Penn College-Produced TV Commercial Earns Coveted ‘CUPPIE’

Published 03.10.2017

News
Faculty & Staff

A TV commercial produced by Public Relations & Marketing at Pennsylvania College of Technology was honored in the 2017 CUPPIE Awards sponsored by CUPRAP (College and University Public Relations and Associated Professionals).

The 30-second spot, which aired as part of the college’s statewide branding campaign, earned a Silver CUPPIE in the “Advertising In-House TV” category. The award was presented March 9 at CUPRAP’s Annual Spring Conference in Hershey.



The award-winning commercial – titled “What If You Could Change the World?” – featured a unique approach. Rather than touting the college’s impressive placement rate and related statistics, and presenting a host of conventional images – mirroring video produced by many other institutions of higher education – the spot stirs emotions by challenging prospective students to change the world through a Penn College education.

Compelling video of an assortment of the college’s 100-plus “degrees that work,” as well as the determined delivery of the student narrator – Stephanie M. Puckly, of Spartansburg, a welding and fabrication engineering technology major – demonstrate the challenge can be met.

The commercial was conceived and developed by Carlos Ramos, director of strategic marketing, and Thomas F. Speicher, writer/video editor. Speicher shot and edited the video, which aired around the state in various Comcast cable TV zones, on WVIA Public Media, on Penn State Sports Properties’ “Unrivaled” highlight programs for football and basketball, and on WGAL-TV in the Lancaster/York/Harrisburg market for NFL Thursday Night Football telecasts.

“We wanted to develop a TV commercial for the branding campaign that did not resemble those produced by so many other colleges and universities,” said Joseph S. Yoder, associate vice president for public relations and marketing. “We believe Penn College’s points of distinction – including hands-on majors in high-demand career fields, business and industry connections, and impressive graduate-placement rates – called for a novel approach. Tom and Carlos delivered, as evidenced by this honor from a respected organization of our peers.”­

The commercial, as well as other videos produced by Penn College, can be viewed on the college’s YouTube channel.

CUPRAP, founded in 1980, has 350 members from 100 higher-education institutions in Pennsylvania and other states. Members include public relations directors, publication editors, graphic designers, web designers, writers, marketing specialists, sports information directors, media relations managers and special events coordinators.

For more about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education, email the Admissions Office call toll-free 800-367-9222.