A new 60-second commercial from one of the nation’s leading specialized technical training educators assures viewers that once again it will be America’s skilled workers who will help rebuild and repair this nation in the wake of the current health crisis.
The new ad from Lincoln Educational Services Corporation (NASDAQ: LINC) was created for its Lincoln Tech group of schools. The spot will debut in selected markets during the CBS show, “Tough As Nails,” which airs this Wednesday. It will run throughout the Labor Day weekend and for the remainder of the year in key markets that serve Lincoln Tech’s 22 campuses nationally. The commercial was created by the New York advertising agency DeVito/Verdi.
Utilizing images of heroic posters that were used in the last century to rally citizens and allay fears during wartime, the Great Depression and other events that placed America on the brink, the commercial reminds viewers that “Americans fix things,” and today’s pandemic is not unlike past national calamities the nation has faced.
Entitled “The Next Greatest Generation,” the spot shows classic posters from the first half of the 20th Century that capture a nation facing tremendous adversity and working together to rebuild. The commercial’s voiceover states that “Americans fix things. That’s not who we were. That’s who we are.”
“This pandemic has given a lot of people a different perspective as to what’s important and what jobs are truly essential. And just like in the past when facing adversity, we’ve not only survived but we’ve adapted. And in the end, we’ve come out stronger as a nation,” said Peter Tahinos, senior vice president of marketing at Lincoln Tech. “We are facing a skills gap crisis that existed even before the pandemic hit, where we just don’t have enough skilled employees to fill essential jobs that are in great demand, like auto and diesel mechanics, nurses, medical assistants, electricians, machinists and the like. These are the people that keep the country moving and functioning which has become increasingly clear in light of the pandemic.”
“It may seem counterintuitive to use old posters as a device to inspire and attract young people to a school. However, in thinking about the kind of work Lincoln Tech graduates do, when we found these old WPA posters with their heroic images it made us think; this is the truth we need to reignite: hard-working people with tough, honest jobs are what's really needed in a time of crisis. It was like that then and it’s like that today,” said Andy Brief, head of client services at DeVito/Verdi. “It's one of those connections between the past and today that can serve as a great rallying cry for everyone involved with the school – students, teachers, administrators and graduates.”
In the second quarter, Lincoln Tech experienced a double-digit increase in new students starting training programs compared to the same period last year, with the Transportation and Skilled Trades segment rising by 13.5 percent and the Healthcare and Other Professions segment growing by nearly 19 percent. All 22 of the Lincoln Tech schools are open and holding in-person, hands-on instruction in accordance with federal, state and local guidelines.
