Branding Success The Campaign for Oklahoma State University

Ride ‘Em Cowboy blasted through the atrium of the OSU Student Union as an orange-clad crowd of more than 1000 cheered OSU President Burns Hargis as he announced a $1 billion campaign to raise private funds to strengthen student scholarships and aid, endowments for faculty support, as well as fund advanced research and academic initiatives, and upgrade teaching and research facilities.

This was the culmination of more than a year’s behind-the-scenes work by Gooden Group Public Relations.

Our team crisscrossed Oklahoma and Texas to interview the biggest names in Orange – Boone Pickens, Garth Brooks, Barry Sanders, Robin Ventura and countless alums, teachers and students to create a series of videos for the campaign.

It was thrilling to catch the vision President Hargis has for the University and the commitment Billionaire Boone Pickens still has for his alma mater. It was fun to hear Garth Brooks talk about his days in Stillwater, what he calls “a great place to birth your music!”

The experience brought back great sports memories from OSU’s past listening to Robin and Barry humbly recall their glory days as Cowboys. It was moving to hear the story of campaign co-chairs Ross and Billie McKnight who met at OSU as young students and began an amazing life together that spans three mighty industries of banking, cattle and energy.

All were once simply students – who took their talents to unrivaled new heights - and now inspire the next generation to pick up the OSU mantel and carrying it even farther. That is the essence of Branding Success the Campaign for Oklahoma State University.