Shine: The Legacy of Roanoke's Ad Men and Women (2017)

As the Roanoke Region grew, a talented group of communicators grew with it. Through advertisements, they told the stories of our railroads and retailers, health care providers and non-profit organizations. From "I am the Nation," an ad created at the venerable Houck Advertising Agency that became a recording by Johnny Cash, to the accidental icon of the Mill Mountain Star, Shine offers perspectives on creativity, change, and the transformative power of ideas. Produced in association with the Roanoke chapter of the American Advertising Federation and filmed over the course of four years, the documentary benefited from the assistance of dozens of reviewers and content providers. Featuring many archival commercials, a cast of more than 40 men and women tell the stories of an industry that helped shape the city we know today.