Regional Broadcast Spots

In 1951, a group of area leaders in north-central North Dakota decided that it was time for their rural community to establish a telephone service. A telecommunications cooperative was born in Minot, and its name was SRT. As times have changed, so has technology. SRT has expanded its offerings to include not just telephone, but security, TV, and broadband, with an extensive fiber-optic network across the region.

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic required SRT to adapt more than ever before, from the way they bring broadband into homes to the way they advertise their services. 

That’s where Tellwell came in. SRT needed a series of commercials promoting their residential services, but in the era of COVID, they needed to create them in a way that was both cost-efficient and safety-conscious. We had to figure out how to produce six unique, engaging commercials while minimizing the number of filming days (a day and a half), number of people involved and in a way that protected our team, our actors, and SRT’s budget—literally giving them the most bang for their buck.

The plan: rather than creating six completely separate commercials, we created one basic script that would serve as the intro and outro for all of the commercials. Then, we scripted six separate offers for the body of each commercial. SRT could then swap out the offer based on the time of year and the promotions they would be running at the time.

Next, we needed a vision for these commercials. We wanted to showcase all of the ways that local families utilize SRT Internet in their homes, especially during COVID. We imagined parents working in their home office with their kids doing homework around the table, Facetiming with friends and family, or online gaming. To bring this vision to life, SRT connected us with three local families who graciously allowed us to enter their homes (masked up and observing several precautions) to film their Internet in action.

Add in some voiceover and sweet animations throughout, and now, SRT has a series of distinct, engaging commercials that they can use for an entire year—all from one script and one day of filming.

Consistently growing numbers and more outreach for services advertised and a refreshed approach to SRT’s ads. Local people, real stories, making the customer the hero of their own story!