"READY" for Success: A Visual Odyssey
The “READY” campaign was a brand freshly developed for the Inland Empire/Desert Regional Consortium (IEDRC) and the 12 California community colleges it represents. I created and directed video content for this campaign over its first 7 years, setting out to capture the essence of what it means to be ready. College gets you ready for your future. Students are ready to work. Businesses are ready to hire. Are you READY?
Está LISTA
My first visit to the Inland Empire was to create the inaugural video campaign for the new brand. This campaign was 3 videos, all featuring the story of a real student or grad. I directed, filmed, and edited these videos, and my goal — which I believe I achieved — was to create something authentic and engaging. The stand out ad was Elizabeth’s, which was conducted in Spanish to connect with the region’s large Mexican community. The video has garnered over 4.3 million views on YouTube and set records during its ad run, accumulating over a million completed watches.
Informative and Impactful
Another campaign I worked on was an informative video series spotlighting a variety of industry sectors. Through coordinating the shoots, conducting interviews, and editing the videos, I was able to distill complex information into digestible narratives. Despite their informative nature, these videos, especially the shorter versions, performed exceptionally well, showcasing the widespread appeal of the "READY" campaign. The one I have featured here has 33k views.
"READY" Gets a Vibrant Facelift
After three successful years, it was decided that the "READY” campaign needed a facelift, incorporating the state office's colors –blue and yellow. There was discussion around how to keep the same brand but change some of the visual elements. With the color palette changing, we decided to incorporate more graphic elements on screen to add depth while still keeping the brand's initial concept elements at the core. The redesign, introduced just before the 2020 pandemic, revitalized the campaign's visual identity. Faced with campus closures and restrictions, stock footage was creatively used, injecting vitality into the visuals with the new aesthetic. One of the videos I made, presented in Spanish, exemplifies the refreshed "READY" look, incorporating motion tracking elements and delivering a message entirely through on-screen text.
Transitioning from Virtual to Reality
As colleges gradually reopened their campuses, a new campaign emerged, highlighting the transition from education to employment. One of the 5 videos I directed and produced features a student at his workplace, the Margaritaville Resort in Palm Springs. The video employs dynamic footage, fun music, and colorful motion accents to convey the symbiotic relationship between education and career growth.
This visual odyssey of my time directing, filming, editing, and collaborating on the IEDRC’s workforce campaign not only captures the vibrancy of the region's educational landscape but also underscores the transformative power of the "READY" initiative in connecting with diverse audiences, from prospective students to the broader community. Each video tells a unique story, contributing to the overall narrative of educational readiness and success in the Inland Empire.
