Ogilvy New York worked with non-profits the Ad Council and Opportunity@Work, with the support of 50 additional companies and organizations, to launch Tear The Paper Ceiling, an initiative that urges businesses to remove the barriers blocking upward mobility for workers who do not have bachelor’s degrees. This vital cohort—workers who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs)—makes up over 50% of the workforce but too often faces arbitrary obstacles that preclude them from advancing their careers. We created a hero film as well as two separate 30 second films, featuring real-life STARs who have built successful careers despite the structural barriers in front of them.