Author: Chrys Kefalas

Creators Wanted Campaign Wins Top Advocacy Award

Posted on by Chrys Kefalas

In a significant acknowledgment of its impact on shaping the future of manufacturing in the United States, the Creators Wanted campaign, an initiative of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the Manufacturing Institute (MI), clinched the “Best Advocacy Campaign” Gold award at the 44th annual Salute to Association Excellence. The award, presented on February 27, 2024, by Association Trends, heralds the campaign as the foremost advocacy initiative by an association or nonprofit organization across the nation.

The Big Picture: The accolade comes in the wake of the Creators Wanted Tour’s notable success. Despite a pandemic-related delay in rolling out the immersive experience, the tour embarked on a mission to transform perceptions of modern manufacturing. Between October 2021 and its conclusion, the campaign made 20 stops and traveled more than 25,000 miles, making a historic impact by reshaping career outlooks and enhancing lives across the country.

By the Numbers:

  • Perception Shift: Research by MI and Deloitte revealed a significant rise in parental approval of manufacturing careers, growing from 27% to 40%.
  • Community Engagement: The campaign achieved over 1.5 million email signups from students and mentors, marking the creation of the largest network of its kind.
  • Active Participation: More than 13,000 students and 3,800 career mentors participated in the initiative.
  • Career Outlook Improvement: A striking 84% of participants reported more favorable views of manufacturing careers following their involvement.
  • Opportunity Expansion: CreatorsWanted.org now lists over 400,000 job and training opportunities, offering vast prospects for interested individuals.
  • Media Impact: The campaign generated $5.6 million in positive earned media, reflecting its widespread recognition and approval.

The Bottom Line: “The Creators Wanted campaign’s success not only underscores the critical role of manufacturing in the nation’s economy but also showcases the power of strategic advocacy in driving change and fostering a more positive image of manufacturing careers among the American public,” said Chrys Kefalas, Managing Vice President of Brand Strategy at the NAM and the creator of the initiative.

What’s Next: The tour’s work continues online with an interactive game, career resources and job listings at CreatorsWanted.org, as well as through continued initiatives to build the workforce of the future at the Manufacturing Institute, including MFG Day.

Creators Wanted Tour: Revolutionizing Manufacturing Perceptions

Posted on by Chrys Kefalas

The Big Picture: The Creators Wanted Tour, a project of the National Association of Manufacturers and the Manufacturing Institute, overcoming pandemic delays, made a historic impact on modern manufacturing perceptions. Spanning from October 2021, the tour made 20 stops, traveled over 25,000 miles and profoundly changed lives and career outlooks.

Why It Matters: This initiative wasn’t just about numbers but about creating a real shift in how manufacturing careers are viewed, particularly among the younger generation.

By the Numbers:

  • Parental perception of manufacturing careers rose from 27% to 40% (MI and Deloitte).
  • Over 1.5 million email signups from students and mentors, creating the largest network of its kind.
  • 13,000+ students, 3,800+ career mentors engaged.
  • 84% of participants reported improved views of manufacturing careers.
  • CreatorsWanted.org features 400,000+ job and training opportunities.
  • $5.6 million in positive earned media.

Notable Stops: From the Indy500 to the Dow Great Lakes Bay LPGA Tournament to the Circleville Pumpkin Show, the tour covered significant events and communities across the U.S.

Support: Iconic companies like Honda, Dow, Trane Technologies, Snap-on, Rockwell Automation, Stanley Black and Decker, Pfizer and Nephron Pharmaceuticals, among over 70 others, made this campaign possible.

The last word: “Every stop on the Creators Wanted Tour marked a step toward redefining modern manufacturing as a coveted career choice. Engaging with thousands of future creators, I saw firsthand the dynamic shift in their aspirations and attitudes toward the industry. We renewed the ‘dignity of manufacturing work’ and altered the trajectory of people’s lives,” says Chrys Kefalas, Managing Vice President of Brand Strategy at the NAM, who served as the chief architect and strategist for the Creators Wanted campaign.

What’s Next: The tour’s work continues online with an interactive game, career resources and job listings at CreatorsWanted.org, as well as through continued initiatives to build the workforce of the future at the Manufacturing Institute.

Creators Wanted Tour Sets New Records at Ohio Finale

Posted on by Chrys Kefalas

The size of the Great Pumpkin at the 116th annual Circleville Pumpkin Show—Ohio’s iconic fall fest—wasn’t the only record shattered there last week. The Creators Wanted Tour, a historic initiative of the NAM and the Manufacturing Institute to build excitement about modern manufacturing careers, reached new highs for engagement at its 20th and final stop.

Driving the news: The show attracted a crowd of more than 400,000, with “Creators Wanted” the most prominent brand seen and heard throughout the entire event. Of show attendees, the Creators Wanted activation pulled in a tour record of 2,024 participants comprising students and chaperones, taking the immersive experience’s overall total to just shy of 17,000 in two years.

  • The digital campaign surrounding the stop collected an additional 110,000 email signups from students and career mentors interested in learning more about modern manufacturing careers, bumping the campaign’s email list above 1.6 million.
  • The tour stop also saturated local news, with NBC4, 10TV CBS and WTTE Fox all sending live crews to the experience.

Why it matters: The stop, sponsored by the joint venture of Honda and LG Energy Solution and in partnership with the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association, comes at a critical time for the nation’s manufacturers, as they compete against other industries to fill available job openings today and win the interest of young people for the careers of tomorrow.

  • For example, Honda and LG Energy Solution need to hire 2,200 workers within two years for their new electrical vehicle battery plant in Fayette County, Ohio.
  • At the stop, Honda and LG Energy Solution joint venture associates were on hand to provide information about modern manufacturing careers generally and about opportunities at the EV plant specifically. The traffic around the experience was so robust that all recruiting materials were exhausted before the event wrapped up.

Zoom in: On Saturday night, the Creators Wanted team also reinforced the industry’s commitment to communities by leading the largest parade of the show, in front of tens of thousands who heard the public address system broadcast the industry’s call for creators and highlight the campaign’s career resources at CreatorsWanted.org.

  • NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons, a proud son of Circleville and Chillicothe, Ohio, also addressed an assembling of Ohio’s young women leaders and their families, emphasizing their capacity to make a difference in manufacturing careers while at the same time noting mentorship resources available to them through the MI’s Women MAKE America initiative.
  • The tour’s innovative approach received strong approval from state and local officials, strengthening the campaign’s ability to reach students and constituents. Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague, State Auditor Keith Faber, State Sen. Michele Reynolds and State Reps. Brian Stewart and Mark Johnson, among others, stopped by to see what the buzz was all about.

Tour highlights: Beyond the pumpkin-centric celebrations, the tour also took its message of opportunity and rewarding careers to the new, state-of-the-art Logan Elm School, a combined elementary, middle and high school, as well as to students of the Ohio State University’s Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence.

  • At Logan Elm, Timmons was joined by OMA President Ryan Augsburger, Honda and LG Energy Solution joint venture representative and engineer Sandip Suvedi and representatives from Sofidel America. Honda engineer Meredith Reffey, who is now Honda America’s department lead for workforce partnership, joined Timmons and MI President and Executive Director Carolyn Lee at OSU. (The MI is the workforce development and education affiliate of the NAM.)

The big number: Post-tour surveys show that 84% of participants now view the manufacturing sector more positively.

On the record: “Closing our expansive 20-stop, 25,000+ mile tour at such a dynamic event serves as a potent reminder: the heartbeat of manufacturing lies within our communities,” said Timmons. “It’s in the eyes of the young dreamers in the crowd, the hands of our diligent staff and the spirits of every individual who championed our journey.”

  • “The Creators Wanted Tour helped us shift perceptions, but we also know the hard work of continuing to improve perceptions and build the workforce of the future goes on,” said Lee. “The Manufacturing Institute, with our scaled-up efforts to drive solutions with manufacturers and across the industry and the robust digital network and resources the campaign has created will build on the tour’s momentum to do even more.”

The last word: “Our aspiration with Creators Wanted was straightforward yet audacious: to transcend traditional boundaries, step out of the corridors of Washington, D.C., and engage directly with communities across the country,” said NAM Managing Vice President of Brand Strategy Chrys Kefalas. “That’s exactly what we and the manufacturers who joined this tour and campaign did, and we’ve made a lasting positive difference in people’s lives that will outlive this tour and help the industry for decades to come.”

This article was originally published October 24, 2023, on NAM.org. 

Creators Wanted Tour Culminates at Pumpkin Show

Posted on by Chrys Kefalas

The Creators Wanted campaign—an initiative of the NAM and the Manufacturing Institute aimed at driving excitement about modern manufacturing careers—is concluding the wildly successful run of its immersive experience with a significant finale at the Circleville Pumpkin Show,one of the largest annual festivals in the country.

By the numbers: Since it began last year, Creators Wanted has created quite a stir.

  • More than 13,000 students, educators and community leaders have engaged with the tour directly.
  • Online, 1.5 million students and mentors have signed up to explore modern manufacturing careers.
  • A whopping 84% of tour participants now view manufacturing careers more positively.
  • Positive industry perception among parents has jumped nationwide from 27% to 40%, thanks in part to the tour and associated MI programs.


Watch a recap of the tour featuring the voices of students, educators and parents who share their perspective on the tour’s impact.

Next week: From Oct. 17–21, half a million attendees, including families and students, will have a chance to experience the tour’s immersive setup, a featured event at this year’s show.

  • Manufacturing team members from the Honda and LG Energy Solution joint venture (the tour stop’s sponsor) will be present, offering insights into modern manufacturing careers.
  • The Creators Wanted online training program and jobs resource will be showcased, and the tour will engage with local schools, particularly STEM students, amplifying the opportunities in manufacturing.

The big picture: With industries vying for the best talent amid continued labor challenges, initiatives like the Creators Wanted Tour play an essential role in reshaping public perceptions and attracting the next generation into manufacturing over other potential career options.

What’s next: “Now, we know our work is far from over, and so our work goes on with the MI, building on this momentum, along with Creators Wanted digital resources, ” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons, who also serves as chairman of the board of the MI.

Creators Wanted and Union Pacific Dazzle the Twin Cities

Posted on by Chrys Kefalas

Last week, Saint Paul College in St. Paul, Minnesota, which boasts a student body that is 65% people of color, became the 19th stop of 20 for the Creators Wanted Tour, a joint project of the NAM and the Manufacturing Institute, the workforce development and education affiliate of the NAM.

Over three days, with Union Pacific as the lead sponsor, the stop drew more than 600 visitors, from students to educators. Meanwhile, 42,000 online signups in Minnesota helped the campaign surpass 1.5 million nationwide from students and career mentors interested in modern manufacturing careers.

Twin Cities kickoff: Union Pacific Executive Vice President of Marketing and Sales Kenny Rocker gave the keynote address at the kickoff event, emphasizing the reward of manufacturing careers. He was joined by MI President and Executive Director Carolyn Lee, Saint Paul College President Dr. Dee Dee Peaslee, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Doug Loon and Trane Technologies Vice President of Product Management Dave Molin.

  • “When I talk about opportunities, I’m talking about really good-paying jobs … At Union Pacific, we’re talking jobs that are … averaging over $100,000 a year, and that’s without benefits, and so you just really have an opportunity to make an impact from that perspective,” said Rocker.
  • “At Trane Technologies, our vision is to boldly challenge what’s possible for a sustainable world,” added Molin. “It is the engine of our company, and we live it every day. And to do that, we need bright minds and the best minds in the world. We need diverse thinkers, we need creators, and our doors are open to everyone.”
  • Notably, leaders from key government business and workforce partner organizations attended the kickoff, including the Minnesota State Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence, Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce, Minnesota Parent Union and St. Paul Area Chamber, representatives from the offices of U.S. Reps. Brad Finstad (R-MN-1), Angie Craig (D-MN-2), Dean Phillips (D-MN-3), Betty McCollum (D-MN-4) and Michelle Fischbach (R-MN-7), Mayor of South St. Paul Jimmy Francis and State Reps. Jon Koznick (R), Emma Greenman (D) and Samantha Sencer-Mura (D).

Experience and exploration: Students delved deep into immersive activities, from solving manufacturing-related puzzles in the Creators Wanted mobile experience to virtually navigating a locomotive through Union Pacific’s simulators. Equally captivating was the sight of the actual railroad track, which was complemented by insightful career anecdotes from Union Pacific professionals.

    • Eighty-seven percent of students surveyed reported a significantly improved view of modern manufacturing careers after completing the immersive experience.

Live Q&A sessions: The stop also offered structured opportunities for students to learn about manufacturing organizations’ support for the next generation of talent, along with the importance of mentorship and personal development in shaping successful careers.

  • The first session, featuring two Union Pacific senior managers—Amy Bang, Sr. manager of diversity and inclusion, and Ken Kuwamura, Jr., manager of talent acquisition—and Saint Paul College instructors, zeroed in on the crucial roles of mentorship, diversity and passion in career selection.
  • The second session, with Jake Yernberg, automotive instructor, Saint Paul College; Caitlin Bundy, manager of corporate sustainability, Union Pacific; and Preeti Subramanian, senior product manager, Trane Technologies, accentuated the pivotal role of manufacturing in tackling global challenges. Panelists pointed out the advantages of the manufacturing sector, citing competitive pay and the sector’s potential in addressing global issues, such as sustainability and climate change.

Interactive Learning: Everfi®, Ecolab and Schwan’s joined Union Pacific in bringing in representatives to give students career advice—and offer activities to spark their curiosity.

  • Everfi® showcased a new digital education program, “Future Creators,” co-developed with the MI and Union Pacific, to give middle and high school students a peek into STEM careers.
  • Saint Paul College also took students on a tour of its robust Trades and Technical Education program.

Beyond the Tour: The Twin Cities event is a part of Union Pacific’s overarching “Careers on Track” initiative, which aims to inspire more women and youth to pursue modern industrial careers, and the Creators Wanted campaign’s sustained drive to enhance perceptions of manufacturing careers in the United States and empower more people to create the future.

The last word: “I want all of you out here, the students, to have an opportunity to go out there and win and compete and further your careers and do well in life,” said Rocker, echoing a theme the Creators Wanted Tour has promoted since its inception: manufacturers and manufacturing care about students and their future. 

Next up: The pioneering Creators Wanted Tour concludes next month, Oct. 17–21, at the Circleville Pumpkin Show in Circleville, Ohio. 

Creators Wanted July 2023 Update

Posted on by Chrys Kefalas

The Creators Wanted Tour’s Spring 2023 season is behind us, but there’s a lot to reflect on and look forward to about our campaign to build excitement about modern manufacturing careers in the United States. Chrys Kefalas, Managing Vice President of the National Association of Manufacturers, chief strategist for the campaign jointly run by the NAM and the Manufacturing Institute, has an update:


Click here for a shareable progress report on Creators Wanted.

 

Creators Wanted Makes an Impact at SkillsUSA

Posted on by Chrys Kefalas

The Creators Wanted Tour landed in Atlanta last week for the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference—the largest gathering of the America’s future skills workforce.

Over the course of the three-day program, the tour, an initiative of the NAM and the Manufacturing Institute, helped change attitudes and challenge misconceptions about manufacturing, opening up a new world for some of the country’s most talented rising workers.

By the numbers: The tour’s SkillsUSA stop, sponsored by Honda, Snap-on, FactoryFix and Union Pacific, helped share the story of modern manufacturing with many of the brightest career mentors and technical education students in the United States.

  • 15,000 people attended the event, including many career and technical education students, educators and parents.
  • More than 1,500 people took part in the Creators Wanted immersive experience at SkillsUSA.
  • More than 120,000 students and career mentors signed up to learn more about modern manufacturing careers during the tour stop in Georgia.

More participants: Other leading manufacturers were also in attendance, engaging students with information about careers in manufacturing. A few of the participants included Caterpillar, John Deere/Korematsu, Volvo NA Group, Vermeer Corp., Toyota, Cummins, Penske and 3M.

A special guest: Snap-on Chairman and CEO Nick Pinchuk dedicated a full day to inspiring students and educators. The NAM executive committee member and Manufacturing Institute board member emphasized the “Creators Wanted” mantra in order to remind participants that manufacturers aren’t just recruiting workers—they’re inspiring and empowering creators. 

Local coverage: The visit made waves in Georgia, where it was covered on Fox 5’s Good Day Atlanta:

  • “A huge turnout down here,” said Fox 5’s Paul Milliken, who had multiple live hits at the Creators Wanted immersive experience. “These students are so talented, so incredible … the future of America’s skilled workforce.”
  • “This conference—it’s just a really incredible opportunity for these future workforce leaders to come together, meet each other, network and compete.”

Overheard at the event: Plenty of participants shared their excitement, emphasizing opportunities to connect with employers, learn about new skills and find paths to future careers.

  • “These are viable careers. They are jobs that you can make quite a bit of money right from the beginning, and at the same time you’re learning core skills that you can carry on for the rest of your life.”
  • “We’ve got tons of jobs out there across the U.S. Everybody is looking for talented individuals.”
  • “You can explore … different careers that you want to do, [to] help you become a more successful adult in the future.”

The big picture: Over the course of the Creators Wanted Tour, which launched a year and eight months ago:

  • 1.4 million students and career mentors have signed up online to learn more about modern manufacturing careers.
  • Over 10,000 students and more than 3,000 career mentors have participated in our immersive experience, with 84% reporting a significantly improved view of modern manufacturing careers.
  • The tour has received $5.35 million in positive earned media and 150 million digital impressions. 

Making an impact: “Interacting with the students, educators and caregivers, we could truly feel the impact we’re making,” said Chrys Kefalas, managing vice president of brand strategy at the NAM. “This isn’t just about changing minds—we’re creating dreams and altering life trajectories.”

What’s next: The tour keeps on rolling this fall to Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, and Circleville, Ohio. You can also keep an eye out for new online resources that are coming out this summer, or browse the more than 330,000 open manufacturing jobs and 150,000 training programs listed online.

This article was originally published June 27, 2023, on NAM.org. 

Creators Wanted Tour Revs Up at Indy 500

Posted on by Chrys Kefalas

The Creators Wanted Tour, a joint project of the National Association of Manufacturers and the Manufacturing Institute, set new records at the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing”: the Indianapolis 500.

By the numbers: The tour’s 17th stop, generously sponsored by Snap-On, allowed nearly 1,600 young fans and their families to experience modern manufacturing first-hand.

  • In addition, more than 72,000 students and career mentors signed up online to learn more about manufacturing careers.
  • So far, over 10,000 students have taken part in the immersive experience since its launch in October 2021, with 84% of participants reporting an improved view of modern manufacturing careers. Online signups have now surpassed 1.3 million.

What they’re saying: “’Creators Wanted’ is a critical message to all young people, parents, caregivers and educators across our country,” said Snap-on Chairman and Chief Executive Nick Pinchuk, who is also an NAM executive committee member and MI board member.

  • “Snap-on is proud to bring the Creators Wanted Tour to the IMS and the Indianapolis 500, showing younger race fans and their families that manufacturing is an exciting place where the opportunities are many, the careers are rewarding and the lives are filled with the pride of being part of something greater than yourself,” he continued.
  • NAM President and CEO and MI Chairman of the Board Jay Timmons added, “The world’s largest single day sporting event met the nation’s largest manufacturing campaign—and it revved up enthusiasm about modern manufacturing in a big way with more students and their families.”

Behind the scenes: Alongside the Creators Wanted experience at Fan Midway at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), fans were also treated to a number of other interactive exhibits.

  • These included: Snap-on’s “Makers and Fixers” tent; Honda’s racing simulator and vehicle fleet; the IMS Kids Zone where young fans raced on their own track; and FactoryFix’s activities and resources to help people find their path into manufacturing careers, including its work through CreatorsWanted.org.
  • “Seeing folks at Indy curious about our ‘Creators Wanted’ campaign was such a great confirmation of the research and testing we did to arrive at the name for this effort,” said Erin Streeter, Executive Vice President of the NAM. “When parents and kids asked us about the type of creators we need in manufacturing, it just showed how spot-on our message really is.”
  • The NAM video team captured some of the fan sentiment with this video.

The big picture: “These tour stops often serve as the first interaction individuals have with the NAM and the MI, and the impression is powerful,” said Chrys Kefalas, Managing Vice President of Brand Strategy at the NAM. ” These meaningful personal interactions create lasting impressions and underscore the industry’s value.”

This article was originally published May 30, 2023, on NAM.org. 

Students Build the Future in Ohio

Posted on by Chrys Kefalas

Where can you “race to the future” in a mobile, immersive manufacturing experience, try your hand at cutting-edge technology and get free career advice from top professionals? At a Creators Wanted stop, of course.

Participants at last week’s Creators Wanted stops in Marysville and Columbus, Ohio, did all this and more.

Two stops, one week: The Honda Heritage Center was the site of two days of educational fun last Wednesday and Thursday, after which the Creators Wanted Tour continued on to the COSI Science Festival in Columbus, Ohio’s largest STEM event, on Saturday.

  • The stops were the 15th and 16th, respectively, on Creators Wanted’s nationwide tour, an initiative of the NAM and its 501(c)3 workforce development and education affiliate, the Manufacturing Institute.
  • The tour aims to shore up the manufacturing workforce by 600,000 workers, increase the number of students enrolling in technical and vocational schools or reskilling programs by 25% and boost the positive perception of the industry among parents from 27% to 50%—all by 2025.
  • Nearly 1,000 kids and adults came through the Creators Wanted immersive experience during its three days in Ohio, and 35,000 students and career mentors signed up to learn more about modern manufacturing careers, increasing the network to 1.2 million nationwide.

Sites to behold: More than 300 students from central Ohio schools toured the Honda Heritage Center on Wednesday and Thursday.

  • Students learned about the American Honda Motor Company’s rich history of innovation, beginning in 1959, and toured the Honda Technical Development Center, where Honda associates advance their skills in high-tech manufacturing.
  • Tour sponsor FactoryFix was on hand, too, helping students explore pathways to manufacturing careers through information handouts and in-person Q&As with company representatives.

Theme-park lines: At COSI, the Creators Wanted experience had the festival buzzing, with attendees lining up to take their turn. More than 675 kids and adults moved through the unit in just six hours.

  • “We built this experience to excite future creators and their career mentors like parents,” said NAM Managing Vice President of Brand Strategy Chrys Kefalas, who was onsite with the tour. “I’m not sure anyone fully anticipated how much of an attraction we’d be with the immersive experience—it’s a huge draw.”

A big commitment: Tour-stop host Honda—which has been instrumental in the launch and continuation of Creators Wanted—announced that it will increase its overall commitment to the Creators Wanted campaign to $2.25 million through 2025.

  • “Creators Wanted is a great opportunity to showcase what the modern manufacturing environment is like and what the career opportunities are,” said American Honda Motor Company Executive Vice President Bob Nelson. “And there are many career opportunities for everyone.”
  • “Honda’s incredible support and leadership has empowered our innovative campaign to thrive—to inspire students, to positively affect parents and teachers and, now with Creators Connect, to change even more lives,” said NAM President and CEO and MI Chairman of the Board Jay Timmons.
  • Sara Tracey, managing director of workforce services for the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association, which participated in the events, added, “There are so many opportunities [in manufacturing] for people, regardless of what their interests are.”

“Build the future”: At both the Honda Heritage Center and COSI, there was plenty for participants to do as well as see.

  • Students, parents and other attendees from local communities got the chance to use some of the latest items produced by manufacturers. These included Honda’s virtual-reality paint simulator and Honda’s safety car interactive display, as well as the many hands-on manufacturing challenges in the Creators Wanted mobile experience.
  • “Know that there is a place for you in manufacturing to put whatever your skills and interests and passions are to work to build the future,” said MI President and Executive Director Carolyn Lee.

A great place to work: Many Honda associates—eager to share their positive experiences—participated in the week’s events, too, and had great things to say about modern manufacturing careers while on the ground at COSI.

  • “I don’t think people realize how complex a vehicle is,” said one participating Honda associate. “The work and the people behind it, and the effort it takes to bring it to market—I can’t express how much fun that really is.”
  • Said another, “I like that every day is a little bit different.” 

Behind the scenes: Interested in seeing how the Creators Wanted activation at COSI unfolded? Check out the NAM’s Instagram story from this weekend here.

This article was originally published May 9, 2023, on NAM.org. 

Creators Wanted is the Best Mobile Marketing Tour!

Posted on by Chrys Kefalas

Surveys have pointed to the Creators Wanted immersive experience’s impact, with more than 75% of students and other attendees reporting a significantly improved view of modern manufacturing careers after exiting the mobile escape rooms concept. Now, one more sign of success: Creators Wanted wins the coveted Ex Award, presented by Event Marketer, for Best Mobile Marketing Tour (B-to-C).

The details: As part of the Experiential Marketing Summit in Las Vegas, the event industry’s mega show for marketing executives and leading companies and agencies, Event Marketer handed out its 21st annual Ex Awards in a range of categories recognizing the industry’s most impactful strategies and tactics for 2022.

  • Creators Wanted took home the top prize in a heavily contested category, besting Gold Finalist Buick for its #SeeHerGreatness campaign and Silver Finalist WhistlePig’s Bourbon Tour.
  • Companies like Audi, Adidas, Meta, Visa, Google, Hilton, Land Rover, Reddit, Procter and Gamble, Dunkin’, JPMorgan Chase, Prime Video and McDonald’s, among other leading brands, won top honors in other categories.

Power of partnership: The award also recognized the efforts of agency partner, Advoc8, in helping the National Association of Manufacturers and the Manufacturing Institute develop and execute the first-of-its-kind immersive experience and tour to build excitement about modern manufacturing careers and help manufacturers with their talent needs today.

The numbers: After 16 tour stops,  more than 7,000 students, as well as parents, teachers and other career mentors, have challenged themselves to get to the future in the immersive experience, busting myths, solving riddles, finding clues and getting hands-on with manufacturing technologies in the process. Leveraging the tour’s surround-sound effect online and earned media, 1.2 million students and career have signed up online to learn more about modern manufacturing careers.

Key point: “The student, parent/guardian and teacher-engagement really tells the story of Creators Wanted,” said Chrys Kefalas, NAM Managing Vice President of Brand Strategy. “We’re not just grabbing attention, we’re not just changing views … we’re changing lives.”

See the full list of Ex Award honorees here.