My lab joined The Gator Nation campaign on YouTube yesterday. Our lab assignment for the day was writing a print ad for The Gator Nation campaign. Leann Williams, an advertising student in the lab, talked with me about the YouTube aspect of the campaign. I checked it out on the UF site for The Gator Nation and thought, “We could do that.”

Leann helped me in planning the filming.

• She talked with the class the week before to explain the activity and get their support.
• She and I surveyed the area around the college to find the right location — the name of the college in the background, visible palm trees, and the right angle for the sun for our 2 p.m. lab.
• I e-mailed the class to remind them to wear Gator shirts.
• She brought the camera. I brought the tripod.

We rehearsed several times and then filmed it. Fortunately, Vanessa Bravo, an incoming doctoral student was observing my lab, as she will be a lab instructor for the course next year. So she did the filming while I directed the strategic head turning that is required — look right, look forward and say the “Go —” slogan, turn left and say “Go Gators.” All the videos are being connected so it will appear that one is leading to the next as we hear from members of The Gator Nation.

By last night, Leann had edited the video and posted it on YouTube.