New TV advertisements created by the University of Missouri–St. Louis marketing team began airing earlier this month. The College of Business-focused spots feature alumni Ashlie Vickers, Harsh Patel (top left), Nick Sylvia and Mohamed Langi. The College of Nursing versions feature alumni William Holt, Emma Spencer, Riann Rikard and Sharee Chambers (bottom right).
Eight successful young alumni from the University of Missouri–St. Louis made their television debuts this month thanks to a new campaign produced by University Marketing and Communications.
The TV spots feature recent graduates from the College of Business Administration and the College of Nursing. They began airing on strategic network and digital platforms during the first full week of February and will continue for the next several weeks.
As Jackie Schlarman, assistant vice chancellor for marketing and communications, explained, the campaign marks a fresh new opportunity for the marketing team.
“Once again, we are using our impressive young alumni to tell their story of how UMSL was essential in not only providing a terrific education at a great value, but also helping them find a meaningful career,” she said. “What’s new and exciting is that we also have an opportunity to zero in on our specific colleges and their points of pride. Highlighting them will, in turn, elevate the overall reputation of UMSL.”
While nursing and business are the first to bask in the spotlight, the campaign will not stop there.
The goal is to return this fall with a focus on two more of UMSL’s exceptional colleges. Next up? The College of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences.
Schlarman noted that the TV and digital spots are just one component of a larger, multifaceted effort. Radio ads, which feature the same authentic alumni voices, also began this month and will air for eight weeks – leading up to UMSL Day on March 3 and continuing afterward. Billboards showcasing nursing and business began in January. The outdoor component alone has already had an important impact on traffic to UMSL’s website.
Pageviews for both the College of Business and the College of Nursing are up more than 120 percent compared to this time last year.
The TV spots for the campaign were created by marketing and communications writer and producer Jami Hirsch in conjunction with Avatar Studios.
Are you a successful alumni interested in being part of future iterations of the campaign? Contact Hirsch at hirschj@umsl.edu.
