2022-2023 Jobs & Skills (Phase 2) Advertising Campaign Creative Testing: Final Report

Submitted to:

Employment and Social Development Canada

For more information on this report, please email:

nc-por-rop-gd@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

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Submitted by:

Supplier Name: Narrative Research

POR Number: 044-21

Contract Number: G9292-229716/001/CY

Contract Value (Qualitative and Quantitative): $144,067.37 (tax included)

Contract Award Date: 2021-12-08

Delivery Date: 2022-03-14

2022-2023 Jobs & Skills (Phase 2) Advertising Campaign Creative Testing

Final Report

Prepared for Employment and Social Development Canada

Supplier Name: Narrative Research

March 2022

This public opinion research report presents the results of online focus groups conducted by Narrative Research on behalf of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). The main objective of this research was to gather feedback on three ideas for an advertising campaign and identify which one is most likely to resonate with its intended target audience and meet its objectives. From February 22-24, 2022, a total of eight online Netfocus discussion groups were conducted in four regions: Eastern Canada; Ontario; Prairies/Western Canada; and Quebec. In each region, one group was conducted with youth 18 to 24 years old and one group with adults 35 to 54 years old.

It is available upon request in multiple formats (large print, MP3, braille, e-text, DAISY), by contacting 1 800 O-Canada (1-800-622-6232). By teletypewriter (TTY), call 1-800-926-9105.

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Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre :

Tests créatifs de la campagne publicitaire Emplois et compétences 2022-2023 (Phase 2)

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary. 2

Introduction. 6

Research Methodology. 8

Research Findings. 9

General Reactions. 10

Concept A: Your Growing Collage. 12

Concept B: Ready When You Are. 17

Concept C: Employee of the Future. 20

Funding and Resources Available Line. 24

Website Concept Review.. 25

Preferred Concepts. 28

Conclusions and Direction. 30

Appendix A: Recruitment Screener. 34

Appendix B: Discussion Guide. 44

Appendix C: Creative Material Tested. 47

Executive Summary

Narrative Research Inc.

Contract Number: G9292-229716/001/CY

POR Registration Number: 044-21

Contract Award Date: 2021-12-08

Contracted Cost (Qualitative and Quantitative): $144,067.37 (tax included)

Note: Quantitative research presented under separate cover

Background

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) is in the process of developing and evaluating the Jobs and Skills campaign, a two-phase advertising campaign, over the course of the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 fiscal years. In 2021-2022, Phase I will focus on promoting jobs to help job seekers and unemployed Canadians find work opportunities during (and after) the pandemic, as well as support employers by encouraging them to publish job offers and review job-related resources available on the Job Bank job search platform. In 2022-2023, Phase II will focus on the importance of skills development and continuing education. This phase will inform Canadians on the various programs available to help them gain the skills they need to prepare for today’s labour market and the financial support that is available.

As part of the campaign development, ESDC was required to test creative concepts and evaluate the campaign effectiveness, through the use of a multi-phased research approach that includes both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. This requirement applies to advertising campaigns with a media buy of over $1 million. The quantitative research component utilized the Government of Canada’s Advertising Campaign Evaluation Tool (ACET) to evaluate the campaign before and after it is run in the media, for each phase of the campaign. Quantitative research is presented under separate cover. Qualitative research was used to examine creative concepts for the development of the Phase II material. This summary presents the findings from the qualitative focus groups that were conducted to review proposed creative concepts for the 2022-2023 campaign. Three creative concepts were evaluated to determine the potential for effectiveness and the resonance of messages and concepts with the target audiences. Testing included assessing the concept and message clarity, the extent to which the concepts grabbed people’s attention and an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of each proposed approach.

Research Methodology

Two audiences were included in the study: youth 18 to 24 years old starting to work for the first time or looking to improve their current career, and adults 35 to 54 years old looking to change career or improve their current career. A series of 8 online focus groups were conducted from February 22-24, 2022, with one group with each audience in each of four markets: Atlantic Canada, Ontario, Prairies/Western Canada and Quebec. Each focus group included a mix of locations (within regions), gender, age (within age range), education, ethnic background and household income. Focus groups in Quebec were conducted in French, while the discussion was held in English in all other locations. Each session lasted approximately 90 minutes and participants each received a cash incentive of $100 in appreciation for their time. From 80 recruited individuals (10 per focus group), 70 took part across all sessions.

Qualitative discussions are intended as moderator-directed, informal, non-threatening discussions with participants whose characteristics, habits and attitudes are considered relevant to the topic of discussion. They are used in marketing research as a means of developing insight and direction, rather than collecting quantitatively precise data or absolute measures. As such, results are directional only and cannot be projected to the overall population under study.

Key Findings and Conclusions

The following summarizes the key findings and conclusions from the focus groups conducted for the 2022-2023 Jobs & Skills (Phase 2) Advertising Campaign Creative Testing. During the sessions, three campaign concepts were examined, each consisting of one social media advertisement, in addition to three taglines and three statements referring to the website content that were included with each concept. Finally, two layouts for a website landing page were briefly examined. All concept materials were presented in a randomized order across focus groups to avoid any presentation biases.

The three campaign concepts tested were:

Concept A: Your Growing Collage / Votre collage en pleine croissance

Concept B: Ready When You Are / Prêt quand vous l’êtes

Concept C: Employee of the Future / Employé du futur

While both concepts “Your Growing Collage” and “Ready When You Are” were preferred, “Your Growing Collage” elicited slightly more consistent positive reactions across groups, while opinions of “Ready When You Are” were more divided. “Your Growing Collage” was felt to be more memorable and motivating and particularly for young adults, being more inspirational. The message was felt to be clearer, in that the concept image combined with the text communicates the idea of professional development, and that a career can align with personal interests either for a first career, or when considering reorientation. Further, this message was supported by the tagline “Let What Drives You Drive Your Career/Laissez vos aspirations vous guider vers une carrière passionnante” which was felt to be meaningful, engaging and inspirational.

Based on the findings, the “Your Growing Collage” concept and the “Let What Drives You Drive Your Career/Laissez vos aspirations vous guider vers une carrière passionnante” tagline should be further developed for the 2022-2023 Jobs & Skills Campaign, with some modifications. While the message of the “Your Growing Collage” was felt to appeal to anyone, the visual and tagline pointed to perhaps a younger audience, one that is still exploring their career options and those looking to determine a career path. In the adult groups, the visual elicited a strong association with music, which was not necessarily seen as a strong career choice by all participants, while in the youth sessions, the image created an association with school work.

As such, while the visual was only somewhat meaningful in communicating the message, it should be slightly edited to make a stronger connection to professional development and avoid any confusion with school curriculum activities being illustrated. The visual should be edited to make a stronger connection to professional development and while still referring to various interests, avoid confusion with school curriculum activities and too strong a connection with one area of interest (as in with the music in the adult version). Further, consideration should be paid to incorporating diversity in people and type of work shown across campaign components, to increase the personal appeal and relevance of the message. At the same time, being specific about who qualifies/or narrowing the target audience would help avoid unnecessary investigation on the website, which could cause frustration for those who are not eligible for assistance.

While often selected as the preferred concept, “Ready When You Are” elicited mixed and more divided reactions, notably in terms of its design, personal relevance and message clarity. The design was either seen as clean, simple, and colourful, or bland, generic, vague and lacking relevance. The concept message was felt to be that if you want to change career path, there are resources available to help. Further, the tagline, “Reshape Your Tomorrow” inspired some, while it was considered generic and overused by others. The concept was considered as targeting people who are looking to switch careers, rather than those who wish to advance professionally. That said, it was not that the concept generated a lot of negatives, it was just more of a neutral reaction overall.

The “Employee of the Future” concept performed weakest in comparison, for being too generic and vague and offering little to capture attention other than its bright colours. While the message spoke of people being empowered to change their career path with support from the government, the manner in which it is communicated was felt to be vague and lacking in inspiration. Similar impressions were expressed with respect to the tagline “Own Your Future / Prenez votre avenir en main”, with some finding the statement clear, concise, empowering and inspirational, while others finding it too generic and overused, thus lacking in meaning and relevance.

A number of reactions were consistently expressed across all three concepts and should be considered in the development of the final creative. Given the generally short attention paid to advertisements on social media, the image and the tagline play a critical role in communicating the message and capturing interest, and thus both should be meaningful and effective at conveying the campaign’s intent on their own. In addition, more prominently featuring the Canada wordmark adds to the campaign’s credibility, and more focus on the “Learn More” icon may help support the call to action.

The addition of the line “Funding and Resources Available” is helpful when no other highlighted information is included on the social media ad, but considered redundant when there was already a similar line in the concept. However, it is a key piece of information that encourages interested viewers to click through to the website, and as such, it should be prominently featured.

Incorporating this statement in the final social media publication, to reflect what type of information can be found on the website was considered useful. While all three statements proposed are considered as effectively reflecting what information can be found on the website, the version “Programs, Resources & Financial Support / Programmes, ressources & aide financière” was felt to be a little more comprehensive.

Findings suggest that while both website concepts elicited positive reactions and each was preferred for different reasons, the comprehensive website landing page layout (website Concept 1 based on the “Ready When You Are” concept) should be considered for further development. The provision of detailed information on this landing page was considered an important consideration to facilitate website navigation. Nonetheless, those who preferred the more condensed website landing page (website Concept 2 based on the “Own Your Future” concept) liked its visual simplicity and being able to quickly identify broad topics prior to delving deeper into the website content.

Regardless of the website concept preference, the menu labels were considered clear and meaningful, perhaps with the exception of the “Discover Your Ideal Career Path / À la découverte de votre parcours professionnel idéal” which was felt to be a little broad, though still associated with tools and resources to identify the best career path.

Political Neutrality Certificate

I hereby certify as a representative of Narrative Research that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in the Directive on the Management of Communications. Specifically, the deliverables do not include information on electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, standings with the electorate, or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leaders.

Signed

Margaret Brigley, CEO & Partner | Narrative Research

Date: March 14, 2022

Introduction

Context

As part of the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan and efforts to support workers and businesses during the pandemic, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) executed the Essential Services Jobs during COVID-19/Job Bank national advertising campaign in 2020-2021 to bring Canadians and employers together on the Job Bank job search platform.

Information provided by ESDC stated that according to the September 2021 Labour Force Survey, there are still 1.42 million Canadians unemployed. The unemployment rate fell 0.2 percentage points to 6.9% from August to September. However, this is still high compared to the pre-COVID pandemic rate of 5.7% (Feb. 2020). The pandemic has and continues to have many effects on the labour market. Many sectors and industries are still seeking employees and employees continue seeking jobs. In addition, with the changing nature of work, it is more and more obvious that Canadians have to continue learning and gain new professional skills to access today’s labour market, facilitate a transition to a new career or improve their current career.

The Government of Canada’s new $2.5 million Jobs and Skills advertising campaign is a two-fold campaign that will be over two fiscal years. The advertising campaign will launch in two phases:

Phase I – Focus on jobs

In 2021-2022, the campaign will focus on promoting jobs to help job seekers and unemployed Canadians find work opportunities during (and hopefully after) the pandemic, as well as support employers by encouraging them to publish job offers and review job-related resources available on the Job Bank job search platform. This phase was launched in January 2022.

Phase II – Focus on skills development and continuing education

In 2022-2023, the second phase will focus on the importance of skills development and continuing education. This phase will inform Canadians on the various programs available to help them gain the skills they need to prepare for today’s labour market and the financial support that is available. This phase is expected to launch in September 2022.

As part of the campaign development, ESDC was required to test creative concepts and evaluate the campaign effectiveness, through the use of a multi-phased research approach that includes both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The quantitative research component utilizes the Government of Canada’s Advertising Campaign Evaluation Tool (ACET) to evaluate the campaign before and after it is run in the media, for each phase of the campaign. Quantitative research is presented under separate cover. Qualitative research was used to examine creative concepts for the development of the Phase II material. This report presents the findings from the qualitative focus groups that were conducted to review proposed creative concepts for the 2022-2023 campaign.

Objectives

The qualitative research component consisted of creative pre-testing for Phase II of the advertising campaign. The research was conducted to inform final creative development by determining the potential for effectiveness and the resonance of messages and concepts with the target audiences. Specific to the Jobs and Skills advertising campaign, there were three concepts that were evaluated for Phase II of the campaign. The qualitative research phase aimed to assess the concepts on the following factors:

· Determine how well the main messages are understood and perceived;

· Determine whether the ad concepts grab people’s attention and what components (design, vocabulary, imagery, tone) are successful/not successful;

· Assess the clarity of the concepts;

· Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the ad concepts; and

· Generate other suggestions for improvements.

Research Methodology

Target Audience

There were two target audiences included in this phase of the research:

· Adults 35-54 years old looking to change career or improve their current career

· Youth 18-24, starting to work for the first time or looking to improve their current career

Research Approach

A series of online, real-time focus groups were conducted in four markets: Atlantic Canada, Ontario, Prairies/Western Canada, and Quebec. In each region, one focus group was conducted with each of the two target audiences. Sessions in Quebec were conducted in French, while the discussion was held in English for all other sessions. The fieldwork was conducted from February 22^nd to 24^th, 2022. Each group discussion lasted approximately 90 minutes and participants received a cash incentive of $100 in appreciation for their time.

From 80 recruited individuals (10 per focus group), 70 took part across all sessions. Each focus group included a mix of locations (within regions), gender, age (within age range), education, ethnic background and household income. All participants were either employed, unemployed but looking for work, or a student. In addition, all had to have been involved in, or thinking about, career development or seeking new employment opportunities. Those considering or planning to change jobs or career in the next five years were also considered, as well as students entering the workforce for the first time. Only those who have lived in Canada for at least two years were invited to take part.

Individuals who currently or have retired from sensitive occupations, or live in a household where someone else is in this situation, were excluded from the research, this is a standard practice for advertising research conducted for the Government of Canada to avoid including a participant who might be perceived as an expert by other participants. These occupations included marketing, marketing research, public relations, advertising, media, graphic design, a political party, or the provincial or federal government. In addition, individuals who have been to at least five qualitative sessions in the past five years, or those who have attended a session in the past six months, were excluded from the research.

Participants were recruited per the recruitment specifications for the Government of Canada. Recruitment was conducted through qualitative panels stored on Canadian servers, with follow up calls to confirm the details provided and to ensure quotas were met.

Context of Qualitative Research

Qualitative discussions are intended as moderator-directed, informal, non-threatening discussions with participants whose characteristics, habits and attitudes are considered relevant to the topic of discussion. The primary benefits of individual or group qualitative discussions are that they allow for in-depth probing with qualifying participants on behavioural habits, usage patterns, perceptions and attitudes related to the subject matter. This type of discussion allows for flexibility in exploring other areas that may be pertinent to the investigation. Qualitative research allows for more complete understanding of the segment in that the thoughts or feelings are expressed in the participants’ “own language” and at their “own levels of passion.” Qualitative techniques are used in marketing research as a means of developing insight and direction, rather than collecting quantitatively precise data or absolute measures. As such, results are directional only and cannot be projected to the overall population under study.

Research Findings

The following provides a detailed overview of the focus group discussions. Where relevant, differences of opinions across locations, audiences, and language, are noted.

Participants were presented with three campaign concepts that each included one social media publication. Across concepts, slightly modified concepts were presented to each of the two audiences (youth and adults), and while each concept approach and statements were identical, the image was tailored to each audience.

The following provides overall reactions across concepts:

General Reactions

The image and the tagline play an important role in quickly communicating the message and engaging the audience on social media and should clearly convey the campaign’s intention.

Attention on Key Words

Fewer text and key words highlighted are considered important considerations to grab attention on social media, in addition to prominently featuring the Canada wordmark and the Learn More button. It was felt that highlighting key words (e.g., larger font, bold, contrasting) that relates to the topic of professional development is important for the audience to quickly identify the campaign message on social media. Reducing the amount of text to meaningful and more specific statements was also suggested. The Canada wordmark increases the credibility of the concept and increases comfort in clicking on a link, and thus should be prominently featured.

“We have the resources that will help you – it is from the government, so it is trustworthy.” – Youth

[Referring to the Concept B: Ready When You Are] “Le message est qu’il y a peut-être une bourse ou une aide financière qu’on pourrait décrocher du Gouvernement du Canada. Mais si c’est le message principal, pourquoi il n’est pas mentionné dans l’image?” (The message is that there may be a scholarship or financial assistance that could be obtained from the Government of Canada. But if this is the main message, why is it not mentioned in the image?) – Adult

Meaningful Tagline

Given that the image and tagline first grab attention, participants felt that using a tagline that references the campaign message is important. Given the generic nature of the images used, it was believed that having a tagline that clearly outlines the topic of career or professional development was important for the audience to quickly understand the topic of the advertisement.

Meaningful Visual

The visual used should feature diversity in people or type of work. To widen the campaign’s appeal, the creative should feature or suggest more diverse types of people and work or types of workers. These comments were made consistently across groups based on the social media concepts, and participants were pleased to see more diversity in people pictured on the website examples. Limited space on the social media concepts likely precludes having more than one or two people shown per spot, but does suggest having a variety of people across different versions of the same concept.

[Referring to the Concept B: Ready When You Are] “Le fait de voir une femme qui est dans la quarantaine et a un haut revenu fait penser que ce n’est pas vraiment fait pour moi.” (Seeing a woman in her forties makes you think it's not really for me.) – Adult

Participants felt that an action-oriented image, or at least one that is contextualized, would be more effective at grabbing attention. It was felt by many that the images used in the concepts examined are non-descriptive, generic, and somewhat “corporate-looking” and do not effectively communicate the message of professional development. As such, suggestions were made to provide greater context in the image (e.g., show people in action or in a professional environment).

Information about Eligibility Requirements

Consistently through the sessions, and not specific to any one concept, there were comments about a need for some basic information about who was eligible before they visited the website. Participants spoke of “getting their hopes up” only to be possibly disappointed when they arrived at the website to find they did not qualify. They were not expecting detailed information; just basic information about acceptable age ranges or education levels that would qualify.

“Obviously eligibility requirements, but none of that is in the ad. I am not happy if I found I was not eligible. Even an age range or something in the ad.” – Youth

“I feel there is not a lot of concrete information…looking for “x” amount of money and it is for “y” demographics.” – Youth

“Makes it seem that they are for everyone and they are not…makes it seem like everyone who wants to improve their career can get it.” – Adult

“This ad gives me the sense that there is something there for everyone. Think of the disappointment or the thrill if I can take advantage.” – Adult

The following sections provide an overview of the reactions specific to each of the three campaign concepts:

Concept A: Your Growing Collage / Votre collage en pleine croissance

Concept B: Ready When You Are / Prêt quand vous l’êtes

Concept C: Employee of the Future / Employé du futur

Concept A: Your Growing Collage

In spite of some mixed reactions, this concept performed well for being more memorable and motivating and particularly for young adults, being more inspirational.

Overall Reactions

Reactions to this concept were moderately positive as both the message and the design are considered simple, direct, and articulate that support is available for those who wish to advance in their careers with some clarity. For some in the adult English sessions, the association with music was too strong and only suggested a music career, while others understood that it was meant to be an example of an interest.

“Moi en la regardant face à moi elle est efficace. Les phrases sont simples et les images en arrière font de la différence. Ça peut toucher n’importe qui et ça peut être n’importe quelle passion. Je ne savais pas à quel point mes passions pouvaient me mener à différents types de professions.” (Looking at this, it is effective for me. The sentences are simple and the image in the background makes a difference. It can touch anyone and it can be any passion. I didn’t realize how much my passions could lead me to different types of professions.) – Youth

“D’emblée, j’adore l’homme avec le violon, c’est clair que ce n’est pas facile de gagner sa vie comme musicien. C’est quelque chose qu’on ne trouve pas souvent. Laissez vos aspirations vous guider vers une carrière passionnante, c’est tellement ça! Si je pouvais avoir une aide du gouvernement pour me pousser dans l’action, j’irais.” (From the outset, I love the man with the violin, it's clear that it's not easy to make a living as a musician. It's something you don't often find. Let your aspirations guide you to an exciting career, that's so much it! If I could get help from the government to push me into action, I would go.) – Adult

“Seems kind of muddled and confused – confused by the megaphone and the soccer cleats. I think it is about school, but it takes some searching to figure it out.” – Youth

“It looks more like you are interested in a music-type job and I am not sure if this photo represents what people would like.” – Adult

“I like it for my age group. Not a meaningless 9 to 5 that doesn’t give us any joy – saying that it could be something that you love.” – Youth

Message Clarity and Tagline

The message conveyed is that a career can align with personal interests and that a professional reorientation is possible. Through specific terms or statements, such as “reimagine your future”, “your interest can lead to more fulfilling work” and “let what drives you drive your career”, the concept was felt to communicate that it is never too late to take your future in your hands, to get your career back on track based on personal aspirations and interests.

“Le fait de dire VOS centres d’intérêt, VOS aspirations, ça nous interpelle plus.” (Saying YOUR interests, YOUR aspirations, it is more compelling.) – Adult

“What is the message…it is a message that you can follow your dreams and as a government, we can help you…they are there for you.” – Adult

“I think the background image should have various references – music and numbers, letters, etc.” – Adult

“As a cook by passion, the tagline speaks to me as it would lead me to culinary school.” – Adult

The English tagline “Let What Drives You Drive Your Career” suggests that a career can be based on a personal interest. Especially when combined with the image of various personal interests, the tagline was seen as suggesting that a personal interest can grow to become a career. This was inspirational to many, especially those seeking to get a more fulfilling career.

“I like this [tag] line the most and the image is so clear – the varied interests and the woman thinking about her career.” – Youth

The French tagline “Laissez vos aspirations vous guider vers une carrière passionnante” was felt to be engaging and inspirational.

“Le slogan est plus juste que celui d’avant. Il est moins insultant que ‘prenez votre avenir en main’. Il y en a qui aimerait juste essayer autre chose donc ce slogan serait plus accrocheur pour eux.” (The slogan is fairer than the one before. It is less insulting than 'take your future into your own hands'. There are some who would just like to try something else so this slogan would be catchier for them.) – Youth

To be even more inspirational and motivate the audience to seek additional information on the website, it was suggested by a few participants that the ad provides a more compelling argument as to what could be found online. For example, mentioning the number of programs (e.g., more than 100 assistance and financial programs) would elicit more interest.

Target Audience

While the target audience could be anyone, the visual and the tagline pointed to post-secondary students who are still exploring their options, and those looking to determine their career path. The way the concept speaks of “driving a career” or “reimagine your future” along with the images of a young person suggested to many participants that the message is targeting youth or young adults that have graduated from secondary or postsecondary education, or that are starting in their career. Nonetheless, the theme of changing careers was felt to have widespread appeal across ages. In addition, participants who have already determined their career path felt less compelled by this message. On a positive note, the use of the word “your (vos)” (e.g., your interest, your future, your career) empowered the reader and made the concept more personally compelling to many.

“Je trouve que le visuel fait encore plus programme scolaire que le visuel C [Employé du future]. J'ai l'impression que cela s'adresse aux étudiants qui sortent bientôt de l'école.” (I find that the visual is even more academic program than the visual C. I have the impression that it is aimed at students who are coming out of school soon.) – Youth

“Ça s’adresse à des personnes qui sont déjà sur le marché du travail dans un emploi qui ne les intéresse pas. Pas pour moi. J’ai déjà trouvé une carrière dans quelque chose qui m’intéresse.” (It's for people who are already in the job market in a job they're not interested in. Not for me. I already found something in a career of interest to me.) – Youth

“It is trying to communicate that what you are interested in can contribute to a meaningful career.” – Youth

Overall Design

From a graphic standpoint, the visual was felt to be meaningful and inspirational, though somewhat associated with the school curriculum in French-speaking groups. The image, especially when combined with the tagline, supported the message that personal interests can guide the choice of a fulfilling career. This appeared to be quite inspirational across groups and even more in the youth sessions. Most participants felt the various examples shown in the image represented varied interests of the person featured. That said, a few participants questioned the pertinence of showing two completely different topics in the visual (e.g., music and coding; or sports and math) and questioned whether it was suggesting that someone could switch from one career (e.g., coding) to another that is more aligned with their interest (e.g., music), or if it was meant to suggest a choice of career available (e.g., either coding or music). Further, without the tagline, the image was felt to lack a clear association with the topic of career development thus making some believe that the target audience was high school or post-secondary school graduates choosing a career, rather than speaking of professional reorientation. In the French-speaking groups, this association seemed to come from the image used, but in the English-speaking sessions (and youth particularly), it seemed to come from the text referring to career and “reimagining your future.”

“…graphiquement, je ne comprends pas certaines choses comme les codes de programmation à l’arrière, les codes HTML n’ont pas leur place. C’est pas grave si on prend un artiste comme modèle mais je comprends qu’on peut pas mettre toutes les catégories dans la même page mais là je ne vois pas le lien. Est-ce quelqu’un qui n’est pas bon en informatique qui a décidé de quitter l’école pour la musique? ” ("... graphically, I don't understand some things like the programming codes on the back, HTML codes have no place. It doesn't matter if you take an artist as a model but I understand that you can't put all the categories in the same page but there I don't see the link. Is it someone who is not good at computers who has decided to leave school for music?) – Adult

“L’imagine est moins austère, plus dynamique on explore plus de métiers : musique et codage. Donc on voit qu’il y a plus qu’une palette de métiers. Mais l’image n’est pas inclusive puisqu’on montre juste une personne.” (The imagine is less austere, more dynamic we explore more professions: music and coding. So, we see that there is more than a range of professions. But the image is not inclusive since it just shows one person.) – Adult

Expectations of the Website Content

There is an expectation that the website would include tools to help people identify the best career path based on their interests, along with information on assistance programs and financial supports. Where the concept suggests that someone could reorient their career to build on their personal interests, many participants expected that the website would include career self-assessment tools, as well as career counselling services, career profiles/descriptions, employment opportunities and financial assistance programs.

“Il y aurait des questionnaires ou une possibilité de rencontrer un conseiller et on pourrait discuter et répondre à des questions pour cibler mes intérêts et me proposer des choses. Et ensuite il y aurait une aide financière et différents exemples de carrières.” (There would be questionnaires or an opportunity to meet with an advisor and we could discuss and answer questions to target my interests and offer me things. And then there would be financial aid and different examples of careers.) – Youth

“Je m’attendais de découvrir des formations aux adultes. Des ressources et de l’aide financière aussi. Surtout de l’aide financière.” (I would expect to discover adult education. Resources and financial assistance as well. Mostly financial assistance.) – Adult

“Really cool if once you click on the website…if you put your interests, then it would come up with some options for you.” – Youth

“I am hoping that it clearly says if these financial resources are available to you and I would like to see what sort of jobs are available in Canada now.” – Adult

A few French-speaking participants, however, felt that the website would provide fewer program and financial assistance opportunities than one might expect. These participants believe that the website would provide access only to government resources, rather than access to a more comprehensive library of programs and financial assistance.

“Tu as l’impression qu’en arrivant sur le site ils vont te proposer des prêts et bourses. Je n’ai pas l’impression que je vais être accompagné plus que ce qui est écrit.” (You have the impression that when you arrive on the site, they will offer you loans and scholarships. I don't feel like I'm going to find more than what's written.) – Youth

Concept B: Ready When You Are

This concept elicited mixed reactions, notably in terms of its design, personal relevance and message clarity.

Overall Reaction

This concept elicited mixed reactions, with some liking the vibrant design and positive tone, while others felt that the approach is dated and the message lacks clarity. While some felt that the bright colours grabbed their attention, others saw the design as generic and dated and the message as having a weak link with the theme of professional development.

“I feel there is something off-putting about the colour – I feel it looks old.” – Youth

“Cette annonce attire mon attention le plus mais pas pour les bonnes raisons. Le slogan ça te fait douter de toi-même, c’est plus rough.” (This ad grabs my attention the most, but for the wrong reasons. The slogan makes you doubt yourself, it’s rougher.) – Youth

“Honestly, it didn’t grab me – I am hovering around the 5 or 6 mark - there is nothing really there to grab me and it is not doing anything for me. I would just scroll past it.” – Adult

Message Clarity and Tagline

The concept’s message was felt to be that if you want to change career path, there are resources available to help. Although when looking only at the image and the tagline at a glance the topic of career development was not evident to participants, the statement “Feeling lost in your career?” helped clarify the message. That said, a few participants felt that the message is not specific enough to be actionable or inspire change.

“Le message c’est d’offrir des ressources et de l’aide à des jeunes qui ne savent pas où ils vont plus tard, des jeunes du secondaire ou du CEGEP.” (The message is to offer resources and help to young people who do not know where they are going later, young people in high school or CEGEP.) – Youth

“[Les message c’est] si on veut changer de carrière, il y a des ressources, on est pas tout seul. Si on a un petit doute on peut nous aider.” (The message is if you want to change careers, there are resources, you are not alone. If we have doubts, they can help us.) – Adult

“Reshape your tomorrow – it feels idealistic, but vague. I would much rather have the “programs, resources and financial support” bigger.” – Youth

“Reshape Your Tomorrow – redefine or reimagine yourself. You want to change yourself for something better.” – Adult

The tagline, “Reshape Your Tomorrow” inspired some, while it was considered generic and overused by others. While some felt that the tagline would grab their attention and make them reflect on their own future, others felt that it is not providing the appropriate context to support the campaign message of professional development. For those participants, the statement is vague, overused and not meaningful. Likewise, where a few appreciated the question statement “Feeling lost in your career?” for being thought-provoking, others felt that it sounded generic and lacked clarity in its intention. A few in the English adult sessions did not like starting with a negative line like this.

“The tagline is positive, but it gets lost in the colour and image effects.” – Adult

Target Audience

The concept is considered as targeting people who are looking to switch careers, rather than those who wish to advance professionally. The idea of “reshaping” one’s future, or “finding your way forward” suggested a change of career rather than professional growth in the same industry.

In the two youth English sessions, there were several mentions that the social media concept reminded them of other university ads they had seen because the colour scheme used.

“I get a lot of university ads and the colour scheme is very similar.” – Youth

“Ça s’adresse aux gens qui veulent changer d’emploi. Les 30-40 ans. Ça représente ma réalité parce que je suis en phase de changer de carrière.” (It's for people who want to change jobs. Those who are 30 to 40 year old. It represents my reality because I'm in the process of changing careers.) – Adult

“It seems very generic – like a poster you would see in a high school guidance counsellor’s office.” – Youth

Overall Design

From a design standpoint, some liked the vibrant colour and positive tone, while others felt that the image is too generic. The use of bright, bold colours was felt to be visually attractive by some, who also liked the original use of the triangular graphic in the image. There were mixed reactions to the woman shown in the adult version of this concept with some feeling her looking up in the distance suggested that she is looking towards her future in a confident manner conveyed a sense of hope and inspiration. In other cases, the impression was that she was looking lost and vague, which negatively reinforced the line; “feeling lost in your career.” On the other hand, some people felt that the image is too generic to capture their attention or communicate the message, and that even with the tagline, it does not clearly convey the theme of career development. In addition, some felt that the image is cold, corporate-looking and only suggestive of white-collar or professional careers.

“Les couleurs me frappent, elles sont très vives. C’est une femme mature comme moi. Repensez votre avenir, c’est justement ce que je suis en train de faire lors des deux prochaines années. Et le foncé pour programmes, ressources et aide financière c’est foncé donc ça ressort et c’est ce que j’ai besoin.” (The colors strike me - they are very bright. She is a mature woman like me. Rethink your future, that's exactly what I'm doing for the next two years. And the dark one for programs, resources and financial aid is dark so it comes out and that's what I need.) – Adult

“J’aime bien l’agencement de couleurs et le triangle et le fait qu’il y ait un dégradé de couleur; ça attire mon attention.” (I like the color scheme and the triangle and the fact that there is a color gradient; it catches my attention.) – Adult

“C’est très froid comme approche. Si j’ai besoin d’un changement de carrière, je le ferais pour le bonheur mais l’image ne promet pas ça.” (It's very cold as an approach. If I need a career change, I would do it for happiness and the image doesn't promise that.) – Adult

“Graphiquement c’est une palette graphique un peu désuète et le message central, repensez votre avenir, c’est trop flou.” (Graphically it's a somewhat outdated graphic palette and the central message, rethink your future, it's too vague.) – Adult

“The graphic design is very dated and this could not be more vague. There is information that is not at all alluded to – what is the age range, what is being offered. It seems very low effort.” – Youth

Expectations of the Website Content

For the most part, participants were under the impression that information, resources and financial support would be available on the website, related to a change of career. However, this was the only concept that included “Programs” with resources and financial support and so in some of the English adult sessions there was an expectation of finding information about programs as well. However, in general, website content expectations were similar no matter which concept delivered you to the website.

“This is a little bit different; it says programs, resources and financial support…might be a program.” – Adult

Concept C: Employee of the Future

Although eliciting diverse reactions, this concept performed the weakest for being too generic and vague, and offered little to capture attention.

Overall Reaction

This concept was least appealing overall for its lack of message clarity and its generic design. It lacked appeal for being too generic in design and for its message not adequately conveying the topic of professional development in an inspirational manner.

“It has a positive message that is being communicated, but it is not attention-grabbing.” – Youth

“Neutral – I don’t think I would remember the image – it is not memorable.” – Youth

Message Clarity and Tagline

While the message spoke of people being empowered to change their career path with support from the government, the manner in which it is communicated is not inspirational. The message implies that people have the power to change their career path if they are unhappy and that there are opportunities available to them, but it is delivered in a manner that not felt to be inspirational.

The paragraph above the image was felt to be generic and lack meaning. Statements like “the future is here / l’avenir est devant vous” and “rise to meet it / tendez-lui la main” were felt to be both generic and not informing or clarifying what the campaign is trying to communicate. Likewise, the statement “take advantage of resources and financial support to build your skills / profitez d’aide financière et de ressources pour developer vos compétences” does not clearly identify professional development as the concept’s topic, and participants felt that it could be applicable to other topics such as post-secondary education, or student loans.

“Pour le texte en haut, ça m’a plus ou moins accroché. J’aurais aimé plus de chiffres ou d’information précise. L’avenir est devant vous, euh ok. Et puis après?” (For the text at the top, it more or less grabbed my attention. I would have liked more numbers or specific information. The future is ahead of you, uh ok. So what?) – Youth

Mixed opinions were expressed regarding the tagline, “Own Your Future / Prenez votre avenir en main”. While some felt the statement is clear, concise, empowering and inspirational, others felt it is too generic and overused. French-speaking youth mentioned that this is something their parents might say to address their teens’ irresponsible behaviours, and thus it was not necessarily seen in a positive manner.

“C’est rassurant de savoir qu’on peut maitriser notre avenir. C’est pour ça que je trouve le slogan accrocheur.” (It's reassuring to know that we can control our future. That's why I find the slogan catchy.) – Youth

Target Audience

The target audience is unclear. While the image suggested to most that the concept could appeal to everyone, French-speaking youth mentioned that the image shows a youth that is likely graduating from high school or CEGEP – likely in the 17-25 years of age range - and is looking to embrace future career opportunities. That said, the statement “advance our career / faites advancer votre carrière” is more appropriate to someone who has already embarked on a career path and wishes to advance it to the next level, rather than someone younger who is starting their career. Young adults in the English sessions also commented that they are often asked about their future and felt because of this, the concept was directed at them.

“L’image n’est pas accrocheuse. La personne a l’air plus au CEGEP et à cet âge-là, on ne se réoriente pas.” (The image is not eye-catching. The person looks more at CEGEP and at that age, we do not reorient ourselves.) – Youth

“Selon moi ça vise les plus jeunes entre 17 et 25 ans et j’ai l’impression que ça offre de les aider à considérer des choix de carrières différents.” (In my opinion, it's aimed at the youngest between the ages of 17 and 25 and I feel like it offers to help them consider different career choices.) – Youth

“The wording of “Own Your Future” seems like it is directed younger…it is a word for a younger crowd.” Youth

“I agree that it is directed at me – high school students or people trying to change their jobs.” Youth

Overall Design

From a graphic standpoint, the image is considered generic and not inspirational, although the colours grab attention. While the colours were considered by some as cheerful and grabbing attention, others felt that the design is generic and the image does not convey anything meaningful about professional development. In addition, youth felt that when glancing quickly at the image and the tagline (which they would do on social media), the concept looked like an ad for the music streaming service Spotify (because of the angle of the photography, the youth dancing, the lines and the colours), or promoting a post-secondary institution, or for student loans, or it evens resembled an ad for cellular service.

“À première vue j’ai trouvé l’image colorée et c’est accrocheur. Souvent on regarde les images plus colorées.” (At first glance I found the image colorful and it's eye-catching. Often, we look at the more colorful images.) – Youth

“Dès que j’ai vu l’annonce, j’ai eu l’impression d’une annonce de musique Spotify; les lignes, les couleurs, le mouvement, le fait qu’il a l’air de danser. Le jeune homme a l’air jeune. Le deuxième réflexe était de me dire que c’était une pub qui visait la promotion des programmes universitaires.” (As soon as I saw the ad, I felt like a Spotify music ad; the lines, the colors, the movement, the fact that he looks like he's dancing. The young man looks young. The second reflex was to tell me that it was an advertisement that aimed to promote university programs.) – Youth

Expectations of the Website Content

As with the other concepts, participants would expect to find information about the programs and financial incentives to help people be prepared for a career of their choice. It was felt that the website would provide access to financial assistance such as student loans and information on specialized training needed for certain careers or professions. Given the confusion caused by the social media ad, a few participants felt that the website would reflect this lack of clarity and cohesion, and be difficult to navigate.

“Je m’attend à arriver sur une page gouvernementale avec énormément de texte et qui ne va peut-être pas être claire puisque la pub n’est pas très claire, et il n’y aurait pas énormément de détail. Je vais devoir lire pas mal d’information pour trouver ce que je veux.” (I expect to arrive on a government page with a lot of text and that may not be clear since the ad is not very clear, and there would not be a lot of detail. I'm going to have to read a lot of information to find what I want.) – Youth

“It says advance your career – I would hope to see the resources and financial support, but it is a bit more vague.” – Adult

“Expect like workshops – improving your skill set for what you plan to go into and courses to help you decide which way you want to go.” – Youth

Funding and Resources Available Line

The addition of the line “Funding and Resources Available” is key to encourage click-through to the website, but considered redundant when other similar information is included.

For the first concept shown in each group, an alternate version with the line “Funding and Resources Available” was shown and participants were asked if it helped in any way or was unnecessary.

There were mixed reactions with some feeling it was redundant and others finding the addition helpful. The reaction seemed to vary with what was already included in bold in the concept. Concept A already said “Find resources and financial support” and Concept B said “Programs, resources and financial support,” but Concept C said “Advance your career.” In the latter case, the addition of the line seemed helpful. However, it likely does not need to be said twice – just once and clearly.

[Referring to Concept B: Ready When You Are] “Ça rajoute quelque chose, de l’information mais dès le départ il y a beaucoup trop d’information qui veulent dire des choses différentes. On a du mal à suivre c’est quoi le message là-dedans. Il y a trop de texte.” (It adds something, information but from the beginning there is too much information that means different things. It's hard to follow what the message is in there. There is too much text.) – Adult

[Referring to Concept C: Employee of the Future] “Ça aurait dû être mis en avant plutôt que ‘prenez votre avenir en main’. C’est comme si elle était cachée sous le bras de l’étudiant. C’est une information importante et cette offre m’incite à continuer la recherche.” (It should have been put forward rather than 'take your future into your own hands'. It is as if it is hidden under the student's arm. This is important information and this offer encourages me to continue the research.) – Youth

“It is helpful. It indicates if you decide to advance your career there is help available.” – Youth

“More likely to click on it – shows they are willing to help people.” – Youth

“I think it makes it more tempting to click as it implies that some training might be paid – funding sounds great and sounds like there is an investment in my potential and growth.” – Youth

Website Concept Review

Both website concepts were well received and both would serve their intended purpose. However, website Concept 1 with its listing of links at the bottom of the landing page was chosen more frequently as the preferred option.

Participants were shown three (group 1 only) or two (all other groups) concepts for a website and asked to briefly comment on the overall layout of the landing page, based on still images, and the perceived website functionality. The following provides an overview of the reactions to each of the two concepts that were examined in all of the focus groups.

Website Concept 1: Reshape Your Tomorrow

This concept page featured a quadrant of images for sections and the tools and resources were listed out at the bottom of the homepage, below the quadrant of images, with more information displayed about each. The landing page includes comprehensive information about section contents under the tools and resources section.

The landing page’s comprehensive content appealed to those who do not like to search for information of interest. Having the links divided between the summarized quadrants and the more detailed list underneath was appealing to those who dislike having to search a website for information. Many indicated that they would likely look for information of interest listed in the Tools, Resources and Support section, rather than looking at the quadrant of images. While some liked having the short description statement underneath each menu item in the quadrant of images, others would not take the time to read them. Overall, the presence of images makes the site visually attractive, and they are considered of value if their content illustrates the section topic.

“Mais ça fait beaucoup à l’œil et on ne sait pas trop où regarder. Les titres et les phrases c’est beaucoup. La section ‘outils et ressources’, honnêtement je n’irais pas jusqu’en bas, c’est trop petit, pas clair, ça manque de visibilité.”
(But it's a lot to the eye and we don't really know where to look. Titles and sentences are a lot. The 'tools and resources' section, honestly I wouldn't go all the way to the bottom, it's too small, not clear, it lacks visibility.) – Youth

“De façon générale, j’aime bien pouvoir naviguer en arrivant sur une image et de pouvoir dérouler et de voir des images avec des grands titres. Tu fais un ‘scroll down’ pour aller chercher l’information requise. Des fois, je ne trouve pas ce que je cherche sur les grands titres. C’est plus facile de voir les choses sur une même page.” (Generally speaking, I like being able to navigate when I arrive at an image and to be able to scroll down and see images with big titles. You scroll down to get the required information. Sometimes I can't find what I'm looking for in the headlines. It's easier to see things on the same page.) – Adult

“J’ai aimé cette façon d’organiser l’information. Chaque chose importante est mise dans une case et la description nous dit exactement ce qu’on peut trouver sous chacun des onglets. J’aime aussi les outils, ce qui est détaillé. Ici l’information nous est donnée rapidement et dans un coup d’œil.” (I liked this way of organizing information. Every important thing is put in a box and the description tells us exactly what can be found under each of the tabs. I also like the tools, which is detailed. Here the information is given to us quickly and at a glance.) – Youth

Website Concept 2: Own Your Future

This concept page featured a couple quadrants of images for sections; and the tools and resources are found in drop-down menus below those quadrants. Overall, there is minimal text unless the user clicks on the drop-down menus or move elsewhere on the site.

While some appreciated the streamlined and visually uncluttered look, others felt that there lacks sufficient information to guide their search. While the streamlined look featured on this landing page was felt to be visually pleasing to some, it did not provide the overview of site links or topics required to assist others with an efficient site navigation.

“Pour ma part, quand j’arrive sur un site et qu’il y a trop de texte j’ai tendance à ne pas vouloir lire. Je suis plus attiré par le visuel, les photos, les vidéos. D’avoir des photos et que ce soit séparé par ‘aide financière’ et ‘outils’, ça ne fait pas surchargé. C’est clair simple, efficace.” (For my part, when I arrive on a site and there is too much text I tend not to want to read. I am more attracted to the visual, the photos, the videos. To have photos and that it is separated by 'financial aid' and 'tools', it does not overload. It's clearly simple, effective.) – Youth

“Cette version me demande plus d’effort de recherche. Personnellement, quand je navigue celle-ci j’aurais plus de facilité à me perdre avec les onglets plutôt qu’avec chaque image et les sous-titres.” (This version requires more research effort. Personally, when I browse this one I would have an easier time getting lost with the tabs rather than with each image and subtitles.) – Adult

Website Menu Labels

Participants were asked to assess whether menu labels were sufficiently meaningful to provide an indication of what information would be found in those sections of the website. For both concepts, the main menu labels were generally considered appropriate. The following provides overall reactions to each menu label, notably in terms of expectations of section content:

· Skills for Success / Compétences pour réussir: The section would provide a description of the skills required for different types of work or career, self-assessment questionnaires, a list of what education or competences are required for various career paths.

· Education & Training / Éducation et formation: This section was felt to identify which education path or program could receive financial assistance.

· Youth Work Experience Programs / Programmes d’expérience de travail pour les jeunes: This title was clearly identifying the various government employment programs available to students, such as coop placement or government-sponsored youth employment programs.

· Discover Your Ideal Career Path / À la découverte de votre parcours professionnel idéal: This title was felt to be less clear than the others, although it was believed that the section would provide a list of employment opportunities, self-assessment questionnaires to reorient a career or identify individual strengths and interests.

· Job Search Tools / Outils pour la recherche d’eploi: This section was understood as including information or advice on how to improve your skills, as well as what assistance is available to find employment.

· Financial Support / Aide financière: This section was felt to include financial aid or incentive program information.

Preferred Concepts

The concept “Your Growing Collage” was preferred for eliciting positive emotions, supported by a preference for the tagline “Let What Drives You, Drive Your Career / Laissez vos aspirations vous guider vers une carrière passionnante”. The website concept 1 (based on the “Ready When You Are” concept) was preferred.

Following the discussion of each of the three concepts, participants were asked to choose which one they preferred, in addition to identifying which of the three taglines they liked, regardless of their preferred concept. Following the discussion of website landing pages, participants were also asked to choose which of the two options they preferred. The following provides an overview of those choices.

Preferred Concept

Both Concept A “Your Growing Collage” and B “Ready When You Are” were most preferred across groups, with Concept A being slightly ahead. Concept A was most appreciated for its focus on improving existing skills, implying that a career choice can be stimulating when it is based on personal interests, and for illustrating a diversity of career options. Overall, the concept was often considered inspirational. The appeal of Concept B lied with its simple design, bright colours, and the women’s facial expression and the tagline which is both inspiring, hopeful and positive in tone. Preferences are consistent between adult and youth audiences. Across languages, English-speaking participants expressed equal preference for Concept A and B, while the opinions of French-speaking participants were more divided across all three concepts.

[Concept A] “Elle a l’air d’aller dans la bonne direction … laisser vos aspirations, le slogan est parfait. L’image c’est comme un collage de pleins d’affaires.” (She seems to be going in the right direction... leave your aspirations, the slogan is perfect. The image is like a collage of lots of business.) – Youth

[Concept B] “L’image de la fille m’accroche plus; elle a l’air bien. L’image fait penser à l’étude et est décontractée.” (The image of the girl grabbed my attention more; she looks good. The image is reminiscent of study and is casual.) – Young Adult

Preferred Tagline

The tagline, “Let What Drives You, Drive Your Career / Laissez vos aspirations vous guider vers une carrière passionnante” was preferred across groups. English-speaking participants, notably youth, expressed a clear preference for this tagline, for implying that an interesting career is achievable.

This tagline was also the preferred choice among French-speaking participants for suggesting that a career can be exciting, although the tagline “Repensez votre avenir” was a close second for being short, precise and implying future possibilities.

[Laissez vos aspirations vous guider vers une carrière passionnante] “C’est le premier mot de chaque phrase qui m’a fait décider. ‘Laissez’, c’est plus à notre guise, notre décision. ‘Prenez’ et ‘repensez’, je trouve que ça fait plus comme un ordre.” – Youth

[Repensez votre avenir] “Je suis présentement en changement de carrière et ça m’interpelle. Je repense l’avenir pour me diriger ailleurs.” (I am currently changing careers and it challenges me. I'm rethinking the future to go somewhere else.) – Adult

Preferred Statement

All of the three statements are considered as adequately reflecting what information and resources are found on the website, although “Program, Resources & Financial Support / Programmes, ressources & aide financière” was felt to be a little more comprehensive. After seeing the website landing page concepts, participants were asked to choose which of three statements (Find Resources & Financial Support/Resources & aide financière à découvrir; Programs, Resources & Financial Support/Programmes, ressources & aide financière; and Financial Support & Resources/Aide financière et ressources) is best to broadly describe what could be found on the website. For the most part, any of the three statements would work, although “Programs, Resources & Financial Support / Programmes, ressources & aide financière” was slightly preferred.

Preferred Website Concept

The comprehensive website landing page layout (based on the “Ready When You Are” concept) is the clear preference. The ability to quickly identify areas of interest on the website from a detailed list of topics presented on the landing page held appeal despite the more visually-cluttered layout. In fact, this website concept was preferred by twice as many people as the other website concept, and it was the clear preference across audiences and language. It was also the preferred option across locations, with the exception of the Ontario sessions where opinions were more divided.

[Concept 1] “Direct en rentrant on a des images et par la suite beaucoup d’information directement sur la page. On n’a pas besoin d’aller chercher ailleurs.”(Immediately when we get there, we have images and then a lot of information directly on the page. We don't need to look anywhere else.) – Adult

Conclusions and Direction

The following provides conclusions resulting from the analysis of focus group discussions, along with key recommendations.

In spite of some mixed reactions, the concept “Your Growing Collage” performed well for being more memorable and motivating and particularly for young adults, being more inspirational.

This concept was felt to more strongly communicate the idea of professional development and that a career can align with personal interests and that a professional reorientation is possible. The English tagline “Let What Drives You Drive Your Career” suggests that a career can be based on a personal interest. The French tagline “Laissez vos aspirations vous guider vers une carrière passionnante” was felt to be engaging and inspirational.

While the target audience could be anyone, the visual and the tagline pointed to post-secondary students who are still exploring their options, and those looking to determine their career path. A caution is noted for the image(s) used to convey the interests of the individual. In the adult groups, there was a strong association with music, which was not necessarily seen as a strong career choice by all participants and in the youth sessions, the image created an association with school work. As such, while the visual was only somewhat meaningful in communicating the message, it should be slightly edited to make a stronger connection to professional development and to express different interests while avoiding confusion by showing what might be seen as school curriculum activities or too strong an association with one interest (as in the case of music).

The “Ready When You Are” concept elicited mixed reactions, notably in terms of its design, personal relevance and message clarity.

While there were participants who chose each of the three concepts, this concept was not as strong as the previous concept, mainly because it was seen as too generic and vague and offered little to capture attention. Others, however, liked its bright colours and simple design. It was not that the concept generated a lot of negatives, it was just more of a neutral reaction overall. The concept message was felt to be that if you want to change career path, there are resources available to help. Further, the tagline, “Reshape Your Tomorrow” inspired some, while it was considered generic and overused by others. The concept was considered as targeting people who are looking to switch careers, rather than those who wish to advance professionally.

Although eliciting diverse reactions, the “Employee of the Future” concept performed the weakest for being too generic and vague, and offered little to capture attention.

Overall, this concept was least appealing for not strongly conveying the topic of professional development and for its generic design. While the message spoke of people being empowered to change their career path with support from the government, the manner in which it is communicated was not felt to be inspirational. Mixed opinions were expressed regarding the tagline, “Own Your Future / Prenez votre avenir en main”, with some finding that the statement is clear, concise, empowering and inspirational, while others felt it is too generic and overused. Given the lack of personal appeal and little direction or clues provided in the concept, the target audience is unclear. From a graphic standpoint, the image is considered generic and not inspirational, although the colours grab attention.

The image and the tagline play an important role in quickly communicating the message and engaging the audience on social media, and should clearly convey the campaign’s intention.

A number of elements were considered important considerations regardless of which concept is further developed. Given the relatively short time that social media advertisements have to capture attention, the final concept would perform better with the inclusion of a meaningful visual and tagline that clearly identify the topic of career development. Prominently featuring the Canada wordmark adds credibility, while greater focus on the Learn More icon would strengthen the call to action. Further, the visual used should feature diversity in people and type of work to be more personally relevant, and ideally, provide more meaningful context in the image by showing people taking steps to reorient their career or at least, showing them in a professional environment.

Clarity is needed in identifying on the social media ads who is eligible for programs, resources and financial assistance.

Although the individuals featured in the visuals provide some clues as to the target audiences, it was generally felt that any of the three concepts needed to be more specific as to who is eligible for government assistance. This was felt to be most important to avoid creating false expectations, and resulting disappointments that would affect the campaign’s credibility if a person finds out they are not eligible only once on the website. This could be done by identifying an age range or education level that would qualify, or perhaps types of work. An alternative to doing so would be to ensure that eligibility can be quickly assessed on the website landing page before too much time is spent investigating the information online.

The addition of the line “Funding and Resources Available” is key to encourage click-through to the website, but considered redundant when other similar information is included.

The addition of the line “Funding and Resources Available” is helpful when no other highlighted information is included on the social media ad, but considered redundant when there was already a similar line in the concept. However, it is a key piece of information that encourages interested viewers to click through to the website, and as such, it should be prominently featured.

Although all three statements shown to reference what can be found on the website were considered adequate, there was a slight preference for the qualifier “Programs, Resources & Financial Support / Programmes, ressources & aide financière”.

Incorporating this statement in the final social media publication, to reflect what type of information can be found on the website was considered useful. While all three statements proposed are considered as effectively reflecting what information can be found on the website, the version “Programs, Resources & Financial Support / Programmes, ressources & aide financière” was felt to be a little more comprehensive.

Of the concepts and taglines examined, the “Your Growing Collage” concept and the “Let What Drives You, Drive Your Career / Laissez vos aspirations vous guider vers une carrière passionnante” tagline were preferred.

When comparing the three concepts reviewed, both concepts “Your Growing Collage” and “Ready When You Are” were preferred across groups, with “Your Growing Collage” being slightly ahead for its focus on improving existing skills and implying that a career choice can be stimulating when it is based on personal interests. Preferences are consistent between adult and youth audiences. Across languages, English-speaking participants expressed equal preference for both of these concepts, while the opinions of French-speaking participants were more divided across all three concepts.

Further, the tagline “Let What Drives You, Drive Your Career / Laissez vos aspirations vous guider vers une carrière passionnante” was the clear preference, regardless of the concept choice. Although it was considered a little long, this tagline was preferred for its reference to career development and for suggesting that work can be something that is enjoyable.

With this in mind, ESDC should consider further developing the concept “Your Growing Collage” with its current tagline, with some modifications:

· Edit the visual to make a stronger connection to professional development and while referring to various interest, avoid confusion with school curriculum activities and too strong a focus on one type of interest.

· Incorporate diversity in people and type of work across campaign components to increase the personal appeal and relevance of the message.

· Feature either the statement “Funding and Resources Available” or “Find Resources & Financial Support” more prominently, though not both statements.

· More clearly identify who may qualify for government assistance.

· Give more prominence to the Government wordmark and the Learn More icon.

Both website concepts were well received and both would serve their intended purpose. However, website Concept 1 with its listing of links at the bottom of the landing page was chosen more frequently as the preferred option.

Findings suggest that while both website concepts elicited positive reactions and each was preferred for different reasons, the comprehensive website landing page layout (website concept 1 based on the “Ready When You Are” concept) should be considered for further development. The provision of detailed information on this landing page was considered as an important consideration to facilitate website navigation. Nonetheless, those who preferred the more condensed website landing page (website Concept 2 based on the “Own Your Future” concept) liked its visual simplicity and the ability to quickly identify broad topics prior to delving deeper into the website content.

Regardless of the concept preference, the menu labels were considered clear and meaningful, perhaps with the exception of the “Discover Your Ideal Career Path / À la découverte de votre parcours professionnel idéal” which was felt to be a little broad, though still associated with tools and resources to identify the best career path.

Appendix A: Recruitment Screener

ESDC: Jobs & Skills Advertising Campaign Creative Testing Study Recruitment Screener – FINAL

Name:_______________________________________________________________________

Home phone: ______________ Work phone:_________________ Cell: __________________

Email: ________________________________________________________________________

Community: ______________________________ Province: ___________________________

Section 1: Schedule & Specifications

NETFOCUS GROUP SCHEDULE

Date (2022)	Group	AST	EST	Local Time	Audience	Language	Moderator
Tues. Feb 22	1	5:30PM	4:30PM	6:00 pm/5:30PM	Atlantic: Adults 35-54 (NL, NS, NB, PE)	EN	CP
	2	8:00PM	7:00PM	6:00PM/5:00PM/4:00PM	Prairies/West: Youth 18-24 (MB, SK, AB, BC)	EN	CP
Wed. Feb 23	3	6:00PM	5:00PM	5:00PM	Ontario: Adults 35-54	EN	Craig
	4	6:00PM	5:00PM	5:00PM	Quebec: Adults 35-54	FR	CP
	5	8:00PM	7:00PM	7:00PM	Quebec: Youth 18-24	FR	CP
	6	8:00PM	7:00PM	6:00PM/5:00PM/4:00PM	Prairies/West: Adults 35-54 (MB, SK, AB, BC)	EN	Craig
Thu. Feb 24	7	5:00PM	4:00PM	5:30PM/5:00PM	Atlantic: Youth 18-24 (NL, NS, NB, PE)	EN	Craig
	8	7:00PM	6:00PM	6:00PM	Ontario: Youth 18-24	EN	Craig

Specification Summary

· Eight (8) online focus groups in total:

o Six (6) English groups – two in each of the following regions:

§ Eastern (Atlantic Canada: NL, NB, NS, PE):

§ Ontario:

§ Prairies/West (MB, SK, AB, BC):

o Two (2) French groups in Quebec

· In each market, one group with youth 18-24 years old starting to work for the first time or looking to improve their current career (codes 1-4 in P8); and one group with adults 35-54 years old looking to change career or improve their current career (codes 1-3 in P8)

· Mix of ages (within range) (P5), genders (P9), household income (P11), education (P10), employment status (P6) and ethnicity (P12)

· Mix of locations and urban/rural in each group (P2, P3)

· Lived in Canada for at least 2 years (P4)

· Incentive: $100 per participant

· Access to desktop, laptop, or computer tablet. No smartphone use permitted for online access.

· 10 recruited per group

· Group discussion lasts about 90 minutes

· Exclude sensitive occupations (P1, P7)

RECRUITER NOTE - WHEN TERMINATING AN INTERVIEW, SAY: “Thank you very much for your cooperation. We are unable to invite you to participate because we have enough participants who have a similar profile to yours.”

RECRUITER NOTE: If a respondent wishes to verify the validity of the study, please contact:

Narrative Research: 888-414-1336; focusgroups@narrativeresearch.ca

NOTE THAT THROUGHOUT THE SCREENER, INSTRUCTIONS APPEAR BELOW EACH QUESTION

Section G: General Information

Hello, my name is _______________ and I am calling on behalf of Narrative Research, a national market research company. Let me assure you that we are not trying to sell you anything. As part of a research project that we are conducting on behalf of the Government of Canada, we are looking for people aged 18-54 to take part in a small online group discussion the week of <INSERT DATE>. Those who qualify and take part in the focus group will receive a $100 financial incentive. Is this something you might be interested in?

Yes...................................................... 1

No....................................................... 2 THANK & TERMINATE

Do you prefer to continue in English or French? / Préférez-vous continuer en français ou anglais?

RECRUITER NOTE - FOR ENGLISH GROUPS, IF PARTICIPANT WOULD PREFER TO CONTINUE IN FRENCH, PLEASE RESPOND WITH: « Malheureusement, nous recherchons des gens qui parlent anglais pour participer à ces groupes de discussion. »

« Nous vous remercions de votre intérêt. » OR « Désirez-vous que l’on communique avec vous à nouveau afin de vous inviter à participer à un groupe de discussion en français? »

The purpose of this group discussion is to hear people’s views on advertising materials currently being developed. Participation in this research is voluntary and completely anonymous and confidential. No attempt will be made to sell you anything or change your point of view. The format of the focus group is an informal online small group discussion led by a professional moderator. May I ask you a few quick questions to see if you have the profile we are looking? This should take about 6 or 7 minutes.

Yes...................................................... 1

No....................................................... 2

IF NO, THANK & TERMINATE

Section P: Profiling Questions

To begin, do you or any member of your household currently work in or has retired from…? [READ LIST – ROTATE ORDER]

Marketing/Market Research............................................. 1

Public relations.................................................................. 2

Advertising......................................................................... 3

Media (TV, Radio, Newspaper).......................................... 4

Graphic Design................................................................... 5

A political party.................................................................. 6

Federal or provincial government..................................... 7

P1 INSTRUCTIONS: If yes to any of the above, thank & terminate

[ASK FOR ATLANTIC AND WEST/PRAIRIES ONLY – GROUPS 1, 2, 6, 7] In which province do you currently live?

Record name of province: ______________________

P2 INSTRUCTIONS: Recruit equal mix of provinces in each region

In which city, town or village do you currently live?

Record name of city/town/village: ______________________

P3 INSTRUCTIONS: Mix of urban & rural within region; mix of locations in each region

How long have you lived in Canada? [RECORD # of Years: _________]

Less than 2 years............................... 1

At least 2 years or more.................... 2

P4 INSTRUCTIONS: Thank & Terminate if less than 2 years

Into which age group are you? [READ RESPONSES IN ORDER]

Less than 18....................................... 1

18-20.................................................. 2

21-24.................................................. 3

25-34.................................................. 4

35-44.................................................. 5

45-54.................................................. 6

55 or older......................................... 7

P5 INSTRUCTIONS: If LESS THAN 18 (code 1), thank & terminate. If 18-24, consider for YOUTH Groups 2, 5, 7, 8. Recruit 5 for each of codes 2 & 3 in each YOUTH group. If 35-54, consider for ADULT Groups 1, 3, 4, 6. Recruit 3-4 for each of codes 4, 5, 6 in each ADULT group.

What is your current employment status?

Working full-time (at least 30 hours per week).................................................................... 1

Working part-time (less than 30 hours per week)................................................................ 2

Self-employed........................................................................................................................ 3

Unemployed, but looking for work........................................................................................ 4

Not in the workforce, and not looking for work (e.g., full-time homemaker)...................... 5

Retired................................................................................................................................... 6

Student attending school full-time....................................................................................... 7

Other (Specify: _____)........................................................................................................... 8

Prefer not to say.................................................................................................................... 9

P6 INSTRUCTIONS: If NOT IN WORKFORCE (code 5), RETIRED (code 6), or PREFER NOT TO SAY (code 9), thank & terminate; If WORKING OR SELF-EMPLOYED (codes 1, 2, 3), continue to P7; If STUDENTS (code 7) OR UNEMPLOYED LOOKING FOR WORK (code 4), skip to P8. If OTHER (code 8), verify with supervisor.

In what sector do you work and what is your current occupation?

Sector: ____________________________________

Occupation: ________________________________

P7 INSTRUCTIONS: Thank & Terminate if similar occupations as in P1

Choose the statements that apply to your situation: [ACCEPT MULTIPLE RESPONSES]

I am currently doing job/career training to gain new skills to advance in or

move out of my current job/career.................................................................................... 1

In the past 2 years, I have done job/career related training to get a new job/career....... 2

I am currently looking to change jobs/careers................................................................... 3

In the next five years, I plan to or may consider changing jobs/careers............................ 4

[ASK 18-24 YEARS OLD ONLY] I am entering the workforce for the first time.................. 5

None of the above situations apply to me right now.......................................................... 6

P8 INSTRUCTIONS: If NONE (code 6), thank & terminate. Max 5 per group who answer code 1 or 2

Are you…?

Male................................................... 1

Female............................................... 2

Gender diverse.................................. 3

Prefer not to say................................ 4

P9 INSTRUCTIONS: Recruit mix of code 1 & 2 in each group; accept codes 3 & 4

What is the highest level of education that you have completed?

Some high school or less........................................ 1

Completed high school........................................... 2

Some CEGEP/college/university............................. 3

Completed CEGEP/college/university.................... 4

Postgraduate studies above bachelor’s level......... 5

Prefer not to say..................................................... 8

P10 INSTRUCTIONS: Recruit mix in each group

What was your household’s total income last year? That is, the total income of all persons in your household combined, before taxes?

Under $20,000................................... 1

$20,000 to under $40,000................. 2

$40,000 to under $60,000................. 3

$60,000 to under $80,000................. 4

$80,000 to under $100,000............... 5

$100,000 to under $150,000............. 6

$150,000 or more.............................. 7

Prefer not to say................................ 8

P11 INSTRUCTIONS: Show list in order; Recruit mix in each group

To make sure that we speak to a diversity of people, could you tell me what is your ethnic background?

White/European (for example, German, Irish, English, Italian, French, Polish, etc.)........ 1

Hispanic, Latino, Spanish (for example, Mexican, Cuban, Salvadoran, Columbian, etc.).. 2

Black or African Canadian (for example, African Canadian, Jamaican, Haitian, Nigerian,

Ethiopian, etc.) .................................................................................................................. 3

East Asian (for example, Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean, etc.).............................. 4

South Asian (for example, East Indian, Pakistani, etc.) .................................................... 5

Middle Eastern or North African (for example, Lebanese, Iranian, Syrian, Moroccan,

Algerian, etc.)..................................................................................................................... 6

Indigenous (e.g. First Nations, Métis, Inuit)....................................................................... 7

Other (Specify: ___)............................................................................................................ 8

Unsure/Prefer not to say ................................................................................................... 9

P12 INSTRUCTIONS: Multiple responses allowed. Recruit mix

Section N: Netfocus Questions

The discussion groups for this project will be conducted over the phone and online simultaneously and will require the use of a laptop, desktop computer or computer tablet to login to a website and a telephone line (landline or cell phone) to join a conference call for the duration of the focus group session. Note that you can use a smart phone to join the conference call but not to login on the web meeting, as the screen size is too small to see the material that will be shared with participants.

NF1. Do you have access to a laptop, desktop computer or a large computer tablet with high-speed Internet to take part in this focus group?

Yes........................................................................... 1

No............................................................................ 2

NF1 INSTRUCTIONS: If no, thank & terminate

NF2. Once you are online for the session you will also be required to join a separate telephone conference call to be connected to the discussion with the rest of the group. You will need to use a telephone line and NOT your computer audio. Will you have access to a dedicated telephone (either landline or cellular) located near your computer to join the conference call? Note that you will not incur long-distance charges.

Yes ..................................................... 1

No....................................................... 2

NF2 INSTRUCTIONS: If no, thank & terminate

NF3. You will need to be in a place that is quiet and free of distractions for the duration of the session. This includes ensuring you can be on your own, without pets or other people nearby and in a quiet room. You will not be able to take part in the focus group from an outdoor area, a vehicle, or a public place, as these locations are too noisy. Are you able to secure a quiet and private environment without distractions or noises for the duration of the focus group session?

Yes ..................................................... 1

No....................................................... 2

NF3 INSTRUCTIONS: If no, thank & terminate

INSTRUCTIONS FOR NF1-NF3 THANK & TERMINATE: Based on your responses, we are unable to invite you to take part in this online focus group, as you do not meet the technical requirements. We thank you for your interest in this research.

Section R: Previous Focus Group Experience Questions

I just have a few more questions about your past participation in market research…

Have you ever attended a group discussion or interview for which you received a sum of money?

Yes...................................................... 1

No ...................................................... 2

Max 5 per group who answer YES, then continue; If NO, go to SECTION I: INVITATION

When was the last time you attended a group discussion or interview? _____________

How many groups or interviews have you attended in the past 5 years? ____________

What was the subject(s) of the focus group(s) or interview? __________________________

THANK AND TERMINATE IF THEY HAVE…

· been to 5 or more groups in the past 5 years (max 4 groups/interviews attended)

· attended a focus group in the past six months.

Section I: Invitation

NETFOCUS INVITE:

Based on your responses so far, we would like to invite you to participate in a small group discussion that will be conducted simultaneously over the telephone and online at <INSERT TIME> on <INSERT DATE>. The session will bring together 7 to 10 people and it will last between 90 minutes and 2 hours. The discussion will be about communications materials, including advertisements, currently being considered by the Government of Canada and you will receive $100 in appreciation for your time. To take part, you would simply log on to a secure website from your computer and at the same time join in a group discussion on the phone via conference call.

Are you available and interested in taking part in this focus group?

Yes...................................................... 1

No ...................................................... 2

I1 INSTRUCTIONS: If NO, thank & terminate

Are there any specific accessibility needs or accommodations we should consider for you to take part in this research project?

None........................................................................................................................ 1

ASL Interpretation................................................................................................... 2

CART Communication............................................................................................. 3

Other service/accommodation (Specify:___)......................................................... 4

I2 INSTRUCTIONS: If code 2-4, check with supervisor before confirming the recruit

The discussion in which you will be participating will be recorded for research purposes only. Be assured that your comments and responses are strictly confidential and that your name will not be included in the research report. Are you comfortable with the discussion being recorded?

Yes...................................................... 1

No ...................................................... 2

I3 INSTRUCTIONS: If NO, thank & terminate

There may also be employees from the organizations who is sponsoring the research/the Government of Canada, who will be listening in on the discussion. They will not be given the last names of participants. Are you comfortable with having observers?

Yes...................................................... 1

No ...................................................... 2

I4 INSTRUCTIONS: If NO, thank & terminate

The group discussion will be held [GROUPS 1-3, 6-8: in English] [GROUPS 4, 5: in French]. Participants may also be asked to read text, write responses and/or review images during the session. Are you able to take part in these activities [GROUPS 1-3, 6-8: in English] [GROUPS 4, 5: in French] on your own, without assistance?

Yes...................................................... 1

No....................................................... 2

I am unsure........................................ 8

I5 INSTRUCTIONS: If NO or UNSURE, thank & terminate

Could we please confirm the email address where we can send you the detailed instructions for logging in to the group?

Record email address (and verify): ________________________________________________.

We will send you the instructions by email at least 1 day in advance of the group. The group discussion will begin promptly at <TIME> and will end at <TIME>, lasting between 90 minutes and 2 hours. Please log in 15 minutes in advance to ensure that the session is not delayed. If you arrive late, we will not be able to include you in the discussion and you will not receive the financial incentive.

As mentioned, we will be pleased to provide everyone who participates with $100, provided by e-Transfer or cheque, as you’d prefer. It takes approximately 3 business days to receive an incentive by e-Transfer or approximately 2-3 weeks following your participation to receive an incentive by cheque.

Would you prefer to receive your incentive by e-Transfer or cheque?

e-Transfer.......................................... 1

Cheque............................................... 2

I6 INSTRUCTIONS: If E-TRANSFER, continue to I6; If CHEQUE, skip to I7

Could you please confirm the e-mail address where you would like the e-transfer sent after the focus groups, as well as the proper spelling of your name? note that the e-transfer password will be provided to you via email following the group.

RECORD EMAIL ADDRESS: ________________________

RECORD FIRST NAME: ___________________________

RECORD LAST NAME: ____________________________

Could I have the mailing address where you would like the cheque mailed after the focus groups, as well as the proper spelling of your name?

Mailing address:____________________________________________________________

City: _______________________________________________________________________

Province: ____________________________________Postal Code: _____________________

First name: ___________________ Last name: _____________________________________

As these are very small groups and with even one person missing, the overall success of the group may be affected, I would ask that once you have decided to attend that you make every effort to do so. If you are unable to take part in the study, please call_____ (collect) at ________, or email __________ as soon as possible so a replacement may be found. Please do not arrange for your own replacement.

So that we can call you to remind you about the focus group or contact you should there be any last-minute changes, can you please confirm your name and contact information for me?

First Name: ____________________________________________

Last Name: ____________________________________________

Email: ________________________________________________

Cell Phone: ____________________________________________

Home Phone: __________________________________________

Work Phone: ___________________________________________

I9 INSTRUCTIONS: Insert information already collected, for confirmation. If the respondent refuses to give his/her first or last name or phone number please assure them that this information will be kept strictly confidential in accordance with the privacy law and that it is used strictly to contact them to confirm their attendance and to inform them of any changes to the focus group. If they still refuse THANK & TERMINATE.

Thank you for your interest in our study. We look forward to hearing your thoughts and opinions!

Attention Recruiters

· Recruit 10 participants per group

· CHECK QUOTAS

· Ensure participant has a good speaking (overall responses) ability-If in doubt, DO NOT INVITE

· Do not put names on profile sheet unless you have a firm commitment.

· Repeat the date, time and verify email before hanging up.

Confirming – DAY BEFORE GROUP

1 Confirm in person with the participant the day prior to the group– do not leave a message unless necessary

2 Confirm all key qualifying questions

3 Confirm date and time

4 Confirm they have received the login instructions and completed the diagnostic test

Appendix B: Discussion Guide

Moderator’s Guide – Final

Employment and Social Development Canada – Jobs & Skills Campaign Testing

Research Objectives (Confidential – Do not read to participants)

· Gather feedback on three ideas for an advertising campaign and identify which one is most likely to resonate with its intended target audience and meet its objectives.

· Examine reactions to each concept to:

o Determine how well the main messages are understood and perceived;

o Determine whether the ad concepts grab people’s attention and what components (design, vocabulary, imagery, tone) are successful/not successful;

o Assess the clarity of the concepts;

o Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the ad concepts; and

o Generate other suggestions for improvements.

· Assess initial reactions to the layout, structure and functionality of website concepts landing page.

Introduction – 10 minutes

· [SLIDE 1] Welcome: Introduce self & role as moderator (keep us on topic and on time)

· Explain purpose – For the next 90 minutes, we are going to discuss your thoughts on advertising

· Introduce study sponsor: Government of Canada

· [SLIDE 2] Explain process: Netfocus group (online, real-time); observers (where appropriate); the sessions will be audio taped for research purposes only; all opinions are important; no right/wrong answers; need to understand agreement/disagreement; confidentiality / anonymity of information discussed;

· Participants’ role: talk one at a time; offer honest opinions; say first name before talking

· [SLIDE 3] Platform tools: Raise hand; agree/disagree; written chat; phone reconnect

· Any questions before we begin?

· [SLIDE 4] Participant introduction: Where do you live, and current occupation

Creative Testing – 50 minutes (15 minutes per concept)

Now I’d like to get your opinion of government advertising that is being considered. We will look at three different approaches for an advertising campaign, each will include one or two ads for social media.

We will look at, and discuss, each concept one at a time. Hold your thoughts as I show you the ads. Once I am done, I will ask for your individual opinion before we discuss the concept as a group. What I am showing you is in draft form, so for example it may be using stock images for now. Please pay attention to both the message and how it is communicated, as we will be discussing and focusing on those aspects. MODERATOR PRESENTS EACH CONCEPT ONE AT A TIME – RANDOMIZE ORDER OF CONCEPTS ACROSS GROUPS

Concept A: Your Growing Collage

Concept B: Ready When You Are

Concept C: Employee of the Future

Concept Presentation Order
Audience	West/Prairies	Ontario	Atlantic	Quebec
Youth 18-34	G2: B-A-C	G8: C-B-A	G7: A-B-C	G5: C-A-B
Adults 35-54	G6: C-A-B	G3: B-A-C	G1: C-B-A	G4: B-A-C

AFTER THE PRESENTATION OF THE CONCEPT: Before we talk about this idea, take a moment to answer, each on your own, the questions you see on the screen. Keep in mind, I can see your responses, but other participants will not. Indicate on a 1-10 scale the extent to which the statement aligns with what you think (where 1 means “not at all” and 10 means “absolutely”):

[POLL 1A-C – ATTENTION] This grabs my attention.

[POLL 2A-C - MEMORABILITY] I would remember this.

[POLL 3A-C – MOTIVATIONAL] This motivates me to do something.

AFTER THE EXERCISE: Now let’s talk about your reactions together…

FOR EACH CONCEPT, DISCUSS AS A GROUP:

· Initial Reaction: Overall reaction: positive, neutral, negative?

· Attention: What, if anything would grab your attention? Probe for design, images, words, tone

· Message: What is the main message?

· Credibility: Does it make sense? Do you believe what it says?

· Relevance: Does this speak to you / represent your reality?

o If yes, what speaks to you? Why? Who else would this appeal to?

o If no, who is it speaking to? What would make it more relevant/compelling to you?

· Tagline: What does it suggest? How do you feel about this statement? Does it grab your attention?

o Concept A (Your Growing Collage): Let what drives you, drive your career

o Concept B (Ready When You Are): Reshape Your Tomorrow

o Concept C (Employee of the Future): Own Your Future

· Call-to-Action: What is this asking you to do? Is this compelling? How so?

o Concept A (Your Growing Collage): Get the funding and support you need to reimagine your future.

o Concept B (Ready When You Are): With a bit of help, you’ll find the way forward.

o Concept C (Employee of the Future): Take advantage of resources and financial support to build your skills.

· Website Content: What would you expect to find on the website if you were to click on the link?

· Strengths: What else works well with this concept?

· Weaknesses: Anything else unclear or confusing?

· FOR FIRST CONCEPT SHOWN ONLY: Let me show you a slightly different version with one additional statement. How do you feel about adding this statement?

Let’s have a look at the next concept. REPEAT DISCUSSION FOR THE OTHER CONCEPTS

AFTER ALL CONCEPTS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED:

You’ve seen three different ideas, now I’d like to know which one you think works best. Take a moment to answer the following questions individually:

[POLL 4 – CONCEPT] Which concept do you prefer?

[POLL 5 – TAGLINE] Which tagline do you prefer (regardless of your concept preference)?

DISCUSS AFTER THE EXERCISE:

· Which concept did you pick? Why that one?

Website – 25 minutes (5 minutes per concept)

I’d like to show you still images for a website that you would go to when clicking on the social media posts we looked at. Since we have already talked about the creative approach – the colours, the images – I would like you to focus only on the way the information is presented and structured and the overall layout of the landing page. Let’s first review each option one at a time. SHOW AND DISCUSS EACH WEBSITE ONE AT A TIME – POINT TO DIFFERENCES/UNIQUE ATTRIBUTES OF EACH LANDING PAGE:

Website 1 – There is a quadrant of images for sections; Tools and resources are listed out at the bottom of the homepage, below the quadrant of images, with moreinformation displayed about each.

Website 2 – There are a couple quadrants of images for sections; Tools and resources are found in drop-down menus below those quadrants and overall, there is minimal text unless you click on the drop-down menus or move elsewhere on the site.

DISCUSS FOR EACH OPTION:

· What, if anything, do you like or dislike about the layout?

· Does it seem easy to navigate?

· Are the menu labels meaningful? What would you expect to find under each main heading?

· FOR THE LAST WEBSITE SHOWN - Headline: There was a statement on each of the social media posts giving you a hint of what you would find on the website. SAY OUT LOUD AND SHOW ON SCREEN. Is one of the following statements better at describing the type of information you would find on this site?

o Find resources & financial support

o Programs, resources & financial support

o Financial support & resources

Let’s have a look at the next website layout. REPEAT DISCUSSION FOR THE OTHER WEBSITES

AFTER ALL WEBSITE CONCEPTS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED:

You’ve seen three different ideas, now I’d like to know which one you think works best. Take a moment to answer the following questions individually:

[POLL 6 – WEBSITE] Which website layout do you prefer (regardless of your concept preference)?

DISCUSS AFTER THE EXERCISE:

· Which website is best? Why that one?

Thanks & Closure – 5 minutes

· To finish up, any final thoughts on the ads and website concepts you’ve seen tonight?

· And finally, given the topic of the concepts we have seen, what skills have you looked at improving over the past few years?

That’s all my questions; thank you for taking part in our discussion. We will follow up with you regarding the incentive. Note that once finalized, the study report for this project will be available to the public through a government agency called Library and Archives Canada.

Appendix C: Creative Material Tested