DMB&B has won a pounds 3 million campaign to promote a new
telephone-based ’back to work’ initiative from the Central Office of
Information after a secret head-to-head pitch against St Luke’s.
The scheme, called Jobline Direct, is part of the Government’s New Deal
welfare-to-work programme and is aimed at the long-term unemployed as
well as job seekers such as students and mothers looking to go back to
work.
Launching in January, the special hotline allows callers to search a
database of jobs on offer at their local job centre, enquire about
specific positions and arrange for an application to be sent out.
Jobline Direct staff will also be able to arrange interviews with the
employer should the caller be suitable for the position. Currently,
interviews are held in job centres before an external interview can be
arranged.
The Department for Education and Employment hopes to encourage people
who would not normally visit a job centre to continue to actively seek
work.
A TV campaign will break on 5 January, supported by regional press and
radio advertising. A direct mail campaign will roll out at the same
time, targeting the two groups of unemployed people: claimants (on
benefits), and non-claimants (semi-retired, students and part-time
workers). Job centres will also encourage employers to place more ads at
job centres.
Last year, DMB&B won a pounds 2 million brief to promote reading and
literacy for the DEE. The agency’s managing director, Barry Cook, said:
’We’re delighted. It’s always particularly pleasing when we win new
business from an existing client. We look forward to contributing to
this important issue.’
