UF commercials featuring alumni encouraging each other to "Go write the great American novel" or to "Go cure cancer" will soon retire.
UF officials are preparing to launch a new advertising campaign called "When Did You Become A Florida Gator?" to replace its The Gator Nation campaign.
The television spot for the new campaign, which highlights students and alumni describing the moment they realized they were Gators for life, will launch the day of the UF-Georgia football game on Nov. 1, said Joseph Hice, UF associate vice president for marketing and public relations.
The new campaign will also feature print and radio ads, Hice said. Some of the print ads have already debuted in this season's football programs, he said.
The original commercial for The Gator Nation campaign was launched in 2005, according to the campaign's Web site.
Dan Williams, UF's director of marketing, said the "Go Gators" ads were extremely successful, but UF felt that it was time for a change.
UF typically reviews its advertising on a yearly basis, he said.
Although the "Go Gators" ads will be tucked away, he said fans should see the new campaign as an evolution rather than a change.
"The spot continues the same theme but just takes a fresher, maybe a little more emotional, approach to the subject," Williams said.
The new television spot will be filmed next week, he said, and will be a series of vignettes that depict situations in which a person first realized they were a Gator.
"It could be something as basic as when you received your acceptance letter to when a loved one was saved due to some of our medical research," he said.
In addition to the new advertisements, the GoGatorNation.com Web site is being revamped into InsidetheGatorNation.com to correspond with the "Inside the Gator Nation" online newsletter, he said.
In doing this, UF hopes to attract more attention to the Web site and provide more news content, Williams said.
The updated site will offer fans the chance to submit pictures, videos and personal stories to illustrate their moment of realization.
Some of the videos may be shown in the stadium during football games, Hice said.
In addition, students and alumni will be able to record their "When Did You Become A Florida Gator?" memories at a traveling video booth that will be stationed at various campus and sporting events, Hice said.
The booth is still being developed, although it will probably consist of a portable tent and a video camera, Williams said.
The first video clips for the Web site were shot Friday at the Board of Trustees meeting, he said.
About five UF trustees recorded their UF memories on camera for the Web site. The videos should be posted online by next week, he said.
Although the total cost of the campaign cannot be determined until after production, Williams said the annual budget for advertising is about $1 million.
Williams said he hopes to have the traveling video booth up and running by one of the next home football games so fans can join the trustees in sharing their favorite Gator moments.
