We all go to NC State, North Carolina’s University!
Been thinking a lot about university branding lately. With a new Chancellor on board and his vision starting to crystallize, hard to fight the urge to put his words into message form. Wouldn’t it be great if there was something simple and all encompassing like We Fulfill Dreams or The Gator Nation.
Budgets are another concern. Is this the right time to spend a significant amount of dough on a new TV commercial for use on the network broadcast of Wolfpack athletic events.
Between us communicators, I’m not sure.
I keep coming back to two themes; North Carolina’s University or We all go to NC State. It may have been a while since you’ve seen the last one, but it’s pretty good! Could even be better.
Teachers go there for inspiration
Business leaders go there for the vision
Kids go there for heroes
Working people go there for the opportunity
When the stakes are high and the dreams are big,
And the world we build for our children depends on how we answer some very tough questions.
We all go to N.C. State!
Full of pride and passion. Full of aspiration and promise. Still fresh after all these years. What do you think? A tweak here and there, and off we go…to NC State…in 3D!!!
Passion Rules!
1 of Many
20 comments
I’ve always thought the “We all go to NC State” commercials were among the best we’ve ever done and reaches out to students, alums and other target groups. Would love to see a 2010 interpretation of the theme.
[…] here:Â We all go to NC State, North Carolina's University! HiceSchool Blog By admin | category: NORTH CAROLINA STATE University | tags: carolina, chancellor, […]
I agree- We all go to NC STATE is a strong statement that still resonates with different audiences. Can it be combined with Red Means Go?? That one was a favorite of our students. Something like Red means GO, therefore We all go to NC STATE?!? Or We all go to NC STATE where Red means Go?!?
I think we’ll look at several different approaches. It might be confusing though if we try to tie two campaigns together. To me, the closing lines are the strength of the old spot: When the stakes are high and the dreams are big, And the world we build for our children depends on how we answer some very tough questions. We all go to N.C. State!
Chancellor Woodson has been talking about how he wants us to focus on the Grand Challenges of our time so this approach works well. The attitude from Red Means Go is good though. So what we’ve got to do is figure out how to imbibe a revision of the old theme with the new attitude.
I’m thinking we shoot it in 3D. Just kidding.
What the students loved best was the Red Means Go t-shirts. It really is cool to see them across campus and beyond. I have seen them in the mountains and at the beach. The Red Mens Go bumper stickers were also very popular.
I love this. I was excited to get my red means go t-shirt freshman year but would be just as happy if not even more happy to wear a “We all go to NC State” t-shirt! These ideas are awesome Joe and I think they do a good job at representing the passion myself, and others connected to the university feel about NC State.
something about it doesn’t read right to me. I would assume the
visuals would be shots of things happening HERE, but the copy says “there” I’m not a scriptwriter but, what the hell. How about something like this…..
Teachers come here for inspiration
Business leaders come here for vision
Kids come for heroes
Working people for opportunity
The stakes are high and the dreams are big,
The world we build for our children depends on how we answer some very tough questions.
We are N.C. State!
Bill: You do get a better feel for it with the visuals, but your thoughts are what I’m looking for. Coming HERE is what it’s all about. People come HERE for answers. I’m not a big fan of the examples used though; neither here nor there, you might say. Need to think about how we update them to speak to the issues we’re focused on and the areas we hope to impact. Rambling here, but you get my drift.
Just brainstorming and breaking these down into individual questions and adding a few more for fun.
Where do children go for heroes?
Where do teachers go for inspiration?
Where do leaders go for vision?
Where do you go when the stakes are high?
Where do you go when your dreams are big?
Where do you go when you know what you want to be when you grow up?
Where do you go when you don’t know what you want to be when you grow up?
Where do you go for new opportunities and challenges?
Where do you go to find the answers to tough questions?
Where do you go to build a better world for everyone?
We all go to N.C. State!
Are taglines dead?
http://www.rhb.com/resources/whitepapers/taglinesaredead.html
Teachers come here for inspiration
Business leaders come here for vision
Kids come for heroes
Working people for opportunity
The stakes are high and the dreams are big,
The world we build for our children depends on how we answer some very tough questions.
We are N.C. State!
YOU, are N.C. State.
Speaking of taglines…
http://higheredtaglines.com/
The current NC State commercials aren’t REALLY NC State. Ask a student what they think of the commercials- they’re mostly used as punch lines to jokes (Nano what?). To most people those commercials feel just that- too commercialized. The best way to sell something is to connect a certain feeeling and emotion to the product that way everytime that person has that certain feeling, it reminds them of the product (NC State). Yes, the bridge commercial is high tech and nice, but it doesn’t create a connection to the consumer. They are great commercials, to air during a TED talk or on the History Channel.
The main goal is to create a connection to NC State with all walks of life, but it has to start with the students- if every student doesn’t believe NC State is the greatest place to be, then how are outsiders supposed to be convinced that it truly is the greatest place to be. When making new commercials and in anything we do, the goal should be to find out what makes NCSU the best place on earth?
When a young person watches this commercial, they should think: “Wow, I really want to go to NC State and experience what I just saw.”
A Current student should think “Wow, that is exactly what it’s like here.”
An alumnus should watch it and think “I wouldn’t trade those days for anything.”
That’s what this school needs- a community that feels an emotional connection. Now I’m not saying a commercial alone can do that, but it will help get the ball rolling on the process.
That was the motivation and inspiration for this short clip I made. I am by no means good at making videos: but hopefully this will inspire you all to come up with something of your own. Heck, we don’t even need to spend money on making commercials- students should do it. Who better to capture the essence of NC State than the students who live it everyday?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIMu2Dz0x4U
Enjoy and leave some criticism!
How about using “go to” as metaphor for “count on”…
These are just riffs and may be better suited to print than a :30, but anyway…
We all go to NC State…
To protect our shores (1st female submarine officers story)
To build our businesses (1B4NC campaign story)
For the food we eat (sweet potato story)
To fill our tank (fuel from forest biomass story)
Well, you get the idea. ‘Effect’ vs ‘Cause’
Fortunately, there’s a bunch of stories out there. Which ones translate visually, emotionally — and quickly — would be the key if we went down this road.
I love this. I was excited to get my red means go t-shirt freshman year but would be just as happy if not even more happy to wear a “We all go to NC State” t-shirt! These ideas are awesome Joe and I think they do a good job at representing the passion myself, and others connected to the university feel about NC State.
Joe, most of the university commercials shown during football games look interchangeable. They look only slightly better than the Appalachian State “Hot hot hot!” video, which is notoriously razzed on YouTube (look it up!)
The only one that sticks out in my mind is Duke’s in which students announce at the end that, “Duke students created this commercial.”
Our Advanced Media Lab staff could work with creative services to create a memorable commercial along whatever theme you choose.
I know you were joking, but I’m not: if you like, the commercial could be in 3D animation.
And it would be remembered.
It would be a hoot to produce a 3D version for the web!
I’m concerned of the resonance with “We are all Hokies,” associated with the shootings at VaTech three years ago.
I like the phrase, and I remember the ads from several years ago, but now the VaTech thing comes to mind when I hear it. And people are still saying that, even this year, around the anniversary of that terrible event.
I’ve always been a big fan of “We All Go To N.C. State.” I’m happy to hear plans to return to it.
I thought these comments from John Tucker were particularly on target:
“When a young person watches this commercial, they should think: ‘Wow, I really want to go to NC State and experience what I just saw.’
A Current student should think ‘Wow, that is exactly what it’s like here.’
An alumnus should watch it and think ‘I wouldn’t trade those days for anything.'”
Well said.
I look forward to see where you take this concept in the coming months.
– James Curle, c/o 2001
P.S. You can find more of my thoughts on it here: http://riddickandreynolds.wordpress.com/2010/05/28/we-all-go-back-to-n-c-state/
MAKE IT REAL!!!
When we need;
The world’s first synthetic aorta,
A prototype for an artificial retina,
A blood cholesterol test that more accurately measures the risk of heart disease,
Statistical models that will aid in designing new treatment strategies for HIV patients,
Lighter, fire-resistant and biological agent-resistant turnout gear for first responders,
A permanent nanocoating that, when exposed to light, kills or inactivates bacteria and viruses,
Wel all go to NC State
Leave a Comment