This story originally appeared in the Winter 2023 issue of strategy.

Don’t get us wrong: we love a flashy, larger-than-life, take-your-breath-away marketing strategy. But sometimes, to get to the root of a problem and drive change, simple is best.

That’s the exact approach Exceldor Cooperative, a Quebec meat processing facility, decided to take when it ran into trouble meeting its hiring requirements.

Lg2 to the rescue. After analyzing its typical employee profile, it was established that newcomers and those without a diploma were most likely to work at the factory. But there was a problem: these potential candidates often didn’t have the means or resources to write a CV so they could apply.

To solve it, the agency created Check Mark CV – the simplest application process ever: fill out three questions by checking a box, then snap a photo of the application and text it to Exceldor Cooperative. Done.

The campaign ran in local newspapers and weekly flyers where it would reach the hands of potential employees. It also relied on OOH, radio and social.

It worked. Exceldor Cooperative had a 400% boost in CVs from the year prior, and in two weeks, 203 employees were hired. But the results didn’t stop there. The campaign also boosted visits to Exceldor Cooperative’s Career section of its website by 75%, and engaged 497,000 potential candidates on social, leading to over 2K clicks on the link to learn more about career offerings.

A final word to all the agencies out there: if your pizzazz doesn’t change lives, was it really worth it?

Find the problem, solve the problem: check.