Colorado State University debuted a new “Charging Forward” video spot during its nationally televised home football opener on Sept. 3, publicly kicking off a branding platform that celebrates the return to campus and succeeds “Together. We Continue.”
The 30-second spot — which will air during CSU’s NCAA broadcasts of football and men’s basketball games this year — features footage of students participating in activities on campus and several of CSU’s top rankings. Those rankings include best four-year college in Colorado (schools.com), number one sustainability scores (STARS), top 12% of public universities in the U.S. (niche.com), top 15% in the nation for college location, and third-ranked veterinary medicine program (U.S. News & World Report).
“When the world turned upside down, we launched ‘Together. We Continue’ to reassure our community that CSU was operating through the pandemic,” said Executive Creative Director Todd Fedell. “Now, as life has moved to a new phase, we wanted aspirational messaging about our resolve and the excitement surrounding our return to campus. ‘Charging Forward’ embodied that tone and our Ram spirit.”
A focus on academic quality
Vice President for University Marketing and Communications Yolanda Bevill agreed.
“This year’s Charging Forward theme is not just about what Rams do, it’s about celebrating this community’s resilience during the pandemic — and advancing our great teaching, research, outreach and service,” she said. “This is an excellent, upbeat lifestyle spot that focuses on the academic quality of CSU.”
Fedell added that it also represents a departure from the norm.
“We wanted to disrupt the convention of university advertising with our new NCAA spot,” he said. “It’s a celebration of the on-campus, energetic lifestyle we’re returning to and a stake in the ground regarding our academic prowess. It’s definitely a new tone for CSU, and we’re very excited to keep this energy going forward.”
Fedell praised the work of CSU videographer Ben Ward, who shot and narrated the spot, as well as senior graphic designers Ashley Everett and Bonnie Palmatory, who also helped produce it in-house.
“It was definitely a team effort in getting this done,” he said.
