From the Nominator

In the spring and summer of 2023, the University of Texas at San Antonio developed 30-second spots showcasing our accomplished young alumni thriving in high-demand fields. These spots enhance our national brand recognition, while highlighting the university's supportive resources, integral to our ongoing commitment to student success and post-graduate outcomes. These spots were broadcasted nationally during football games in opposing team markets, offering a prime opportunity for widespread exposure and elevating our brand within our new athletic conference. Our approach began with thorough research into competitors' advertising strategies. Recognizing the prevalence of similar TV spots among universities, such as b-roll and campus visuals, we were determined to craft a unique approach that would set our university apart from others in higher education, especially within the football/sports environment. We focused on enhancing narratives with attention-grabbing cinematography, production cues, visual style, locations, and editorial techniques. We conducted interviews with seven individuals, ensuring ample material for the football TV spots and future campaigns. We deliberately included Spanish-speaking talent. While the agency filmed the interviews, our university photographer took portraits of the talent to use them in future advertisements. The results were five striking TV spots in English and two in Spanish. Spots also run as pre-roll advertisements on internet channels like YouTube. These student stories now appear on our recruiting websites, bringing the collaborative effort full circle.

From the Judges

Great concept and production value, and we really liked seeing a set of ads in both English and Spanish. The branding and bold colors used across the ads would lead to good brand recall. It would have been great to learn how the ads impacted student recruitment numbers.