New ad highlights national impact of Big Ten universities

New ad highlights national impact of Big Ten universities

'We Are Here' will air on linear and digital platforms during conference sporting events

The positive impact of Big Ten universities in their communities and around the nation will be highlighted in a new 30-second ad that will air during sporting events featuring conference members, starting with this week's season-opening football games.

The ad - titled "We Are Here" - will air alongside the fan-favorite "Maps" ad. The new spot focuses on how Big Ten universities make America healthier, safer and more prosperous through everything from discovering new medical treatments to developing healthier foods to driving economic growth.

Collectively, the 18 members of the Big Ten Conference educate more than 817,000 students and conduct $19.6 billion in research each year. The vast majority of that research is conducted thanks to the American people and their support for federal investments in the nation's global leadership in health and innovation.

"On behalf of its 18 member universities, I commend the Big Ten Conference's commitment to showcasing research innovation and our conference's collective impact on communities and the nation," said University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines, who chairs the Big Ten's Council of Presidents and Chancellors. "We are proud to be a part of an alliance that shares our dedication to student-athlete success and research for the public good."

"The Big Ten Conference is an association of 18 world-class universities sharing a common mission of research, teaching and public service, alongside shared practices and policies that reinforce the priority of academics in the lives of its student-athletes," said Commissioner Tony Petitti. "We look forward to highlighting the impact our member institutions make every day in their communities and across the nation."

The ad will air on linear and digital platforms during sporting events featuring Big Ten universities, utilizing airtime allocated to the conference as part of its media agreements, including the Big Ten Network (BTN). This new initiative builds on other conference efforts, including research vignettes highlighting the impact of university research that air during select BTN sporting event broadcasts.

"We Are Here" was developed by a creative team made up of staff from Big Ten member universities under the auspices of the Big Ten Academic Alliance. It is the first in a planned series of three ads, which over the course of the series will feature footage from all 18 universities.

More Ohio State News