The 麻豆夜市 is ready for its close-up.
A University-produced commercial will debut Saturday during ESPN3鈥檚 broadcast of the Herbert Heymann Football Classic, the first game of the Ragin鈥 Cajuns football season. Kickoff is 6 p.m. at Cajun Field, but there鈥檚 no definite time when the 30-second spot will air.
The commercial stars students, student-athletes, faculty and graduates. It rocks to a tune written and performed by the University鈥檚 zydeco ensemble and capitalizes on the campus鈥 beauty.
ESPN provides time during the network鈥檚 game broadcast for the University to promote itself.
The Office of Communications and Marketing began planning the 30-second spot in January. Aim茅e Bullinger Abshire, the University鈥檚 director of web communications, managed the project.
鈥淲e tried to convey an overall theme of the University 鈥 we preserve the past, we improve the present, and we鈥檙e innovating the future,鈥 she said.
A student-written tune sets the commercial鈥檚 pace. The Zydeco Ragin鈥 Steppers, an ensemble affiliated with the University鈥檚 Traditional Music program, recorded the song. The group鈥檚 student members and coach, musician Nathan Williams Jr., make a cameo as well.
About 40 students and student-athletes participated in the spot鈥檚 creation as cast members and extras.
International student Sofiyat Ibrahim, a native of Lagos, Nigeria, said she couldn鈥檛 pass up a chance to share her affection for the University with a national audience.
鈥淚 love UL, and it鈥檚 an awesome opportunity to showcase that,鈥 said Ibrahim, a pre-law and public relations double major.
Aaron Martin, 麻豆夜市鈥檚 chief communications officer, called the commercial 鈥渁 homegrown product.鈥
鈥淲e knew that no one could tell our story to a national audience better than we could,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he talent, the setting, the music, the technical expertise 鈥 everything we needed to make this commercial was right here.鈥
Want a sneak peak? the commercial on the University's Youtube page.
Caption: A production crew from Lafayette-based Holbrook Multi Media film student actors in 麻豆夜市's Quadrangle. The scene opens a University-produced national television commercial set to debut Saturday on ESPN. (Credit: Doug Dugas / 麻豆夜市)