From the Nominator

"The commercial was part of a marketing plan emphasizing our school of education's strong reputation during a time of teacher shortages and burnout headed into year two of the pandemic. We aimed to steward more than 28,000 education alumni (over half of our living alumni) and remind prospective students we're known for training the best in the field.  

Saint Rose alumni who are teachers were cast in the commercial, which filmed in a day. We wanted to make educators feel understood, showing the stress they experienced over the last year, but reminding them of how they were there for their students and how it was appreciated. Although it spoke to all educators, our institution's brand was subtly incorporated, and the final screen highlighted we've produced 28,000+ teachers.  

The investment in filming was minimal. We paid the student featured, rented special film equipment, and treated the teachers to lunch. The commercial was written by our associate vice president for marketing and communications and filmed and edited entirely by our on-staff digital media producer. Total production cost: less than $800. Total cost for paid placements: $31,700.  

Aired on two local television stations, streamed on platforms in the region and New York City, and shared as paid social media in the late summer/early fall 2021, the commercial kicked off a marketing campaign that extended throughout the fall and into 2022. Education alumni engagement has soared as a result, with approximately 1,500 alumni updating their contact information with the college. A targeted fundraising component in 2022 will tell more."

From the Judges

Nice supporting information. Great emotional appeal. Liked the subtlety of the final frame. Good budget breakdown.