How I helped turn a simple opportunity to make a message into a story-driven feature woven throughout a Texas all-star football game.
The Challenge
In 2010, organizers of the Texas vs. the Nation All-Star Football Game in El Paso asked for the Governor’s Office to be involved in some way with the game. We identified it as a chance to build on our strong messaging identifying Texas as a great place to do business. This was as far as we initially got.
The Solution
Hoping to do something with a bit more flash than a press release or advertisement, I conceived of the Texas Governor’s Business Hall of Fame as an element that could be touted throughout the game.
I conceived of the Hall as honoring four distinctly different types of Texas business, honoring our history, our innovative spirit, our growing aerodynamic presence, and our place on the cutting edge of biotechnology and the fight against cancer.
Working with our economic development team, I recommended Baker Hughes (historical impact), Texas Instruments (innovative spirit), Bell Helicopter (aerospace), and US Oncology (biotechnology).
I also scripted and led the production of Gov. Perry videos, one featured each quarter, introducing representatives from the firms, one by one, and telling the story of a state where our state’s skills and pioneering spirit had shaped a business powerhouse.
The Results
The Hall of Fame transformed a single ceremonial appearance into a recurring, story-driven feature woven throughout the game. It reinforced core economic messaging in a setting that felt authentic, celebratory, and unmistakably Texan — while giving major business leaders public recognition on one of the state’s most symbolic stages: the football field.