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Find the Good Life

Analytics + Branding + Creative + Digital Marketing + Media + Pubic Relations + Social Media + Strategy + Websites
Find the Good Life - Denver Train Wrap

Key Takeaways

  • Tourism became a powerful talent pipeline, driving a 48% share of workforce site traffic and an 81% increase in referrals
  • The campaign generated 6,056 qualified workforce leads, more than doubling year-over-year performance
  • 64% of leads were ready to relocate within six months, signaling strong intent and near-term impact
  • The program contributed to $5M+ in direct economic impact across North Dakota communities

Overview

The North Dakota Department of Commerce partnered with Odney to address a growing workforce shortage threatening the state’s economic stability. With tens of thousands of open jobs and fewer than one available worker per position, traditional recruitment efforts weren’t enough.

 

“Find the Good Life” was designed as a national talent attraction initiative, connecting out-of-state workers to career opportunities across key industries. But instead of leading with jobs alone, the campaign reframed the challenge, positioning North Dakota not just as a place to work, but as a place to live well.

Challenge

North Dakota faced a fundamental barrier: people weren’t choosing the state because they couldn’t picture themselves there.

 

Many priority audiences—especially young families and recent graduates—had little to no direct experience with North Dakota. And in a competitive landscape filled with more recognizable destinations, the state lacked visibility as both a travel destination and a place to build a life.

 

At the same time, the state’s tourism campaign was already shifting perceptions. Research showed that visitors viewed North Dakota as safe, welcoming and relaxing, and that visiting the state improved overall perception.

 

The opportunity was clear: if visiting could change minds, could it also change where people choose to live?

Strategy & Approach

The strategy centered on a simple but powerful insight: people can’t imagine living somewhere they’ve never experienced.

 

Rather than treating tourism and workforce recruitment as separate efforts, we integrated them into a single, connected journey. Tourism became the entry point, a “warm handshake” that introduced people to North Dakota’s quality of life, while workforce messaging provided the path to relocation.

 

We positioned North Dakota as an alternative to crowded metro living, offering affordability, safety, strong career opportunities and genuine community. Tourism content served as proof, showing real experiences instead of making claims.

 

This approach transformed the funnel from awareness to action:

  • Inspire travel through authentic storytelling
  • Build emotional connection through real experiences
  • Convert interest into workforce engagement
  • Support relocation through personalized guidance
The goal was to build a sustainable pipeline from first impression to long-term residency.

Execution

We brought the strategy to life from Jan. 2024-Dec. 2025 through a fully integrated campaign that connected tourism and workforce touchpoints at every stage.

Creative and Messaging

The “Hello North Dakota” tourism campaign’s unscripted, authentic storytelling became the foundation. Real experiences (outdoor recreation, community life, career opportunities) showed what living in North Dakota actually feels like, not just what it offers.

Integrated Media and Targeting

Paid media focused on high-potential relocation markets, including California, Texas, Florida, Minnesota, Colorado and Arizona. Messaging reached audiences across digital, social, video, OOH, email and more, generating over 235 million impressions.

 

Tourism platforms were intentionally connected to workforce pathways:

  • Workforce messaging embedded within tourism websites
  • Retargeting triggered by travel-related engagement
  • Event activations blending travel and relocation storytelling
  • Social listening used to identify and convert engaged travelers

Conversion Ecosystem

At the center was FindTheGoodLife.com, designed as a conversion hub:

  • A Relocation Help Desk offering personalized support
  • A Candidate Marketplace connecting talent directly with employers
  • A Community Champions program pairing recruits with locals for real, human insight
Every interaction from a travel video to a website visit was designed to move potential recruits closer to relocation.

Results

The campaign delivered measurable impact across awareness, engagement and relocation while establishing a scalable model for talent attraction.

Workforce Impact

  • 6,056 Help Desk leads, with more than 75% generated during the integrated campaign period
  • Nearly 900K digital users and 300K social users engaged with the campaign
  • Tourism efforts drove 48% of workforce website traffic and increased referrals by 81%
  • 64% of leads indicated readiness to relocate within six months

Economic and Relocation Impact

  • 109 individuals relocated to 19 North Dakota communities from 27 states
  • Generated $5M+ in direct economic impact, exceeding campaign investment when including household contributions

Media and Engagement Performance

  • 44M video plays, repurposed as workforce marketing assets
  • Streaming completion rates exceeded 98%, far above industry benchmarks
  • YouTube and Meta campaigns significantly outperformed platform averages in CTR
Beyond individual metrics, the campaign successfully built a long-term talent pipeline infrastructure that continues to generate and convert leads.

Summary

“Find the Good Life” redefined how North Dakota attracts talent by turning tourism into a gateway for relocation.

 

By connecting emotional storytelling with practical workforce pathways, the campaign moved beyond awareness to create real, measurable impact by bringing new residents, supporting communities and strengthening the state’s economy.

Creative

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Branding

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Travel Guide

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Denver Train Wrap

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Print Ad

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Print Ad

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Denver Airport Ad