, intrigue and wow festival audiences and to give viewers an immersive experience.

As attendees and filmmakers lined up on the sidewalks of Birmingham’s Theatre District, they saw something they haven’t before: clues for decoding a custom alphabet cipher. We left hints in the program book, in a cryptic t-shirt and in colorful sidewalk-chalk stencils.

Attendees could use those breadcrumbs to solve the cipher on a one-of-a-kind website to engage more deeply with the festival experience and for the chance to win prizes, all while encouraging return visits to the year-round Sidewalk Cinema.

Creative endeavors, filmmaking and puzzles of all kinds aren’t easy to solve, but it’s a lot easier when you’re doing it with a community of curious people. And with the Sidewalk Cipher, hundreds of attendees answered the call for creativity and curiosity and successfully solved the puzzle. Prizes were given, goals were conquered.

Community, collaboration and secret codes… what will you find next at Sidewalk Film Festival?

The Sidewalk Film Festival brings international attendees and filmmakers to The Magic City each year. Big is a proud sponsor.

Alabama needs more influencers.

Since 2010, Alabama has seen a 40% decrease in students entering teacher education programs. But what do you do when young people are setting their sights on careers as influencers? You show them the influence that Alabama teachers can have.

Teachers Are the Real Influencers

There’s a need for teachers now more than ever, but as students’ interests and professional desires change, recruitment efforts need to change too. The “Teachers Are the Real Influencers” campaign targets future teachers where they’re already spending their time: on social media. Along with multi-platform video ads, Alabama-based influencers are sharing their channels with Alabama teachers to spotlight how teaching has real influence.

We tapped Alabama-based influencers like University of Alabama basketball player Mark Sears to highlight teachers.

Every spa is plagued by the cliché image of a brightly lit, white-walled room, where a woman in a towel lays back with cucumbers on her eyes and a soft smile on her lips. It’s all too familiar. For the launch of Total on 1st, a new spa that’s equal parts clinical skincare and indulgent self-care, we created a brand image that diverges from the long-held spa tropes. To transcend category, we introduced Total on 1st not as a place but as a feeling.

Taking cues from the worlds of high-end fashion and boutique skincare brands, we crafted a campaign featuring photography that evoked a feeling of immersion and losing oneself in natural environments. The concept of “healthy indulgence” invites one to embrace self-care in abundance. To lavish in it and never apologize. This campaign is the first step in establishing Total on 1st as Birmingham’s premiere spa destination.

It’s been well documented that the need for teachers across the country is critical. In Alabama, it’s a full-on emergency. With an evolving classroom, teacher burnout and a mass call for higher wages across the board, the number of people entering the academic field has slowed to a trickle. So, how could Alabama attract new teachers? By reshaping the image of teaching in Alabama from a profession of overwork and underpay, to a meaningful calling to make a difference.

The “We Teach Alabama” campaign is a multi-year advertising and PR effort, targeting a new generation of potential teachers. Optimistic, ambitious and passionate 17-to 22-year-olds. Ready to make a difference while, yes, making a paycheck. The socially-driven campaign drives to WeTeachAlabama.com, a content hub that streamlines the process from interest to application. Big also created a platform for people to show some much deserved appreciation to the teachers in their lives. In just the first three months, more than 500 teachers have answered the call to educate the next generation of Alabamians.

Big created the brand for Alabama Gulf Seafood over 10 years ago, after the emergence of the 2010 Gulf oil spill as a way to rally the Alabama community behind our seafood industry. Since then, the Alabama Gulf Seafood brand has developed a legacy of its own. Our task in 2021 was to modernize a brand that boasted a lot of classic character. To do this we would need to shine a new light on Alabama Gulf Seafood, one that didn’t outshine its authenticity.

So what did we do? We dove deep, connecting with true Alabama Gulf fishermen and seafood workers. We found real people with real stories and captured their industry through profound behind-the-scenes film and personal interviews. We redesigned eatalabamaseafood.com to house these genuine, long-form stories and shifted its focus to discuss the rich recipes and seasonal flavors of Alabama Gulf Seafood. This switch in tone allowed us to stray away from the informational and embrace the conversational, adding elements that would draw in consumers and keep them up to date with the brand. By integrating creative, content, and interactive, we have carried on the Alabama Gulf Seafood legacy while adapting it for a more modern style.

Equal representation in a divided state.

Alabama is a historically disparate state—demographically, morally, politically, and geographically split. We had just over 8 months to bring them together. With $13 billion in federal funding and a congressional seat at stake, inciting action was paramount. We divided our efforts to meet people where they were allowing us to push our message to even the hardest to reach places.

See Results

We developed a community-centric resource complete with downloadable toolkits tailored to our diverse audiences.

A global pandemic halted grassroots efforts leading us to adjust our media approach to target the changing landscape.

We created a 4-week bracket that paired 32 county schools with the lowest census response rate head-to-head to win $65,000.

With less than 60% of people counted and only 2 months left to reach our goal, we shifted our approach to address the most apathetic audiences.

Many companies sell motor oil. But only one brand truly defines it. And Valvoline has been defining the category since 1866. Fact: Valvoline was America’s first motor oil brand. Like, ever. And that status, as the originator of a whole category, means Valvoline isn’t merely another motor oil. It’s an American icon.

But being an original isn’t just about being first. It’s about being true. Blazing a trail where others see an obstacle. It’s fearing nothing, and yet having the courage to do something that has never been done. Then doing it over and over and over. That’s what we had to remind consumers, DIYers, race fans, brand collaborators, and anyone who was paying attention. Being original is what matters. And that’s just as much true now as it was 150 years ago.

Launched in February 2020, the Apple-backed Ed Farm provides technical and coding education for Birmingham’s most disadvantaged students. Big not only created the Ed Farm brand — with visually appealing three-dimensional iconography and vibrant gradients embodying transition and change — but also planned and executed an event featuring Apple CEO Tim Cook to publicly launch it in a way that earned media attention, excited the community, and embraced the future of technology throughout Birmingham. For its collective efforts — and due to the successes Ed Farm has experienced since launch — Big was named a national 2020 PR NEWS Platinum PR Award winner in the Community Relations category.

The proof is in the stands. In March 2019, Birmingham Legion FC opened its season to a sold-out game. Eight months later, they average 88% home game attendance, making Legion FC 13th in attendance out of the 36 USL Championship teams.

We worked together with local musician, The Green Seed to create a custom track for our hype video. The Legion Soccer Anthem is available on Spotify and Apple Music.