Sweaty palms, jitters, nerves, adrenalineâin college they happen whether youâre about to step into an arena, onto a stage or into a make-or-break final. How well you manage and prepare for those quiet, anxious moments often determines success during the main event.
The Moment Before: Thatâs the title of this yearâs CU Boulder Pac-12 commercial, which airs during each Buffaloes football game and on the Pac-12 Network.Ìę
For the high-profile TV spot, the university asked its own advertising students to pitch ideas.
âWe all had jitters because stakes were high, but I think I speak for everyone when I say we were prepared,â says Ben Rindels (Advertâ17), one of the four students who pitched the concept as part of the Portfolio class offered by CMCIâs Department of Advertising, Public Relations and Media Design.Ìę
âWe took a step back to ask, âWhat are the moments that we enjoyed in college, and what are the best moments at CU,ââ says team member Carolina Dangelo (Advertâ17).Ìę
During their research, the team watched other Pac-12 commercials and noticed that many of the ads were interchangeable.Ìę
âIf you look at most other collegesâ commercials, you can replace that collegeâs name with any other school,â says Jacob Glazier (Advertâ17). âWhat they donât really touch on is what makes them unique.â
The final productâproduced by the universityâs central communications officeâwas a universitywide collaboration, with a music student composing the score, and CU students and faculty members participating as actors.
The ad highlights parallels between the techniques athletes use to win games and the techniques students use to earn honors.Ìę
âWe wanted to create a metaphor about preparation, muscle memory and repetitionâthings students do that are like athletes,â says Rachel Wood (Advertâ17). Ìę
For these students, it was a touchdown right before graduation.Ìę