Local college TV campaign wins Emmy

A West Hills Community College district ad campaign titled “Within Reach” features the story of a landscaper who returns to college to help build a better life for his family.

A Central Valley marketing company received a 2021 Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Television with a Three-Part Marketing Campaign.

The campaign, “Está A Tu Alcance” (“Within Your Reach”), was produced by Fresno-based Janzen Brands in partnership with West Hills Community College District, Simi Marketing and Windsong Productions.

Countryside includes three separate ads detailing different families and their efforts to complete their education, despite the challenges and obstacles they face while juggling jobs and caring for their elders. The campaign advocates for Hispanic students and their families to see a bright future if they choose higher education. It also highlights the higher education options at their fingertips, teaching that people don’t have to choose between family, work, and higher education.

The campaign was produced in Spanish with English subtitles and aims to influence both Hispanic communities to pursue higher education and policy makers to promote systemic change.

Winning an Emmy from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, according to Gary Janzen, CEO of Janzen Brands, is a representation of the Valley’s talent and creativity. There were 912 entries in total.

“It’s gratifying because the bar is high, and it’s not like one of those things where you have to give it,” Janzen said. “People forget that at this level, if a piece of storytelling doesn’t hit that high bar, you don’t get a prize.”

He said the West Hills Community College district is strategic in how to approach its service area, knowing the demographics of the area. Janzen Brands has worked with the college for 25 years,

“It gives me hope and faith that there are marketers out there who want to tell stories in this very authentic and truthful way,” Janzen said.

He said good marketing requires empathy and authentic storytelling.

“All of us in West Hills are delighted that our mission to better serve the residents of our rural communities has been recognized with an Emmy,” said District Chancellor Kristin Clark. “We thank Janzen Brands and their teams for their strategic creativity, as well as the Emmy Awards for this honor. Our goal is to instill a sense of hope and the belief that education can open doors to a better future for our students and their families.