Now, the university is furthering that message past our campus borders. Here & Beyond, UofL’s newest advertising campaign debuted Jan. 17 with a and national advertising presence.

“The Here & Beyond campaign is the culmination of a multi-year effort to evolve the university’s brand, getting to the core of who Cardinals are, what we do and why it matters,” said Interim President Lori Gonzalez.  “The campaign is especially critical in challenging times like these to celebrate the university’s progress and distinctiveness, and to highlight the brand attributes – including resilience, passion and innovation – that help us create thriving futures for our students, our community and our society”

After extensive research with input from thousands of students, faculty, staff, alumni and Kentuckians, the university centered its campaign around showing UofL’s impact in student success, research and innovation and connection with local and global communities. That message blends together with a striking new look for the campaign, which can be seen in national television commercials, billboards, digital advertising and more.

More than 200 students, faculty, staff and alumni participated in brand video and photo shoots last fall, in front of the cameras and behind the scenes. Throughout the year, stories of the Cardinals featured in our brand anthem and advertising materials will be available on the Cardinals like Andrea Behrman, professor of neurological surgery, a leader in the field of pediatric spinal cord research, or Lexi Raikes, a first-generation student and triple major who is Kentucky’s only 2022 Truman Scholar, or alum Connor May ’16, a trumpet player who composed the music for the campaign.

“We know that people want to engage with brands that stand for something. Here & Beyond amplifies our efforts to improve lives through education, research and community service, and it illustrates those efforts through our people,” said Kim Butterweck, executive director of brand and marketing for the Office of Communications and Marketing.  “It’s our people who power our progress.”

UofL worked with multiple partners to bring the campaign to life, including the university’s creative agency, BVK, along with their production partners including Quriosity Productions, Sheldon Candis, Finn O’Hara, Natalie Faye, Nimble Content and May, the composer.

Visit to explore more and look for the campaign on television, social media and billboards throughout Louisville, Lexington and Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Katina Kulow, assistant professor of marketing in the UofL College of Business, and co-authors reveal in “,” that when consumers give luck human characteristics, it can provide a sense of security and shared risk when it comes to financial decisions.

“This sense of shared risk can make those individuals more likely to pursue higher-risk financial behavior, such as purchasing lottery tickets with worse odds or investment opportunities with a low chance of return,” Kulow said. “Such decisions could have significant negative consequences for consumers’ financial and psychological welfare.”

In four experiments, Kulow and co-authors Thomas Kramer and Kara Bentley used a series of online surveys to assess individuals’ risk perceptions and decisions involving financial risk, such as a lottery or startup investments.

The authors found that when consumers attributed human qualities to luck, they more often preferred higher-risk alternatives when making financial decisions. On the other hand, when the situation involved risk of social capital (goodwill, trust and influence), participants responded as though they perceived they had more control over outcomes and felt less in need of the security provided by an anthropomorphized entity.

These results may be useful when considering public policy decisions, such as whether marketers may be required to qualify references to anthropomorphized luck, particularly when consumers may be vulnerable to taking undue financial risks, such as in gambling establishments. A sign in a casino that reads “Lady Luck is on Your Side,” for example, could lead gamblers to engage in higher-risk behaviors than a sign reading “Luck is on Your Side” or “Good Luck.” Or, limiting the use of “lady luck” on lottery scratch-off tickets could prevent devastating financial losses among lower socioeconomic status consumers.

UofL freshman Alyssia Leach, however, didn’t grow up with that mindset.

Growing up surrounded by educators, she eagerly looked forward to going to school and learning, knowing its ability to open doors in her future. She also saw, earlier than most, a way she could impact others’ lives if they had that same passion. She taught her sister during the summers when they were both young kids, but it didn’t stop there.

In high school, Leach created an organization at duPont Manual High School that provided teen entrepreneurs a place to connect and share their individual obstacles and successes.

At that time, she learned about and became involved with GripTape, a nonprofit organization that gives youth between the ages of 15-19 the opportunity to apply for financial help to support learning endeavors they wish to pursue, driven by their interests and passions. GripTape grants students up to $500 to learn something new, for example building computers, saving animals or learning new trade skills.

“GripTape has impacted more than 600 students across the country by providing them with funding to change their futures,” Leach said. “Personally, I want to connect with each of these students and share their stories, learn from them and encourage the next person.

Now a member of its Youth Leadership Board, she spoke with the organization’s founder Mark Murphy and rolled out its new podcast, GripTaped, which showcases new challengers and goes in-depth about what they chose and what they’re learning. 

“I think that my love for school is rare, but an important part of my current successes,” Leach said. “I was always the kid who loved going back to school and was known as the teacher’s pet, but it never bothered me because I always reaped the benefits.”

Leach, who is in the process of finishing her first semester of college, already has her future laid out. Currently double majoring in marketing and chemistry, she wants to open her own laboratory where women can create their own makeup, skincare, or hair care products to be distributed in stores.

Leach is working to partner GripTape with the UofL’s College of Business to reactivate the entrepreneurship club and explore funding startups born from the club.

“GripTape’s message motivates me every day to go beyond the work in the classroom and see what else the world has to offer,” she said. 

Leach’s leadership role with GripTape has earned her a keynote speaking opportunity at the in San Antonio, Texas, Oct. 25-28, 2020. Her topic will be, “Leading with Learners: Elevating Student Voice in ����ֱ�� Transformation.”