Justworks is a payroll provider and PEO (professional employer organization) that helps small to medium-size companies navigate the difficult world of most things business related – from compliance and W-2s, to onboarding and parental leave policies. We needed to introduce Justworks to new markets across the country, as well as increase their awareness in existing ones, through a cohesive national out-of-home campaign.
We had two challenges: find a simple way to convey the benefits of using a PEO and capture the right audience for Justworks – from business owners to HR professionals. Most competitors in the space were highlighting the negatives of business administration and tackling the problem using a fear-based or euphemistic approach. We chose to do the opposite by delivering a direct and positive message.
Justworks isn’t just a name, it’s also a promise. We built a concept that leverages the simplicity and clarity of the Justworks promise, while also conveying their friendly personality.
We used “Just” and “Works” as bookends for common business manager struggles like compliance, HR or paperwork. The device shows the breadth of Justworks’ offerings, without diluting the overarching campaign promise of everything just working as it should. We also used a conversational tone which conveyed Justworks’ friendly and approachable personality. This distinguishes them from self-serious and overly corporate competitors. Our copy-driven approach took things that can be intimidating or overwhelming and reframed them in a we-got-this kind of way, showing that Justworks is solution-oriented and always here to help.
By refining certain key elements of the existing Justworks brand (the distinct color palette and signature typeface) we adapted the branding to deliver on the needs of a national out-of-home campaign; creating an evolved look and feel that would grab people’s attention, raise wider brand awareness, and clearly convey the value proposition. We landed on a simple, confident and minimal solution that champions both the campaign messaging and the recognizeable core visual elements of the Justworks brand we’ve all come to know.
Creating an overarching brand concept and message was only half the puzzle. A key element of success was launching campaign content that was native and relevant in several different mediums and local markets. Leading with New York and rolling out to Atlanta, Chicago, and San Francisco, we tailored designs to the specifics of each market, and crafted copy to be the most relevant to each market’s level of awareness.
