<p>I think they are very nice and polished. This is a 100000% improvement over last year’s version of “Alabama is…” ad campaign, which looked like it was farmed out as a senior TCF course project. (Actually, I should give our senior TCF majors more credit; they would have made something better than that.)</p>
<p>These were actually shown on national television.</p>
<p>The spots from the first year of “Crimson is…” were a little better (they are different in that they are narrated by Sela Ward and have better background music). But this year’s campaign is the best in my opinion since the “Dream a Little” campaign from earlier this decade.</p>
<p>I agree that last year’s ads were AWFUL…and looked very amateurish (fall '08). They looked like they were made with low quality recording equipment…like something my dad used in the 60s.</p>
<p>It was weird because the year before (Fall 07) had really nice ads (the one with Dr. Sharpe in a classroom and the Croyle family)</p>
<p>This year’s ads are much better. I’m sure they got a ton of complaints about last year’s.</p>
<p>However, I think one of the most moving college TV ads running right now is Notre Dame’s ad which features their research of a rare disease that has killed 3 of former head coach Ara Parseghian’s grandkids. That commercial makes me cry everytime I see it. The ad is about ND’s Center for Rare and Neglected Diseases.</p>
<p>It’s called “What Would You Fight For,” which ties into the message of the “Fighing Irish.”</p>
<p>Yeah, that (and the others in that series) sure makes filming a creek that probably isn’t even in Alabama look rather generic. But let’s be realistic, Notre Dame as a whole is on a whole other level of prestige that UA. For what UA is perceived to be nationally (and this is one of many cases where perception is reality), “Touching Lives” is a fantastic step up.</p>
<p>Well that last sentence … sometimes it’s better to do nothing (or rerun an earlier ad) then to put forth something that looks cheap.</p>
<p>The south routinely has to overcome prejudices and ignorance about its schools, and putting forth a cheap ad just reinforces those misunderstandings.</p>
<p>This year’s ads are great. The last one, while nice with the water and its message, isn’t as effective because people need to “see” the school. They need to see the facilities.</p>
<p>I agree, mom2collegekids. What a boneheaded move. One of those ads even aired during the Sugar Bowl. What a way to tell the world, “Hey, we at UA just learned how to use a camera! It’s super cool!”</p>
<p>Here are some samples of the earlier ads in the “Crimson Is…” campaign. The narrator is Sela Ward.</p>
<p>Also, the tv spots in the “Touching Lives” page are listed in reverse chronological order. The first one (at the bottom) aired during the game on Virginia Tech that aired on ABC. I see it as an opening act to the later spots.</p>
<p>Do you have the links to the '07 ads? Like the one with Dr. Sharpe in the front of a classroom, the mention of all the NMFs, and the Croyle family. That was a nice ad, too.</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>I remember that…and I had a similar thought…“Hey, there’s this thing made by Kodak that makes talkies…”</p>
<p>Wow, I had forgot about the 2008 commercials, maybe a little more money needed to be spent with them? As for the current “Touching Lives” campaign, it seems too generic, I don’t even know if half the things in the commercials had to do with UA or were just stock footage. I would like to see more focus on UA like the 2007 commercials did.</p>
<p>On a related note, I really liked the “You are UA” sequence in the admissions DVD, that was classy.</p>
<p>I don’t think we ever looked at the admissions DVD. </p>
<p>Obviously, the water ad wasn’t done on campus, but that wasn’t the suggested point (it was also the weakest of the ads in my opinion). But, I think the footage of the other ads are from UA. To me, the strongest ads show the students, the facilities, the various labs, etc.</p>
I agree, mom2collegekids. What a boneheaded move. One of those ads even aired during the Sugar Bowl. What a way to tell the world, “Hey, we at UA just learned how to use a camera! It’s super cool!”
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!</p>
<p>But yeah. I’m sorry, but I always thought the “Crimson Is” ad campaign was kind of lame. What an improvement! I can’t believe how visually stunning the “Touching Lives” ads are!</p>
… sometimes it’s better to do nothing (or rerun an earlier ad) then to put forth something that looks cheap.</p>