Ryan Shazier's 50 Phenoms

Former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker, Ryan Shazier, had a devastating and life-changing injury during a Monday Night Prime Time football game against the Cincinnati Bengals in December of 2017. Many surgeries and physical therapies later, Shazier's ongoing recovery from a spinal cord injury has connected him with a new audience of people who are finding inspiration in his amazing progress. Shazier partnered with UPMC to create, a regional Emmy Award winning series, Ryan Shazier's 50 Phenoms, a social campaign featuring patients who faced difficult recoveries to find out what motivated them and to encourage others not to lose hope.

Alexa handled all aspects of planning and production for monthly episodes, including conducting patient interviews, location scouts, and working with Ryan himself to identify stories he related to the most. Additionally, Alexa collaborated with UPMC’s Digital/Social team to concept and produce more than 60 pieces of video and social content per episode. The multi-channel campaign delivered video across high-visibility platforms including Steelers.com, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Full Length Episodes

Season 1 Episode 3: Omar & Clay

Season 1 Episode 5: Julian Cann

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50 Phenoms Landing Page

Behind the Scenes

Season 2 of Ryan Shazier's 50 Phenoms, Alexa knew this was going to be no small task. The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic introduced a unique set of obstacles, disrupting the production processes that was established in Season 1. Using resources like Microsoft Teams, Alexa and the production crew were still able to scout set locations, virtually guide the interviews, assist with wardrobe, and follow the Covid-19 guidelines.

Full Length Episode

Season 2 Episode 3: James Conner

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Behind the Scenes

Campaign Credits:
Art Directors: Alexa Valenta, Dave Hughes
Copywriter: Bill Garrison, Mike Giunta, Macy DiRienzo
Client: UPMC
Date: Spring 2020 - Winter 2021
Agency: GH Advertising

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