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UM Launches New Public Service Spot

Fear the Turtle
The University of Maryland today launched its new public service announcement, Higher Intelligence, which will run during regionally and nationally televised football and basketball games, beginning on Saturday during Maryland v. Boston College (on ABC in prime time).  The spot will also run in Byrd and Comcast, on flat screen televisions in facilities around the campus, on UMTV, on the University website, and in other media environments to support the overall branding program.

Higher Intelligence is designed to target alumni, citizens, business leaders, government officials and leaders of other world-class research universities. 

"Undergraduate education is one important dimension of our mission, but not the only one" said Terry Flannery, Assistant Vice President for Marketing and Communications. "As an internationally respected research university serving the needs of the state, Maryland creates leaders, problem solvers and new knowledge.  The PSA focuses on the outcomes of innovative learning opportunities and research as two unique values of a world-class research university, making it the core of the state's brain power and its driver of prosperity."  

According to Flannery, the new spot expands the university's Fear the Turtle campaign, which uses the Diamondback Terrapin as an institutional icon to convey Maryland's strengths and personality, and continues to build upon the university's academic and research strengths.

"We have field tested the spot and the early internal response is both proud and enthusiastic," said Flannery.

"I absolutely LOVED the new video spot scheduled for release this Saturday. The message about the importance of our research function and its direct impact on this state is something we need to trumpet more often and with much more volume. Thank you," said Bill Higgins, associate professor, Biology.

The spot can be viewed at http://www.feartheturtle.umd.edu/psa/. Choose the media player that works with your computer (Windows Media player or QuickTime) and remember that it will run much larger on television or Jumbotron screens.

Viewers are also encouraged to send the spot to others via email.