As K-12 schools across the US have trouble hiring teachers for the 2023-2024 school year, one New Jersey school district is turning to radio as a recruitment tool. As other outlets fail to yield results, Essex County’s South Orange-Maplewood school district is airing a spot campaign on Emmis’ Hot 97 (WQHT) out of New York City.
Launched on July 10 and running till August 16, the radio campaign aims to attract “talented individuals from diverse backgrounds,” as Superintendent Ronald Taylor highlighted in a statement. The initiative forms part of the school district’s approach to proactive advertising, reaching Black and Hispanic women aged 25-54 in the Newark/NYC metro in their daily lives.
The campaign’s $4,000 cost was covered by the previous school year’s human resources budget. The ad was written by the district’s Director of Human Resources, Tunde Adedoyin, and invites educators to join in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the school district. WQHT handled voice work and production.
Superintendent Ronald Taylor stated, “Broadcast radio is one of the most proactive forms of advertising because it goes where the listeners are, and it reaches them while they are living their busy lives.”
