Auburn University is a prestigious, public research and land grant institution located on the scenic plains of southeast Alabama. Groundbreaking scholarship, innovation and creativity thrives here, but the hard-working, humble culture of Auburn has not always encouraged well-deserved recognition in the higher education field. Through our friendship with Auburn, we discovered that there are a lot of incredible stories taking place that aren’t being told. And the ones that are being told aren’t always being told well. Big-name schools recognize the importance of not just being brilliant but sharing that brilliance with the world. Schools like Harvard and M.I.T. have a lot to say. So does Auburn.

Our vision was to showcase the transformational impact of Auburn University on the world through a compelling video campaign. Tatum Design set forth on an ambitious video content marketing initiative with the ultimate goal of raising awareness of Auburn on the national stage. Increased visibility could help fulfill several of the forward-facing goals of the University — strengthen recruitment, attract key partners and expand research and outreach. During our intensive pre-production process, we established a deliberate, systematic and strategic approach. We conducted client discovery sessions, phone interviews and field trips to identify the stories with the greatest potential. We wrote scripts, crafted storyboards and scouted locations. Our boots-on-the-ground working style helped us discover unexpected stories that would shape the final video campaign.

We embarked on a nearly two-month long video shoot that took us everywhere from rural Alabama communities to remote Montana wilderness. From airplane rides and wildfire fighting to veterinarian surgery and robotic labs, we documented many of the brightest people and programs that are making the biggest difference. We edited countless hours of footage and interviews into eight dynamic videos.

Each of the videos served a targeted purpose and promoted the unique value of an Auburn education. The videos were shown at special presentation events across the country. By reaching students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, industry partners and other key stakeholders, the video campaign helped elevate the institution’s academic brand. This visionary initiative not only raised Auburn’s national profile, but it transformed the perception of this real world-changing university among important audiences.