To watch the 2016 #CCU Holiday Video, click here.

Today, we released an annual piece of content here at Coastal Carolina University. At noon, the 2016 #CCU Holiday Video premiered on our social media channels and our website. Although it has only been live for roughly seven hours, analytics and reaction from our social media users seem to prove that the video is already a smashing success.

The #CCU holiday video is outstanding. (This is a screenshot from the video).

Although a holiday video at Coastal is an annual tradition, this year’s edition is anything but traditional. That was by design. Our senior marketing director, Lindsi Glass, and our production manager, Geoff Insch, set out to create something that was completely original. The duo worked extremely hard to put something together that was not only creative but also embodied the Coastal Carolina University #TEALnation spirit. To say they succeeded is an understatement.

The premise of the video is this: the President of our University observes the performance of a traditional choir singing a traditional song. He steps in and suggests that the group might benefit by adding “more cowbell.” From there, the video takes off…

The video starts with a subdued choir scene but then takes off. (This is a screenshot from the video).

Using the talents of both students and faculty, a rocking track begins that includes witty rap lyrics, powerful vocals, and killer guitar playing. While the song is performed, different groups on campus are captured jamming out. A wide variety of Coastal entities from our national champion baseball team to our financial aid office to our housing staff to our deans to even our CCU NASCAR driver are all showcased getting their rock on. In the end, well over 200 Chanticleers were featured.

A scene from the video. This took place on Prince Lawn. Can you spot a “Don’t Blink” author trying to dance? (This is a screenshot from the video).

But I will stop there and just let you watch it. Seriously, it is worth three minutes of your time. Lindsi and Geoff took a big chance with creating this type of holiday video and I think the risk paid off immensely. As people have already echoed on social media and elsewhere, this production makes you proud to be associated with Coastal Carolina University. In my opinion, it does an outstanding job at showing that we are a close knit, creative, and big time institution.

What makes this year’s holiday video so unique is that actual students performed the vocals to the original song that was written (this is a screenshot from the video).

Once again, great work to Lindsi, Geoff, and everyone else who helped out on creating something that represents Coastal Carolina so well. Also, awesome job to the Coastal community for coming together to make this work. The bar is set high for next year. Don’t Blink.