Recognize Runs 'What's the Point?' Billboard Campaign in Times Square and Downtown LA

The Inc. 5000 employee recognition company asked commuters on two of America's most famous screens, "Going to work? What's the point?" and then offered an answer

BERKELEY, Calif., Oct. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On Oct. 15, Recognize ran a one-day billboard campaign in Times Square in New York and downtown Los Angeles that asked commuters an uncomfortable question: "Going to work? What's the point?" Co-founders Alex Grande and Peter Philips started the employee recognition company with a few thousand dollars and a belief that work gets better when people notice each other's contributions.

The 15-second spot opened on black with those two questions in white text. Then came the answer, "Let's give you a point," with a QR code to the campaign's landing page.

Anyone who missed the billboard can find their point at wtp.recognizeapp.com.

The Campaign by the Numbers

• Cities: New York and Los Angeles
• Run: 24 hours, Oct. 15, 2026
• Spot: 15 seconds, once an hour in Times Square; twice back to back in 24 thirty-second slots in downtown LA
• Total plays: 72

The question is less of a joke than it sounds. Only 32% of U.S. employees are engaged at work, and global engagement fell to 20% in 2025, its lowest level since 2020, according to Gallup's State of the Global Workplace: 2026 report.

"We spent a day asking two of the busiest places in America a question most people are too polite to ask their boss," said Alex Grande, Co-Founder and CEO of Recognize. "We're a recognition company, so we also brought the answer."

The answer is a double meaning. In Recognize, points are what employees receive when a colleague or manager recognizes their work, and they redeem them for gift cards, company swag and tickets to live events.

The billboard was a big swing for a company that started on a small budget. Recognize was named to the 2026 Inc. 5000 in August, ranking No. 3,974 with 61% three-year growth.

"Yes, it was 15 seconds at a time, for one day," said Peter Philips, Co-Founder of Recognize. "Recognition works the same way. Small, specific moments add up, as long as you actually show up."

The one-day run was Recognize's first coast-to-coast out-of-home campaign, and the company may return with a broader flight in a future quarter.

Recognize will keep the conversation going with a live product demo on Oct. 22 and an Oct. 29 webinar on executive presence featuring communication expert Karen Laos.

About Recognize

Recognize is an employee recognition and rewards platform that helps organizations recognize achievements, celebrate employee milestones, and provide rewards. Its employee recognition software works inside Microsoft Teams and the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. To learn more, visit RecognizeApp.com.

Media Contact:
Jess Vigorito
Director of Marketing, Recognize
[email protected]

SOURCE Recognize Services Inc