West Virginia Development Office – Department of Commerce Film and :30 Commercial
Pikewood Creative had the pleasure of working with Stonewall Group and the West Virginia Department of Commerce in the summer of 2011 to complete a business development video and :30 commercial to use in their business recruiting efforts, showcasing why West Virginia is best positioned to serve as home for a variety of business operations.
For two weeks in June, we traveled all over the state filming executives from several companies, large and small, to interview them about why they enjoy doing business and having their operation in West Virginia. We interviewed staff from Coldwater Creek and DuPont Washington Works in the Parkersburg area; the team at BrooAlexa in Charleston, and the team at Renick Millworks in Renick; executives at STaSIS, Quad Graphics, and the Macy’s Distribution Center, all in the Eastern Panhandle; and we came closer to our home in Morgantown to film the President & CEO of Azimuth in Fairmont. Those who are new to the state talked about how proactive West Virginia was in helping them decide to bring their businesses to the state, and how much help the Development Office and Small Business Administration have been as their businesses grow and expand.
They also spoke in great detail about the proximity of West Virginia to the east coast markets: the ease of travel for both business meetings and events as well as for shipping their product. Jay Petre from Renick Millworks even refers to West Virginia as “the hub” of the east coast!
Not only did we conduct interviews at each of these companies, but we also captured their workers in action through days of b-roll footage filming – everything from race tracks to construction sites to chemical plants to distribution centers to high end word working. It was exciting to see how much business activity happens on a daily basis in West Virginia!
We also filmed lifestyle and family shots all over the state. We captured farmers markets, scenic historical streets, a train station, a race track and casino, lots of dining and shopping, an outdoor concert and scenery at Coopers Rock and the campus of WVU to name a few. For a business considering a move or a start up in West Virginia, the staff at those companies will never want for activities outside of work.
The :30 commercial debuted to a national audience during the 2011 Greenbrier Classic. The video and the :30 commercial both won Addy and Telly Awards for 2011.
