The Opportunity

This proud brand suffered from a nasty underlying perception — especially among parents — that this state-of-the-art technical school spanning seven campuses in metro Tulsa was just for “those kids.” You know, the kids who “aren’t smart enough to go to college.”

We found that “those kids” would do anything for a path to a better life. When we talked to students who slept in their cars so they could go to school, we knew what we had to do.

But how? What was the best way to overturn this gross misperception of this school and their resourceful, determined students?

The Strategy

We chatted with students about their dreams and their drive to realize them. We talked to teachers who teared up when they discussed their students and what they achieved through this remarkable program. They all said the same thing: “Those kids” would do anything for a path to a better life.

We wrote a manifesto for Tulsa Tech titled, “Here’s to the Boot Strappers,” which drove the rest of our work — from photo shoots of real students to a redesigned website to a siren call to students to “make your own path.”

The Results

Today, Tulsa Tech’s classes are full, and the school is widely respected in the region for the quality of its programs and the quality of its students, who are making their own paths.