"Sit With Me"

Changing the conversation about women in information technology

Client

NCWIT: National Center for Women in Information Technology

Industry

STEM

Services

Campaign strategy, design and execution

Challenge

The National Center for Women & Information Technology arrived with a provocative question: How might we stop women from opting out of IT careers at the crucial mid-point?

Solution

The insight came from an early interview. As one female engineer said, “All we want is a seat at the table to start the dialogue.” Indeed. Sometimes you have to sit down to stand up.

"Sit With Me" became an invitation, yes, but also a platform for a robust multichannel campaign aimed at changing corporate culture inside the world's largest technology companies. Launched on International Women's Day with dedicated support from IBM, Microsoft, Google and many others, more than 500+ "Sit With Me" events have taken place around the world, capturing images and stories about how and why women should stay engaged with technology. Sheryl Sandberg made the campaign's symbolic red chair a permanent installation in Facebook's new office. And the advocacy campaign is still going strong today, most recently with the support of Wells Fargo.

Challenge

The National Center for Women & Information Technology arrived with a provocative question: How might we stop women from opting out of IT careers at the crucial mid-point?

Solution

The insight came from an early interview. As one female engineer said, “All we want is a seat at the table to start the dialogue.” Indeed. Sometimes you have to sit down to stand up.

Brilliant and Deceptively Disruptive

"Your campaign is deceptively disruptive. The red chair is brilliant. It’s an artifact. It concretizes the abstract. It forces you to have a conversation. Sometimes you really do have to sit down to stand up for what you believe in. The response has just been overwhelming and we are so grateful to you."

–Lucinda Sanders, CEO and Co-Founder, National Center for Women & Information Technology