Vol 55. IBM: Free STEM lessons 🧑‍🔬

Free products often have pretty clear guardrails. It’s a 15-day free trial, a free sample with purchase, a free pair of headphones if you take a demo. The free stuff is usually the breadcrumb trail to the money-making stuff. 

The campaign we’re talking about today isn’t like that. The company’s freebies only lead to… more freebies. 

This week, Case Studied explores how IBM engaged underserved audiences about career in STEM. 

The Brief:

IBM is one of the oldest and largest tech companies in the world. For 29 consecutive years, it held the record for most annual U.S. patents generated by a business from 1993 to 2011. Today, they’ve got their hands in everything from AI and cloud computing to blockchain and security. 

Something you might not know them for is the IBM SkillsBuild. It’s a hub of free, online, skills-based learning courses. There's a curriculum for adults, as well as high school and university students. The adult training is geared toward building job skills that help folks prepare for entry-level jobs in tech.

IBM wanted to build awareness and engagement with SkillsBuild, but not just to any audience. They specifically wanted to reach underrepresented and marginalized adults, with the message that anyone has a place in STEM. 

The Execution:

IBM partnered with creative agency, SpecialGuest, to build a campaign around their free education resources. They decided that personalization was an important element to increase engagement, so they went with a tried-and-true way of getting cozy with audiences—a personality quiz. 

SpecialGuest informally called this their “‘What Disney princess am I?’ quiz… But for STEM.” The quiz matched individual interests with specific tech skills. At the end, participants received a “tech type”, with names like Experimental Creator, the Realistic Explorer, and the Abstract Navigator. They also got matched with specific jobs and roles within STEM that suited their type. 

All eight tech types were shown on visually-driven, social-friendly graphics that explain each type's “superpowers.” Participants were encouraged to share their results on social media, which was encouraged even further by the influencer partnerships IBM leveraged. 

They teamed up with 11 creators—including Zahra Hashimee and Alexandra Doten—who had diverse backgrounds and relevancy in specific areas in STEM. From there, they had IBM tech experts react to each influencer video and take the quiz themselves to serve as further validation.  

Emails captured from the quiz automatically unlocked access to IBM SkillsBuild. Those who opted into being registered gained immediate access to the learning courses and received lessons that corresponded with their quiz results.

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The Results:

IBM’s Tech Type quiz was shared organically over 5,000 times. It racked up over 420,000 views across TikTok and Instagram, plus some media coverage. The data on the results is limited, but this is certainly a campaign that could prove its ROI in several ways down the line and it’s impact on improving STEM education can only be seen as a positive.

The Takeaways:

This campaign has some pretty unique elements, specifically related to incorporating free education into your marketing strategy. Here are a few lessons to learn from it:

1. Engage Audiences with Personalization

A standout element of IBM’s campaign was the personalized “Tech Type” quiz, which matched individual interests with specific tech skills and career paths in STEM. This approach added a fun, interactive layer to their outreach, helping participants see themselves in tech roles they might not have considered. By making the journey personal and relatable, IBM effectively connected underserved audiences with their SkillsBuild program, emphasizing that STEM careers are accessible to all.

Personalization isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a proven way to engage audiences meaningfully. Consider creating interactive tools or quizzes that align with your brand’s offerings to help audiences explore how your product or service fits their needs. Whether it’s matching career paths, product recommendations, or custom content, make personalization a core part of your campaigns to increase relevancy and deepen connections.

2. Leverage Influencers to Build Trust

IBM partnered with 11 influencers from diverse backgrounds to expand their campaign’s reach and credibility. These influencers not only shared their quiz results but also acted as relatable figures, encouraging audiences to explore STEM and use IBM SkillsBuild. This dual validation—first by influencers and then by IBM experts reacting to influencer content—reinforced the authenticity of the message and its alignment with audience needs.

Identify influencers who resonate with your target audience and can authentically champion your brand’s mission. Collaborate with them to create relatable content that showcases your product or service in action. Layer in validation from your team, like IBM did with their experts, to provide an additional level of credibility and build trust with your audience.

3. Offer Value Without a Catch

IBM flipped the script on typical “free” campaigns by providing ongoing value through their SkillsBuild platform. Instead of using the quiz as a gateway to paid offerings, it led participants to more free educational resources, creating a seamless path to empowerment and engagement. This approach demonstrated IBM’s commitment to their mission, earning goodwill and organic sharing along the way.

Reassess how you provide value in your campaigns. Instead of pushing for immediate ROI, consider offering high-quality, free resources or tools that align with your brand’s goals and audience needs. By focusing on genuine value, you can build lasting trust and advocacy, which often translates into long-term loyalty and conversions.

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