Back-to-School Campaign – WE Teachers Award (2019)

In 2019, Walgreens launched a back-to-school campaign to honor teachers and highlight their dedication beyond the classroom. The campaign aimed to raise awareness of Walgreens’ partnership with the ME to WE Foundation, which helps fund programs for educators. It also encouraged the public to nominate their favorite teachers for a $500 WE Teachers Award.

Phase 1: Awareness
To build awareness, we asked kids why they thought teachers were so important, capturing their heartfelt and often humorous perspectives. This approach emphasized the invaluable role teachers play in shaping young minds and building communities.

Phase 2: Nominations
The campaign shed light on the national statistic that teachers spend an average of $480 out of pocket annually on classroom supplies. By framing this amount in a way kids could understand—highlighting how “unfathomable” it seems to them—we connected emotionally with audiences and underscored the importance of supporting teachers.

The campaign successfully combined heartfelt storytelling with actionable outreach, positioning Walgreens as a champion for education and a trusted partner in making a difference for educators.