As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, with many reflecting on its history and contemplating its future, Texas A&M University is bringing a message of unity to the country: The American ideal is still very much alive, and what we can do together remains far greater than what any one of us can do alone.
Aggies know this because they have been living that promise since Texas A&M’s founding 150 years ago. For Americans searching for reasons to believe that promise, the university is releasing a new anthem as the centerpiece of an ongoing effort to channel what makes Texas A&M special into a powerful message of hope, one delivered in a special year for Aggieland and the nation.
It is also part of a broader effort to help more people understand not simply the size and accomplishments of Texas A&M, but what the university stands for, why its work matters and what a great public university can contribute to the country. At the heart of that effort is an idea rooted in Texas A&M’s history and public purpose: Together, We Stand as a Force for Good.
“It is an extraordinary intersection of two milestones — Texas A&M’s 150th anniversary and America’s 250th anniversary — and an opportunity not only to celebrate where we have been, but to tell the country something important about who Texas A&M is today and the role we intend to play in the future,” Texas A&M President Susan Ballabina said.
It is an extraordinary intersection of two milestones — Texas A&M’s 150th anniversary and America’s 250th anniversary — and an opportunity not only to celebrate where we have been, but to tell the country something important about who Texas A&M is today and the role we intend to play in the future.”
To give voice to that message, legendary musician and Texas A&M former student Lyle Lovett ’79 performs a new version of the 1970s hit “Let’s Work Together,” a song whose message naturally reflects the Aggie Spirit and Texas A&M’s belief in what people can accomplish together.
Our core values
- Excellence
- Integrity
- Leadership
- Loyalty
- Respect
- Selfless Service
The song provides the soundtrack for the new commercial, which is airing to inspire viewers to believe that by working together, everything is indeed possible. More than a commercial, the cinematic reflection of the university shows the breadth of its impact while remaining grounded in the notion that great things happen when people commit to serving and working with others.
“You can read down the list of Aggie Core Values, and people who become part of this university share a steadfast belief in those values. That’s absolutely consistent.” – Lyle Lovett ’79
Credit: Texas A&M Division of Marketing & Communications
The commercial is, in turn, part of an ongoing effort to introduce Texas A&M to national audiences in ways that go beyond traditional higher education marketing. The university’s story is both unique and relevant to anyone looking for inspiration, affirming that values such as loyalty, service and responsibility to others still matter.
At a time when trust in higher education and other institutions is being tested, Texas A&M has an opportunity to show tangible evidence of its contribution rather than simply assert its greatness. The goal is not only for more people to see Texas A&M, but to better understand what it stands for and why its work matters to them.
Texas A&M has proven that truth over generations.
“You can read down the list of Aggie Core Values, and people who become part of this university share a steadfast belief in those values,” Lovett said. “That’s absolutely consistent.”
A university for America
The new commercial, available today on YouTube, portrays what makes Texas A&M both exceptional and grounded enough for anyone to draw inspiration from. The first-person point of view welcomes the audience into a shared, intimate story.
It opens beside a bookshelf with photos of William Pearce “Sonny” Lovett Jr., a Navy veteran, alongside a memorial American flag, conveying the dignity and respect of national service. Then, with soft light streaming through the windows of the house, Sonny Lovett’s son — Lyle — steps in from just off camera, picks up his guitar and steps onto the porch. His Aggie Ring shines in the sun as he sings, the story moving across moments around campus, portraying the Aggie Spirit and the university’s broad reach. Lovett’s soulful rendition will be released commercially.
The lyrics perfectly capture Texas A&M’s identity. The campus’ reputation as the friendliest in the nation is really a by-product of the Aggie Family’s commitment to serving, respecting and trusting one another, ensuring that everyone belongs, a sense of belief borne of being part of something greater than themselves.
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The commercial features scenes about Texas A&M faculty and students, including:
- Dr. Mark Benden and other researchers finding innovative treatments for dementia;
- Members of the Corps of Cadets raising an American flag, in keeping with the organization’s role as Texas A&M’s “keepers of the spirit and guardians of tradition”;
- Undergraduates serving Army veteran Shilo Harris as they take part in The Big Event, the largest one-day, student-run service project in the nation, during which they come together to serve and connect with community members;
- Medical students working in remote communities as part of Texas A&M’s commitment to improving rural health;
- Aggies participating in BUILD at Texas A&M, a nonprofit unifying the student body through the large-scale, physically demanding service project of converting 40-foot shipping containers into portable Texas Aggie Medical Clinics for worldwide use;
- Sean Artman, the beloved Texas A&M Hotel and Conference Center concierge, greeting guests with an enthusiastic, “Howdy!”;
- Texas A&M Volleyball’s national championship team practicing together;
- The Aggie Wranglers dancing, the Baja SAE team using racing to build engineering skills and other members of Texas A&M’s more than 1,400 student organizations doing their part to make Texas A&M one of the country’s most welcoming places.
The commercial will air to an audience of millions on Sunday, Aug. 23 — a moment made for the message.
A stage in the heart of the nation
Aug. 23 is the date of the inaugural IndyCar Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. The race, celebrating America’s 250th anniversary, will be a patriotic spectacle against the backdrop of the nation’s capital, reminding viewers of what generations of Americans have built together. The broadcast begins at 10:30 a.m. Central time on Fox to an audience of millions.
It is a rare national stage for Texas A&M to introduce itself to people who may know little about the university and to do so in a setting where the moment, audience and message naturally come together.
During the race, one of the world’s greatest drivers will champion the message. Felix Rosenqvist, winner of May’s Indianapolis 500, will roar down Pennsylvania Avenue past the U.S. Capitol and other monuments and memorials in the Texas A&M-sponsored Meyer Shank No. 60 Honda, which will have a patriotic paint scheme carrying “Together We Stand” on the front side of the rear wing and “A Force for Good” on the rear.
Texas A&M will also hold events throughout Washington to amplify the message of working together for the good of the nation in the place where many of the decisions shaping national security, agriculture, energy, health, science, research, workforce development and public service are made.
The university usually airs its flagship commercial at the beginning of the football season to capture the attention of national audiences. But the chance to reach an even broader audience, at an event celebrating the American values Texas A&M champions, was a perfect opportunity.
It was also an opportunity to do something uncommon in higher education marketing.
At two minutes, the commercial is four times longer than a typical spot aired during a national race. Rather than compress Texas A&M into a traditional 30-second university advertisement, the university chose to give the story room to breathe, allowing millions of viewers to see the people, values and impact of Texas A&M and, just as importantly, understand what connects them.
That approach reflects the larger opportunity of Texas A&M’s 150th anniversary: to celebrate the traditions and values that have defined the university while also finding new and unexpected ways to introduce Texas A&M to the next generation of students, families, partners and supporters.
Ultimately, the message is that those values remain strong and that what we can accomplish together is far greater than what any one of us can do alone.
For Texas A&M, that is what it means to be a force for good.
