CASE STUDY
In early 2024, VisitPITTSBURGH needed a high-impact video to help the region win the bid to host the 2026 NFL Draft—one of the most-watched, most-anticipated sporting events in the country. This video production case study showcases how Ox Productions transformed an ambitious vision into a compelling campaign under an incredibly tight deadline. It’s a true video production success story, demonstrating how strategic storytelling, cinematic visuals, and creative execution helped Pittsburgh secure one of the nation's biggest sporting events.
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How Ox Productions Created the Winning Video That Helped Bring the 2026 NFL Draft to Pittsburgh
Client: VisitPITTSBURGH
In early 2024, Visit Pittsburgh needed a high-impact video to help the region win the bid to host the 2026 NFL Draft—one of the most-watched, most-anticipated sporting events in the country.
They turned to Ox Productions. With only five days to conceptualize, shoot, edit, and deliver the final cut, Ox Productions produced a 63-second “hype video” that showcased the city’s culture, history, and energy.
The result? Pittsburgh won. The NFL officially announced the city as the host of the 2026 Draft.
THE CHALLENGE
VisitPITTSBURGH needed a dynamic, authentic, and visually stunning video that could:
Represent Pittsburgh beyond its steel-town stereotype
Highlight the city’s culture, art, food, landmarks, and people in a short video
Stand out on a national
stage
Support Pennsylvania leadership and Steelers President Art Rooney II in their pitch to the NFL
Be completed under a tight, one-week deadline
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Steelers President Art Rooney II Presenting the video at an NFL meeting
OUR SOLUTION
Highlight Pittsburgh through its people
We focused on the heart of the city—its residents. By filming a diverse group of Pittsburghers delivering short, punchy lines directly to camera in iconic locations, we captured the city’s personality and charm in a way that felt authentic, engaging, and instantly relatable.
Curate iconic locations and copy
We identified a selection of Pittsburgh landmarks and neighborhoods that define the city’s character. Custom lines of copy were crafted to reflect each area’s unique vibe, ensuring each shot reinforced the city’s story while keeping the pacing snappy and energetic.
Build a library of cinematic beauty shots
To elevate the production, we drew from our existing collection of Pittsburgh beauty shots, providing a strong visual foundation for the video. This approach allowed us to focus on capturing the key on-camera lines and the specific new shots that would bring the story to life.
Edit along the way
To meet the fast turnaround deadline, we created a full edit using placeholder shots before filming even began. This approach streamlined the process, allowing us to seamlessly drop in footage as it was captured throughout the week and maintain momentum toward the final cut.
THE RESULTS
Pittsburgh Selected to Host the 2026 NFL Draft
The video became a centerpiece in VisitPITTSBURGH’s pitch, contributing to the NFL’s decision to award the event to Pittsburgh. The 2026 NFL Draft will transform Pittsburgh into the largest gathering in city history, drawing 500,000–700,000 visitors over three days. Fans, media, NFL staff, and teams will converge on the city, creating a once-in-a-generation showcase of football, culture, and hometown pride.
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‘Gold’ Telly Award
Ox Productions & VisitPITTSBURGH received a Gold Telly Award for this video. A Gold Telly Award is the highest honor given by the Telly Awards—an international competition that recognizes excellence in video and television across all screens. Winning a Gold Telly means a project ranks in the top 3–5% of all entries worldwide, judged by industry professionals.
WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY
The team at Ox Productions is truly a step above in the video production field. When we presented them with the task of promoting a police department by creating a recruitment video, they truly just "got it." They knew instinctively and creatively how to make it happen, with very little direction and a rushed shoot schedule. Police officers are incredibly harsh judges and notorious non-joiners, but once they could see how beautifully the product was shaping up, everyone suddenly wanted to be involved!
They loved working with Ox Productions and they were so beyond proud of working for the department when they saw just how polished, professional, and impressive the final product turned out to be! We are so pumped to share the recruitment video far and wide and the feedback has been beyond positive. Most importantly, it's actually working and people are referencing it AND applying for jobs! I highly recommend Ox Productions. They are patient, creative, and, most importantly, fun to work with.
- Cara Cruz
Pittsburgh Bureau of Police
“We had an exceptional experience working with the Ox Productions team creating a mini-documentary about the value of home-based care for seniors and people with disabilities.
From prep through filming and post-production, Ox Productions was collaborative, professional, responsive, and fully committed to bringing our vision to life. They embraced a hands-on partnership with our team — which made the entire process smooth and enjoyable. Ox Productions also put our interviewees at ease — whether in home, outdoor, or business settings — creating an environment that allowed for authentic, heartfelt storytelling.
The final product is visually compelling, emotionally impactful, and something we’re proud to share. I’d work with Ox Productions again in a heartbeat and highly recommend them to anyone seeking a trusted, talented video partner.”
- Ashley Plauche
American Association for Homecare
"Working with Ox Productions was an absolutely exceptional experience for the Midwest Shooting Center team. The Ox team delivered beyond our expectations!
From the start, the team was insanely helpful and collaborative, truly listening to what we were looking for out of the video. What impressed us most was their skill in capturing real-life testimonials from our training clients. This crucial element provided authentic, powerful proof of our program's value, which is exactly what we wanted to achieve.
The entire team was exceptional - professional, creative, and focused on making sure that the final video was perfectly aligned with our vision. If you need a production company that goes the extra mile to understand and accurately portray the uniqueness of your service, we highly recommend Ox Productions. They helped us capture exactly what we wanted, and we can't wait to use them again in the future!"
- Midwest Shooting Center
LET'S MAKE SOMETHING MEMORABLE.
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