Photo credit: Billy Hathorn, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Six members of Grambling State University’s World Famed Tiger Marching Band are bringing HBCU culture to a national audience through Urban Outfitters’ first dedicated back-to-campus commercial, according to HBCU Gameday.
The Grambling students featured are Destiny Day, Raina Delee, Haylen Mallery, Dale Marshall Jr., Harmony West, and Jaylin Williams. Their academic disciplines include criminal justice, mass communication, sports administration, music education, history, and electrical engineering.
Filmed at Rutgers University’s SHI Stadium in New Jersey, the commercial features college students rather than professional actors. The cast includes musicians, dancers, student-athletes, and digital creators from universities across the country.
The Grambling students appear alongside members of the UNLV Rebel Girls & Company, the San Diego State University Dance Team, and Rutgers University athletes and performers.
The national campaign comes during a milestone year for Grambling State and its renowned marching band. The university is celebrating its 125th anniversary, while the World Famed is marking its centennial.
“Opportunities like this allow our students to see where their talent, discipline, and preparation can take them beyond the traditional performance setting,” Nikole Roebuck, Grambling State’s director of bands, said in a university statement.
Marshall, a music education major and former head drum major, said participating in the campaign demonstrated how experiences gained through the World Famed can translate beyond the marching band.
“Being part of this campaign was another opportunity to see just how far the World Famed experience can take you,” Marshall said.
Urban Outfitters is extending the campaign beyond the commercial with an original track composed by Bryan Master. “All Together Now (UO Version)” is available as a standalone single and appears on the retailer’s Game Day playlist.
The song is also expected to play in Urban Outfitters stores nationwide throughout the college football season, extending the campaign’s reach as students return to campuses this fall.
Source: Black Enterprise
