CMU Tech Wins 2024 Telly Award with “Hands Like These” Spot
A cinematic, hands-on tribute drives a 150% spike in admissions and earns one of the highest honors in video storytelling.
Campaign Impact
Award-Winning Spot Leads to Record-Breaking Enrollment
Colorado Mesa University Tech and Team Fabian have taken home a 2024 Telly Award for their original video campaign “Hands Like These.” More than just a compelling :60-second spot, the campaign led to a 150% increase in admissions — the school’s largest enrollment spike in recent years.
Filmed entirely on location in Grand Junction, the spot highlighted real students in real environments, using powerful close-ups and sound design to capture the dignity of trades-based education. Welding, healthcare, tech, and automotive students were featured as the backbone of a new kind of future-forward workforce.
Local community engagement exploded with a 300% increase in positive social sentiment, as students and parents across the region saw themselves — and their potential — represented with cinematic pride.
Recognition from the Industry
A Win in the Most Competitive Year in Telly Awards History
The Telly Awards, which began in 1979, are among the industry’s most respected honors in video and television across all platforms. In 2024, the competition received over 13,000 entries from all 50 U.S. states and 6 continents — the most in its 45-year history.
Winning amidst this surge places “Hands Like These” among global heavyweights in branded content, television, documentary, and digital storytelling.
Why It Worked
Authenticity and Grit Beat Big Budgets
According to Traffik’s Creative Director Andres Fabian, the key was simple: “We didn’t cast actors. We cast futures. The hands in this spot are real — rough, calloused, full of promise — and that honesty is what cut through.”
Rather than relying on flash, the spot leaned into powerful storytelling — evocative visual metaphors, intimate close-ups, and a voiceover rooted in pride.
Spotlight on Credits
Built with a Small Team, Big Vision, and Real People
Creative Direction: Andres Fabian, Jose Lujambio, Ryan Hill
Client: Colorado Mesa University Tech
Director/Production: Westfisch
Featuring: CMU Tech Students & Faculty
What’s Next for Team Fabian
Continued Partnerships That Drive Real-World Results
Following the Telly Award win and CMU Tech’s record-breaking enrollment boost, Team Fabian plans to continue building campaigns that blend creative impact with community resonance.
Interested institutions and brands can now inquire about partnership opportunities for Fall 2025 and beyond.
