Why did Kent State air last years Super Bowl commercial? from KentWired.com on Vimeo.

Thousands of viewers tuned into the Super Bowl last night and had the chance to see a commercial produced by Kent State students — those who produced the commercial, however, were shocked to see last year’s advertisement playing in its place.

This year’s ad, which focused on the university’s mission statement of “discovering your purpose,” was set to air three times in the areas in and around Cleveland, Columbus and Pittsburgh. The final cost for the video after production and licensing came to $55,000.

Emily Vincent, Kent State’s director of University Media Relations, says that the commercial was made through the university so students “had the opportunity to get hands-on experience with professional equipment.”

During the Super Bowl on Sunday, a Kent State commercial was aired, but not the one these students worked on. Last year’s ad, which dealt with a fabric that helped detect body temperature changes in diabetic patients, aired in place of the updated ad — and it was only aired once.

Executive Director of University Media Relations, Eric Mansfield, released the following statement regarding the incident:

“The new spot was uploaded correctly but there was some miscommunication with the playback schedule and our previous spot aired.  The Super Bowl time slot was just the first airing of what will be an entire month showcasing the new spot on multiple stations and digital platforms across the region, and the huge NFL audience still viewed a commercial – one produced with student involvement – that showcased all that Kent State has to offer.  We know that the new spot has been well received on social media, and we’re looking forward to continued positive feedback as others view it in the coming weeks.”

It’s still unclear whether the university will be reimbursed for the error.