San Diego: Life. Changing. is a campaign – developed by San Diego Regional EDC – designed to attract and retain talent in San Diego by telling authentic stories of real companies and people changing the world. SDlifechanging.org includes resources to help (future) San Diegans find jobs, start companies, and help San Diego companies find great employees.
San Diego’s most significant employment opportunity lies within mid-level positions at tech and life sciences companies, so the campaign is targeting STEM talent with 5 to 15 years of experience. From major companies such as Qualcomm, Viasat, and Illumina, to rapidly-growing startups such as Brain Corp., Aira, and Measurabl, many companies are involved in the San Diego Brand Alliance – a group of HR and marketing leads at tech and life sciences companies that meet quarterly to advise on the campaign.
SO WHAT IS SAN DIEGO: LIFE. CHANGING?
Here are some of our favorite campaign elements:
- SDlifechanging.org – This website serves as a one stop shop for anyone interested in a career in San Diego, and companies looking to attract and retain talent.
- Company Map – Visualize the breadth of companies in the region, and sort by industry, size, and more.
- The Latest – Our content hub features tips and tricks on landing a job in SD, the latest company news and profiles, and more.
- Neighborhood Profiles – Many call San Diego “a city of neighborhoods” and this campaign celebrates that. Our Neighborhood Profiles give an in-depth look at 28 places around town, detailing living, entertainment options, and good local finds.
- Recruitment Toolkit – The SDLC toolkit features images, logos, videos, social media posts, and more – all to help companies in their efforts to attract and retain talent in SD.
- Instagram Takeovers – Go behind-the-scenes and learn about what it’s like to work at some of San Diego’s coolest companies on our Instagram Stories. Some companies that have hosted takeovers include Taylor Guitars, LunaDNA, Red Door Interactive, and TaylorMade.
- “San Diego at Work” series – Follow along with these video vignettes as we meet an employee at a San Diego company and learn their reasons for choosing SD and a little more about their role in their company. Featured companies include Sony, Lytx, Aira, Brain Corp, Intuit, and more.
- Just Say No to Winter – San Diego is about so much more than its weather, but when it’s sub-zero degree temperatures in much of the country in January, we need to use that to our advantage. In January of 2019, SDLC launched “Just Say No to Winter” – a campaign that targeted STEM talent in Boston, Chicago, and New York with video social media ads and an ad on the Boston “T.” The campaign was covered in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and more.
- San Diego Ambassadors – Follow media executive host Dylan Welch (@Dylanwelchmeida), Measurabl employee and outdoor enthusiast Mel Bartow (@MelBartow), and robotics UX designer Diana Li (@chowmut) as they show you around SD.
- ‘Made in SD’ beer – Yes, we even have a beer. In 2018, we teamed up with Ballast Point to launch “Made in San Diego,” created for San Diego, by San Diego.
