Just Say No to Winter makes a cool comeback.
Jan 22, 2020 - Bernadine Locsin
It’s that time of year again. The holidays have come and gone, only to be replaced by subzero temperatures, snow-covered driveways, and really angry people commuting to work. Not exactly the kind of “chill” we’re into here in San Diego (where it’s currently 64 degrees Fahrenheit). So we’ve brought back our Just Say No to Winter campaign to remind everyone that life doesn’t have to be like that. You can actually have a meaningful career at an awesome company without freezing all season.
This year, we partnered with the San Diego Tourism Authority to make Just Say No to Winter bigger and better than ever. In addition to the digital ads served in chilly regions and the Boston subway ads we did last year, the campaign now includes subway ads in Chicago and a live activation with Surfer Sam on the stone-cold streets of New York City.
SD’s Surfer Sam paddles through NYC
From January 21-23, Surfer Sam will be walking around with a bright orange surfboard, telling people to “just say NO!” And if that doesn’t entice them, perhaps winning a trip to San Diego would. One lucky New Yorker will win a pair of roundtrip airfare with JetBlue Airlines from NYC to SD, a 3-night stay at downtown San Diego’s luxury Pendry hotel, and even a walking food tour with So Diego Tours.
Click on any of the photos below to check out some of Surfer Sam’s NYC encounters. And if you live in New York, there’s still time to catch Surfer Sam and win a trip to San Diego! Follow along on Instagram Stories for her whereabouts.
Why are we telling people to “just say no to winter?”
“Last year, San Diego saw nearly 105,000 unique job postings for STEM-related occupations,” said Mark Cafferty, president & CEO at San Diego Regional EDC. “With tech heavyweights such as Qualcomm, Illumina, Viasat and now Apple who all cite talent as a major reason for their presence in our region, we must continuously strive to remain competitive by attracting, retaining and developing skilled workers. Plus, as a Boston native, I can confidently say that it is possible to have a great career without freezing every day.”
While the demand for quality STEM talent is at an all-time high nationwide, the Just Say No to Winter campaign was introduced in January 2019 in an effort to bring and retain talent to San Diego, resulting in ‘go-viral’ status, national media attention and 123 million impressions. EDC, through its SD: Life. Changing. platform, juxtaposed footage of San Diego’s (nearly) year-round sunshine with harsh, freezing winters in metros across the country, while also showcasing mission-driven companies that call this place home.
This year, with support from SDTA, EDC will be expanding its public transit advertising inside subways to Chicago and Boston and executing various digital marketing tactics, including paid and organic social media, to direct talent to justsaynotowinter.com. The Just Say No to Winter landing page will now feature links to a company map, 28 neighborhood profiles, talent video profiles, and details on a campaign sweepstakes.
“Our region is a top travel destination, and it’s also home to numerous tech and life sciences companies that are doing great, life-changing work,” said Kerri Kapich, Chief Operating Officer at the San Diego Tourism Authority. “We often hear travelers say that they fall in love with San Diego when they visit and wish they could do business here, which is why we’ve partnered with EDC. Together, we’re encouraging more people to visit San Diego and see for themselves that San Diego really is the best place to live, work and play.”
San Diego: Life. Changing.’s Just Say No to Winter promotion will run in conjunction with EDC’s Inclusive Growth Initiative and Advancing San Diego program, allowing for regional employers to also look inward and develop local talent. To learn more about the campaign, visit justsaynotowinter.com.