Skip to Main Content
Oxford and Beyond

‘Chasing Nostalgia’ with Miami University

Pair of Miami alumni provide music for 30-second commercial to air Sept. 15

Oxford and Beyond

‘Chasing Nostalgia’ with Miami University

A new 30-second television spot featuring Miami University will air for the first time on Sunday, Sept. 15, during the Cincinnati Bengals vs. Kansas City Chiefs (Taylor Swift – wink, wink) NFL game on WKRC-Local 12. The spot showcases Miami’s vibrant campus life with the song "Chasing Nostalgia" performed by Telehope, a local three-piece indie-pop band featuring two Miami alumni, Ben Malson ’17 on vocals/keyboard and Calvin Malson ’22 on drums.

In a competitive higher education landscape, savvy prospective students do their research and gather information from traditional media, their phones, laptops, and iPads. To keep the university brand at the forefront, this commercial takes the approach of incorporating music. As AdAge explained in a 2023 article, "There's no denying music's role in effective advertising. And it's not a complicated concept: Music evokes emotions. Emotions drive decisions. And when you only have seconds to capture someone's attention, it needs to be pitch-perfect."

The main objective of this project was to create a visually engaging video that authentically showcases Miami's core values, academic strengths, and vibrant campus life. Compelling graphics spotlight that Miami students will find new friends, figure out the future, lead victories, pave their own paths, leave a legacy, expand their minds, follow their hearts, and change the world.

The music partners with the visuals to tell a story and invoke emotions about a past or future college experience. The song lyrics fit brilliantly – "Sun in your eyes. Driving 75. Day turns to night. Never saying goodbye. If we could rewind. Replay in my mind. Live it over and over. I'm chasing nostalgia." Whether traveling I-75 from Detroit or Atlanta, all can relate to the drive to Oxford, Ohio, and wanting to relive their time at Miami, be it as faculty, staff, alumni, current or prospective students, or parents.

Be one of the first to view the new commercial and chase nostalgia for a while (30 seconds). To hear the entire song, visit Spotify and listen to “Chasing Nostalgia.” Miami’s new Pride Points-ROI 30-second video and the Pride Points two-minute feature also are available for viewing.