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Texas A&M Commercial Receives Prestigious Telly Award

Texas A&M's signature broadcast television commercial “What You Stand For,” has earned a prestigious recognition: a Silver Telly.
By Krista Smith, Texas A&M Marketing & Communications March 28, 2013

Texas A&M‘s signature broadcast television commercial “What You Stand For,” which captures the spirit of the university’s 12th Man tradition, has earned a prestigious recognition: a Silver Telly in the 34th Annual Telly Awards.

The 30-second spot, which highlights the impacts of Texas A&M at the state and national levels and showcases the university’s core values and land-grant heritage in action, was selected as a Silver Telly recipient from more than 11,000 entries in all 50 states and numerous countries, with less than 10 percent of entries receiving a Silver Telly.

“We wanted the commercial to introduce audiences to the core of the Texas A&M brand — particularly in our first year in the Southeastern Conference — as well as reflect the themes of service, leadership, loyalty and discovery that define the unique educational opportunities at Texas A&M,” said Jason Cook, vice president for marketing and communications. “We’re thrilled to learn that this spot, which truly captures the Texas A&M experience, has received such recognition.”

The ad, which is broadcast during televised NCAA sporting events, including the university’s inaugural SEC games aired on the ESPN and CBS networks as well as home football games at Kyle Field, was created by Texas A&M’s Division of Marketing & Communications in partnership with  Belmont Icehouse, a Dallas-based advertising agency and  Reel FX, a Dallas-based production company.

“We wanted this spot to bring to life the spirit and tradition of the 12th Man while differentiating the university as a global thought leader and innovator,” said Tim Hudson, Belmont Icehouse’s co-founder and creative director. “Working with great insights from the Texas A&M marketing group, our creatives collaborated with the talented team at Reel FX to produce a really engaging spot.”

Using the literal standing of the 12th Man on gameday at Kyle Field in the opening scene of the commercial allowed for easy transitions showing how that spirit translates into Aggies’ service to both community and country, explained Diane C. McDonald, the university’s executive director of marketing and social media.

“Our goal was to highlight the unique opportunities that Texas A&M presents to its students that have an impact outside of the classroom, while also showcasing the incredible research that is happening on campus,” she added.

The Telly Awards was founded in 1979 and is the premier award honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs, the finest video and film productions, and online commercials, video and films. Winners, selected by a prestigious judging panel of more than 500 accomplished industry professionals who are all past winners of a Silver Telly, represent the best work of the most respected advertising agencies, production companies, television stations, cable operators, and corporate video departments in the world.

Media contact: Krista Smith, Texas A&M Division of Marketing & Communications.

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