Austin & Colin win Southeast Emmy for viral Starkville anthem

By AI, Created 10:35 PM UTC, May 19, 2026, /AGP/ – Nashville creative duo Austin & Colin won a Southeast Emmy Award for “Welcome To Starkville,” their music-video-style tribute to Mississippi State University and the City of Starkville. The win underscores how social-first destination storytelling is helping communities reach younger audiences and drive real-world attention.

Why it matters: - Austin & Colin’s Emmy win shows that destination marketing can break out of traditional ad formats and succeed as shareable social content. - “Welcome To Starkville” has already topped 2 million views, giving Mississippi State University and Starkville a broader digital audience. - The recognition comes as universities, tourism groups and chambers of commerce look for ways to reach younger audiences where they spend time online. - The duo’s broader portfolio has surpassed 100 million organic views across platforms.

What happened: - Austin & Colin won a Southeast Emmy Award for “Welcome To Starkville.” - The video was created with Mississippi State University and the City of Starkville. - The Southeast Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences recognized the work in the Content Shorts category. - The official nomination included Colin Cooper, Austin Bever and Mississippi State producer Sarah Kirk. - The award announcement came from Nashville, where Austin & Colin are based.

The details: - “Welcome To Starkville” mixes campus culture, Starkville landmarks, local businesses, athletics and community pride. - The video is part of Austin & Colin’s “Welcome To” series, which turns cities, towns, campuses and destinations into short-form songs and films. - The series blends comedy, music, local detail and affection for the places featured. - The Emmy Awards from the Southeast Chapter honor excellence across television and digital media in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina. - Mississippi State Chief Marketing Officer Thomas Broadus previously described the response as “immediate and overwhelmingly positive.” - Broadus said the video sparked conversation and gave the university and city a fresh way to introduce people to Mississippi State and Starkville. - Austin & Colin have also created city anthem projects for Lawrenceburg, Franklin, Hendersonville, Chattanooga, Buena Park and other communities. - In Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, Chamber President and CEO Ryan Egly said the video led to new visitors and multiple events being held in the city after the social media attention. - The duo’s work is designed for repeat viewing, comments, shares and organic discovery. - Watch “Welcome To Starkville” on Instagram. - More information about Austin & Colin.

Between the lines: - The win validates a model that treats local identity as entertainment, not just advertising. - The result suggests that polished production alone is not the differentiator for destination marketing. - The stronger edge is cultural relevance that people want to share with friends. - Colin Cooper said the goal is to make people laugh, feel pride, tag friends, argue about what was missed and decide to visit. - That framing points to a shift from awareness campaigns to social moments that can travel on their own.

What’s next: - Austin & Colin are likely to keep expanding the “Welcome To” series for communities and institutions looking for social-first promotion. - The Emmy recognition may make the format more attractive to tourism organizations, universities and chambers of commerce seeking higher-engagement content. - The broader trend favors destination marketing that can generate organic reach instead of relying only on paid media.

The bottom line: - Austin & Colin turned a local anthem into an Emmy winner, and the format now looks like a proven playbook for places trying to stand out online.