Case Study

Across the private sector, American workers have amassed more than $224 billion in unused vacation time, leaving significant personal, business, and economic value unrealized. The U.S. Travel Association launched Project: Time Off to demonstrate the wide‑ranging benefits of taking earned time off—from improving well‑being to strengthening workplace performance and driving economic activity. To maximize the initiative’s impact, U.S. Travel sought to identify the highest‑value audiences to engage and the messages most likely to shift behavior among both employees and employers.

We conducted a comprehensive segmentation analysis to pinpoint consumer groups with substantial unused PTO and a readiness to change their habits. From there, we tested and refined messaging to uncover which narratives would most effectively motivate increased PTO use—tailored for both the workforce and business leaders. This combination of segmentation and message testing ensured that communications were sharply targeted and grounded in what truly moves people.