The Rising StormThe Rising Storm
Best Use of Original Research
Category: Best Use of Original Research
Project Name: The Rising Storm
Company: Lightcast
Lightcast’s The Rising Storm report was created to articulate the urgent workforce challenges ahead and inspire action across enterprise, education, and public sector markets. By translating complex economic, demographic, and labor market data into a compelling narrative, the report aimed to break through decision-making inertia and provide actionable next steps. Using a hurricane metaphor, the report organized content into memorable chapters — Conditions Forming, The Outer Bands, and Landfall — to make the research accessible and impactful.
The campaign targeted three core audiences: enterprise leaders responsible for future hiring and workforce strategy, education institutions preparing students for jobs that may not yet exist, and public sector organizations helping constituents navigate macroeconomic shifts. Lightcast’s goal was to create a thought leadership piece that transcended traditional research reports, generating meaningful conversations about workforce challenges while demonstrating the strategic value of data-driven workforce planning.
The report positioned Lightcast as the definitive voice in workforce intelligence, offering solutions to address hiring challenges, price increases, and longer wait times in service industries. By clearly communicating the urgency of the threat, The Rising Storm empowered readers to prepare for the future and become informed decision-makers. The campaign aimed to achieve over thousands of downloads, secure press coverage in at least two national outlets, and establish Lightcast as a trusted authority in workforce planning.
Why they're award winning:
Compelling narrative: Used a hurricane metaphor to make complex workforce data accessible and memorable
Targeted audiences: Focused on enterprise leaders, education institutions, and public sector organizations, aligning content with their unique needs
Actionable insights: Provided clear next steps to address workforce challenges, empowering readers to act decisively
Thought leadership: Positioned Lightcast as the definitive voice in workforce intelligence, driving meaningful conversations and strategic planning