New Kansas commercial scores big at Orange Bowl

A funny thing happened when the Kansas Jayhawks took the field for the 2008 Orange Bowl in Miami.

For a brief moment, Miami looked a heck of a lot like Lawrence.

The transformation was the result of the Kansas Department of Commerce’s newest promotional video, which aired on the Dolphin Stadium scoreboard and during TV broadcasts of the game in five U.S. markets. The 30-second video showcases Kansas’ quality of life and is the latest installment in the state’s ongoing Brand Image Campaign to market the state as a great place to live, work and play.

“You couldn’t ask for a better place to promote Kansas than the 2008 Orange Bowl,” said Caleb Asher, Senior Director of Marketing Services for Commerce. “The Jayhawks secured us a national stage to show the country how wonderful our state is, and that’s what we did with this commercial.”

Created by Commerce in conjunction with Overland Park-based ad agency Bozell, the commercial is a fast-paced highlight reel of Kansas beauty shots, outdoor adventures, sporting venues and community life. The ad features original music written and performed by Kansas City band The Away Team, as well as footage from Gizmo Pictures in Topeka.

A 60-second television version of the commercial debuted Nov. 24 at a sold-out Arrowhead Stadium during halftime of the Missouri-Kansas football game. It also ran during TV broadcasts of the game on select Kansas stations, as well as during the Kansas City Chief’s game the following day. The ads then ran from December through mid-January as part of an aggressive TV and radio campaign across Kansas.

The commercials are the latest component of the state’s Brand Image Campaign, which was launched in 2005 at the request of Kansas business leaders to promote Kansas’ business community, tourism opportunities and overall quality of life. The campaign included the creation of the state’s first-ever brand image by merging the previously separate image concepts and taglines used by tourism and business development officials. The goal of the campaign is to shape the conversation about Kansas and build a sustainable consistent image of Kansas.

“The intent of this campaign is to remind Kansans that we have lots to be proud of and an unparalleled quality of life,” Asher said. “As the new commercials explain, our state allows us to enjoy a lifestyle that’s as fast-paced as you want, as relaxing as you need or as ambitious as you aspire. When it comes right down to it, there’s no place like home, and there’s certainly no place like Kansas.”

For more information, contact Joe Monaco, Public Information Officer with the Kansas Department of Commerce, at (785) 296-3760 or jmonaco@kansascommerce.com.