LED Come Home, Louisiana Campaign
Industry
Services
The Challenge
For decades, Louisiana faced lower retention rates than many of its neighboring Southern states, with young professionals and skilled workers opting for out-of-state education or early career opportunities — and not returning. While the state boasts a rich culture and a strong sense of community, it has struggled to compete with more robust job markets. Despite these challenges, Louisiana’s population is now steadily growing, and the state continues to expand its economic opportunities each year. The narrative of Louisiana being economically behind is outdated. It’s time for the state’s homegrown talent to return, bringing their skills and ambitions back to the place that shaped them.
The Strategy
To reach former residents in a persuasive way, Zehnder crafted a highly targeted, emotionally resonant campaign that combined digital precision with close-to-home storytelling. LED partnered with singer/songwriter Marc Broussard to use his song “Home” as the key message. The powerful audio track set the tone for a curated video and social promotion highlighting Louisiana’s most beloved cultural institutions and its impressive commercial incentives. A tailgate event was staged at the 2024 LSU season-opening game in Las Vegas, complete with special guests from across the state, a live performance by Broussard, and custom merchandise broadcasting the “come home” message.
A dedicated “Come Home, Louisiana” website served as the campaign hub, featuring
- A curated job portal
- Relocation resources, and
- Information on in-demand industries
This ensured interested talent could connect directly with job opportunities, using steps taken toward moving back as the ultimate metric of campaign success.
Results
The campaign sparked significant engagement across all platforms, surpassing expectations and setting a new benchmark for LED’s digital outreach. The Come Home, Louisiana videos on YouTube have amassed nearly 2 million views, while the campaign website attracted thousands of visitors exploring job opportunities and relocation resources. Social media efforts significantly outperformed typical engagement benchmarks. And the in-person tailgate event in Las Vegas drew over 200 guests. Ultimately, the campaign was a resounding success for the client in terms of both reach and impact.
Dive in with Z
Zehnder is always on the lookout for great collaborators. From clients aspiring to drive sustainable growth to fresh talent hoping to join the team, we welcome you to drop us a line. We’ll be in touch!
