New ad highlights national impact of Big Ten universities

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

The ad – entitled “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. (Click here to view “We Are Here” ad.)

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.

About Big Ten Academic Alliance

The Big Ten Academic Alliance is the nation’s preeminent model for effective collaboration among research universities. For more than half a century, these world-class institutions have advanced their academic missions, generated unique opportunities for students and faculty, and served the common good by sharing expertise, leveraging campus resources, and collaborating on innovative programs. Governed and funded by the Provosts of the member universities, Big Ten Academic Alliance programs and initiatives are coordinated by a staff from its Champaign, Illinois headquarters.

About Big Ten Conference

The Big Ten Conference is an association of world-class universities whose member institutions share a common mission of research, graduate, professional and undergraduate teaching and public service. Founded in 1896, the Big Ten has sustained a comprehensive set of shared practices and policies that enforce the priority of academics in the lives of students competing in intercollegiate athletics and emphasize the values of integrity, fairness and competitiveness. The Big Ten Conference sponsors 28 official sports, 14 for men and 14 for women, and the broad-based programs of the 18 Big Ten institutions provide direct financial support for more than 14,000 student-athletes. For more information, visit www.bigten.org.

Media Contacts:

Paul Kennedy, Big Ten Conference, pkennedy@bigten.org

Jack Martin, University of Washington, jacktm@uw.edu