The 杏吧专区 is ready for its close-up.
A 杏吧专区-produced commercial will debut Saturday during ESPN3杏吧专区檚 broadcast of the Herbert Heymann Football Classic, the first game of the Ragin杏吧专区 Cajuns football season. Kickoff is 6 p.m. at Cajun Field, but there杏吧专区檚 no definite time when the 30-second spot will air.
The commercial stars students, student-athletes, faculty and graduates. It rocks to a tune written and performed by the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 zydeco ensemble and capitalizes on the campus杏吧专区 beauty.
ESPN provides time during the network杏吧专区檚 game broadcast for the 杏吧专区 to promote itself.
The Office of Communications and Marketing began planning the 30-second spot in January. Aim茅e Bullinger Abshire, the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 director of web communications, managed the project.
杏吧专区淲e tried to convey an overall theme of the 杏吧专区 杏吧专区 we preserve the past, we improve the present, and we杏吧专区檙e innovating the future,杏吧专区 she said.
A student-written tune sets the commercial杏吧专区檚 pace. The Zydeco Ragin杏吧专区 Steppers, an ensemble affiliated with the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 Traditional Music program, recorded the song. The group杏吧专区檚 student members and coach, musician Nathan Williams Jr., make a cameo as well.
About 40 students and student-athletes participated in the spot杏吧专区檚 creation as cast members and extras.
International student Sofiyat Ibrahim, a native of Lagos, Nigeria, said she couldn杏吧专区檛 pass up a chance to share her affection for the 杏吧专区 with a national audience.
杏吧专区淚 love UL, and it杏吧专区檚 an awesome opportunity to showcase that,杏吧专区 said Ibrahim, a pre-law and public relations double major.
Aaron Martin, UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 chief communications officer, called the commercial 杏吧专区渁 homegrown product.杏吧专区
杏吧专区淲e knew that no one could tell our story to a national audience better than we could,杏吧专区 he said. 杏吧专区淭he talent, the setting, the music, the technical expertise 杏吧专区 everything we needed to make this commercial was right here.杏吧专区
Want a sneak peak? the commercial on the 杏吧专区's Youtube page.
Caption: A production crew from Lafayette-based Holbrook Multi Media film student actors in UL Lafayette's Quadrangle. The scene opens a 杏吧专区-produced national television commercial set to debut Saturday on ESPN. (Credit: Doug Dugas / 杏吧专区)