It was a tough two-and-a-half-week period: Students accused of impersonating ICE agents. One student accused of shooting and killing another. A student stabbing a former student 13 times. And a student falling from a light pole during a post-Eagles celebration and dying from his injuries.
These high-profile incidents involved Temple University students and three of the four occurred on or near campus, posing another test for new president John A. Fry.
Some say they are gratified that the administration communicated swiftly and thoroughly about the incidents, which wasn’t always the case in the past.
“That’s been really great to have such a quick turnaround time,” said Ray Epstein, president of student government. “Even if it is the middle of the night, we are getting an email immediately.”
After Chase Myles, a 20-year-old student from Maryland was shot and killed atabout 11 p.m. Feb. 6, Fry notified the campus in an email at 3:46 a.m., and just hours later was on a plane back to campus from an alumni event in Florida so he could be on the ground to talk to the victim’s parents and help coordinate the response.
By contrast, it took nearly twice as long for the university to get out an email about the shooting death of Samuel Collington outside his off-campus residence in November 2021 even though that happened in the daytime. The email did not come from then-president Jason Wingard, but rather from then-safety chief Charles Leone. The attack put the campus on edge and stirred fear in the Temple community among students, parents, and staff — and social media posts circulatedwith the hashtag “Where’s Wingard,” who laterresigned after less than two years on the job.
Donna Gray, Temple’s campus safety services manager for risk reduction and advocacy services, greets Temple president John A. Fry during his first day of work Nov. 1.
That incident ― which happened as part of an attempted robbery and carjacking ― was different in that it involved random violence by a stranger in the neighborhood.
But even the Temple police officers’ union, which has been critical of university leadership in past years, has noted Fry’s efforts in dealing with the recent multiple incidents.
“He seems to be handling it well,” said Sean Quinn, president of the Temple University Police Association. “Without a doubt, as soon as these things happen, he’s right on top of it.”
“It is up to us to tell the bad news first, personally to all of our community,” he said. “Number two is just to keep a steady stream of communications following that even when there is not a whole lot to say. It’s worth checking in.”
Parents on the university’s family council said they are confident in the university leadership’s handling of the incidents, too.
“It seems like there are the right people in place,” said Allison Borenstein, a Temple alumna whose son, a sophomore, attends the university. “They handled it well, and I think they are on it.”
Borenstein, an event planner at a synagogue who lives in Cherry Hill, noted such incidents could happen near any college campus and said she feels that Temple sometimes gets an unfair rap.
“There’s nothing that the school could have done in advance,” she said.
Emma Legge, an alumna and parent of a senior who lives in New York, said she feels she is kept informed, and she checks in with her son after receiving a communication.
“I do feel as a parent that Temple is doing what it can within the city of Philadelphia to manage what happens,” said Legge, who got both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Temple and met her husband, also a twice Temple alumnus, there. “I have a lot of confidence in the university and the people who are on board.”
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel and Jennifer Griffin, Temple University vice president for public safety, after graduation ceremonies for the Police Academy Class #402, new officers of the Philadelphia Police Department and Temple University Police Department, at Temple’s Performing Arts Center in June.
That includes Jennifer Griffin, vice president for public safety, she said.
“I feel very reassured by the measures police are undertaking to be involved in the neighborhood and be involved with students,” said Legge, who works in student affairs administration at a New York college.
Griffin said after the recentincidents, she met with the student safety advisory committee and its members saidthey appreciated the accurate and timely information, which she said she has always aimed to provide since starting at Temple about two and a half years ago.
“We hope it decreased anxiety,” she said.
Of Fry, she said, “I thought he handled all the incidents with thoughtfulness and decisiveness and direction that I would expect from somebody with his level of experience.”
The police union has been critical of Griffin, even calling for her to resign or be fired over staffing issues. University leadership has backed Griffin.
Quinn said the union now is trying to work things out, noting that the university is amid a police staffing study conducted by an external company.
“I just don’t want to come to work every day feeling like I’m butting heads,” he said. “I actually would like to work with whoever I have to work with to see if we can accomplish things.”
Fry said he expects to have the results of the staffing study in a couple months. He said he’s pleased with the work campus police do, noting he had gone on ride alongs with them and wants to make sure they have enough help.
Ray Epstein, Temple student government president.
While Epstein, the student government president, endorsed the university’s handling of communication about the recent shooting, she said it also should have issued an alert after a report about a student placing hidden cameras in a fraternity bathroom in late November and recording people without their knowledge. Instead the campus learned of it through social media earlier this month, she said. The student has been arrested and charged in that case.
“I was not sure when or if the fraternity/university would ever disclose this incident, but I wanted to inform everyone in case this was never announced,” someone posted on a Temple Reddit page, with court documents about the case.
“Maybe it’s perceived by campus safety as not being an ongoing threat,” Epstein said. “I’d argue that it is because when these things happen in a house, you can’t possibly know until an investigation is concluded who all was involved.”
Griffin countered that the investigation was handled swiftly, the individual was identified and arrested, and there was no ongoing threat to the community. A Temple alert is sent when there is an immediate threat to the community, she said.
In this case, people who lived in the house notified law enforcement after the equipment was found, the equipment was taken and the individual who put it there was identified, she said.
“The people who called in the cameras were cooperative,” she said. “It was an isolated incident at an off-campus residence … and student affairs reached out to those who were impacted.”
PITTSBURGH — And just like that the NHL’s trade deadline is almost here.
After a rambunctious two weeks focused on the 4 Nations Face-Off, all eyes are now turned to the league’s annual wheelin’ and dealin.’
Flyers general manager Danny Brière could be busy before the clock strikes 3 p.m. on March 7 as he continues to shape the roster in his long-term vision. He already traded homegrown forwards Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost at the end of January, as he, and the brass, decide who is on the bus.
So who is next to go, if anyone? We broke down the Flyers roster one week out from the trade deadline.
Scott Laughton, C/LW: Every year Laughton is rumored to be on the trade block. The forward is well-equipped to handle the chatter by now, but could this be the year he is finally moved? A reliable two-way center who can also be productive on the wing and as a penalty killer, Laughton has versatility that is attractive to teams looking to make a Stanley Cup run. He also has one year left after this season at a $3 million cap hit and would not just be a rental for rumored landing spots, including Winnipeg, which the Flyers play on Saturday, and his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs. He also would bring value to any locker room.
Rasmus Ristolainen, D: If coach John Tortorella had his way, the Flyers would keep the blueliner because, “If you trade him Friday, then on Saturday, you say, [expletive], I need a big, right-handed defenseman.” Ristolainen also has term — two years beyond this season at a $5.1 million clip — and, what Tortorella considers, a favorable contract. But there is no denying Ristolainen is a marquee trade chip for the Flyers as teams look to get bigger for the postseason.
Erik Johnson, D: Johnson, who turns 37 next month, is a pending unrestricted free agent and could be a good option for a playoff team looking to add depth to its defensive core. Although he hasn’t played much this season, he has looked steady when called upon and has the postseason experience — i.e., a Stanley Cup — teams look for in a sixth or seventh blueliner.
The Flyers have a decision to make with Rasmus Ristolainen, who is signed for two seasons beyond this one.
Which Flyers could be traded if the price is right?
Bobby Brink, RW: Tortorella recently said Brink, in a good way, “plays every game worrying about … just staying in his spot.” The forward has played well and is setting career highs while playing a better defensive game. He shouldn’t get moved, but his stock is on the rise.
Nick Deslauriers, LW: The veteran enforcer has one more year after this season at $1.75 million. A good guy in the room, he hasn’t played much this season — he did miss a good chunk with an injury — but could be utilized for a team as a fourth liner who protects guys during the rough-and-tumble postseason.
Garnet Hathaway, RW, and Nick Seeler, D: Every team, including the Flyers, wants guys like this. Should they be moved? No, but it may make sense if the return is well above the asking price.
Andrei Kuzmenko, LW: Now on his third team in three years, the Russian winger comes with question marks. He has the skill but seems to start strong with clubs before stalling. Tortorella likes what he has seen in a few short weeks, and Kuzmenko’s coachability. But there could be suitors for a guy who can find the back of the net, so the Flyers could flip him. If they do, he is an unrestricted free agent this summer and could always return on a cheaper deal if both parties were so inclined.
Egor Zamula, D: Is the defenseman going to be on the bus? That is the big question right now. He has shown growth at times but is still struggling to find his game and could be a good fit for a team looking to rebuild its blue line.
Ivan Fedotov/Aleksei Kolosov, G: Although there is rampant speculation as to why Kolosov is still on the NHL roster, the Flyers cannot persist with the three-headed monster in net. One of the guys should either get sent down to the American Hockey League — Kolosov is waiver-exempt — or one should be traded.
Which Flyers are unlikely to get traded?
Sean Couturier, C: It’s no secret the former Selke Trophy winner hasn’t been the same since undergoing two back surgeries in 2022. The injuries came just after he had signed an eight-year, $62 million ($7.75 million average annual value) contract to become the face of the Flyers. Couturier is still a responsible defensive center, but no team is trading for a 32-year-old whose best hockey looks to be behind him, and who has five years remaining at his hefty cap hit.
Emil Andrae, D: Limited in stature but not in heart and drive, Andrae is ready to become an NHL regular now. It should be with the Flyers, who need his puck-moving ability. The one exception would be if he’s part of a larger package to land the big-time center the Flyers need.
Jamie Drysdale, D: Teams need guys like Drysdale, with his ability — like Andrae — to move the puck and generate offense from the back end. That said, he is still very much a work in progress. If they were to move him, the only positive for the Flyers is that he looked fantastic against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night, especially when he broke up a pass intended for Sidney Crosby and then delivered the primary assist up the ice.
Could Cam York be a surprise trade candidate ahead of March 7?
Cam York, D: He was once thought to be untouchable, but York’s status is not as defined with the Flyers. After a stellar 2023-24, in which Tortorella called him the team’s best defender, he has struggled to find that level this season. He did deal with a shoulder injury early in the year that seemed to stunt his growth but has played better of late.
Noah Cates, C, and Tyson Foerster, LW/RW: Highly unlikely, but they are both restricted free agents who are expected to earn big raises this summer after the seasons they are having. The Flyers need centers and Cates has finally emerged as a top-three pivot, so there’s a low probability he will be moved. Foerster’s chances are a bit higher as teams would love his defensive game with a big shot brimming under the surface.
Ryan Poehling, C, and Owen Tippett, LW/RW: Very unlikely. When confident, Tippett is becoming the guy everyone expected with his speed and skill. He should score 30 goals consistently. Like Tippett, Poehling adds speed to the lineup and is the solid bottom-six center the Flyers have use for, especially if Laughton dealt.
Jakob Pelletier, LW: The Flyers just got the winger, who has some upside as a former first-round pick. He’s a restricted free agent this summer and will be signed for cheap, so no reason to make a rash move — unless he’s part of that big center package we talked about it.
Who on the Flyers is untouchable?
Travis Konecny, RW: Signed to an eight-year extension last summer, the All-Star winger is just hitting his prime and his stride. Konecny has established himself as a bona fide top-line player and is on pace for a career-high 86 points.
Matvei Michkov, RW: Obviously.
Travis Sanheim, D: The other half of “The Travii” is having a breakout season, becoming one of the NHL’s top defensemen in terms of stamina and versatility. The top-pair blueliner boasts a rare combination of size (6-foot-4, 222 pounds) and skating ability, which he just showcased on the international stage. Sanheim, who turns 29 next month, also has a full no-trade clause through the 2026-27 season.
Sam Ersson, G: People want to question whether he is a No. 1 goalie. Why? The Swede continues to prove he can carry the load of games and the weight of being among the NHL’s best. Just look at his stats since the Christmas break — 11-4-2 with a .912 save percentage — and that doesn’t include his stellar performance vs. the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Goalie Samuel Ersson has played himself into untouchable status, according to Jackie Spiegel.
Inquirer photographers and videographers captured tens of thousands of images in 2024. Here are some of our favorites.
By
Inquirer Staff Photographers
Published Dec 12, 2024
By the time the votes were counted, Donald Trump and rival Kamala Harris had shown up at more than 100 events in the Philly region and across the state in a year when Pennsylvania became the center of the political universe in the 2024 presidential election.
The sports year began with the retirement (and subsequent ubiquity) of Eagles legend Jason Kelce, photographed as he left the field in a final deflating defeat. It didn’t get much better for Philly’s other pro sports teams, failures perhaps best encapsulated by the image of a 76er who ended up in the stands, upside down, his red sneakers pointing to the ceiling.
Along the way, the people behind the cameras provided our readers with magical images — a 1-year-old in bunny costume on Easter Sunday on a South Jersey farm among 400,000 daffodils, a white-robed bishop being lowered into the Atlantic Ocean to bless the waters, skywatchers admiring the eclipse, an overweight Bull mastiff – eating a carrot.
Words have their place, but it is true that some things must be seen to be believed — like an apron-clad Donald Trump at a McDonald’s drive-through window.
Eagles center Jason Kelce walks off the field after the game. Eagles lose 32-9 to the Buccaneers in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fl. on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerSixers forward Danuel House Jr. falls into the fans during the second quarter against the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 3 at the Wells Fargo Center.Yong Kim / Staff PhotographerSiddeeq Shabazz, a leading Philly Black cyclist who took up cycling during the pandemic and helped grow a local biking movement to increase diversity within the sport was shot and paralyzed last year. His 12-year-old daughter, Suri Shabbaz, his only child, is a student teacher dancer at a local studio. Every year for the last eight or so years, they have attended the father/daughter dance at the studio. This was the first year they didn't attend because of his injuries. They strike a dancing pose together on Feb. 27 at B’ella Ballerina Performing Arts Center.Charles Fox / Staff Photographer
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Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts pauses in prayer before the start of the game against the New Orleans Saints at the Superdome in New Orleans on Sept. 22.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerPhillies catcher J.T. Realmuto leaps past Pittsburgh Pirates baserunner Jared Triolo in the second inning during a split squad spring training game at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Fla., on March 18.. Triolo was safe on the play.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley leaps over Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field on Nov. 3.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Making of a Photo: Witnessing Saquon Barkley's backward jump
Philadelphia Inquirer photographer, Yong Kim, was at the Linc when Eagles’ running back, Saquon Barkley, made an eye-catching play against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
A video deep dive of Yong Kim’s iconic photo.Gabe Coffey
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Marchers carry a 400-foot-long rainbow flag — the largest in Philadelphia history — moving it up Walnut Street on June 2 as Pride March and Festival kicks off with a march from Washington Square with the theme “Be You.”Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Allie Katch in the ring during Effy's Big Gay Brunch presented by Game Changer Wrestling at Penn's Landing Caterers in Philadelphia on April 6. The event was one of several that took place during Wrestlemania week. The event is a safe and inclusive space for LGBTQ+ wrestlers that seeks to promote their talent. “I’m glad they are starting to pay attention,” Taylor Gibson, better known by the ring name Effy, said to the sold-out crowd. “We have some of the best talent in the world.”Heather Khalifa / Staff PhotographerDrag queen Martha Graham Cracker (Dito van Reigersberg) performs at B. West in Philadelphia on March 15.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
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One-year-old Olivia Clavijo of Elizabeth, N.J., tightly hugs her tulips while spending the day with her family at the 2024 Dalton Farms Festival of Tulips! in Swedesboro, N.J. on Easter Sunday. The farm has 400,000 daffodils and 150 varieties of tulips and planted one million bulbs.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerStudents at the Antonia Pantoja Charter School watch the eclipse in Philadelphia on April 8.Jessica Griffin / Staff PhotographerThe khachapuri Adjaruli and Lobio at Gamarjoba in Philadelphia. Food styling by Emilie FosnochtMonica Herndon / Staff PhotographerDennis Sullivan, bishop of the Diocese of Camden, is helped into an Atlantic City Beach Patrol boat on Aug. 15. Bishop Sullivan blessed the water by tossing a wreath into the surf. The tradition is called Wedding of the Sea. According to organizers the tradition began in Venice around the year 1000 AD. The tradition came to Atlantic City through St. Michael’s Church, a historically Italian parish.David Maialetti / Staff PhotographerThe Avalon Beach Patrol team celebrates the Lifeguard Championship in Brigantine on Aug. 12.Steven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Ron Wolffe of Iowa watches Ariell Flight, of West Chester, on the Wall of Death. Acrobatic riders performed at the Race of Gentlemen in Wildwood on Oct. 4.Alejandro A. Alvarez / Staff PhotographerAs the fog moves in, Caleesi Cohen (left), 10, and her sister Senaia-Imani Cohen, 17, move out after spending the day on the beach with their family in Wildwood on Memorial Day weekend. The girls’ father, Michael Cohen, (not in photo) said he pulled the cart across the expansive Wildwood beach when they arrived and now it was the girls’ turn. The family is from Sicklerville.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators march on Market Street as they head to Independence Mall prior to the Sept. 10 presidential debate at the National Constitution Center.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerPeople get set up to camp out for the night to support Palestine on College Green in the heart of the University of Pennsylvania campus on April 25.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Making of a Photo: Covering the Pro-Palestinian encampment at Penn
Philadelphia Inquirer photographer, Elizabeth Robertson, describes how she spent time overnight at the encampment where Penn students protested the war in Gaza.
A video deep dive of Elizabeth Robertson’s coverage of the Pro-Palestinian encampment at Penn.Gabe Coffey
A protester with the Penn Gaza Solidarity Encampment is arrested at South 34th St. near the Penn campus on May 17.Steven M. Falk / Staff PhotographerInside, after waiting in line outside in the heat for hours on July 31, a supporter takes a drink of water in the restroom at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, before an appearance by former President Donald Trump.Tom Gralish / Staff PhotographerPhiladelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker (center) arrives in City Council chambers to deliver her first budget address on March 14.Heather Khalifa / Staff PhotographerMel Lee, of Lansdale, with the Woori Center, marches along 11th Street during a Sept. 7 rally to protest the Sixers’ plans to build a new arena near Chinatown.Tyger Williams / Staff PhotographerVice President Kamala Harris greets children in the crowd of supporters after speaking at a Republicans for Harris event in Washington Crossing on Oct. 16.Tom Gralish / Staff PhotographerAn excited Elon Musk is about to greet former President Donald Trump at his Oct. 5 rally in Butler, Pa.Steven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Jim Worthington gets a hug from Linda Mitchell as they learn Donald Trump has won Pennsylvania during an election night party in Newtown, Bucks County.Steven M. Falk / Staff PhotographerFormer President Donald Trump works the drive-through window at the McDonald’s in Feasterville, Bucks County, on Oct. 20 after saying on “Fox & Friends” he will “do everything” at the Golden Arches.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Making of a Photo: Documenting an election year in Pennsylvania, according to a Philadelphia Inquirer photographer
Philadelphia Inquirer photographer, Tom Gralish, has covered presidential elections for decades over his 40-year career as a photojournalist. This year’s election was unlike any other.
A video deep dive of Tom Gralish’s coverage of the 2024 election year in Pennsylvania.Gabe Coffey
Firefighters work the scene where two police officers were injured while responding to reported standoff in East Lansdowne on Feb. 7.Charles Fox / Staff PhotographerA person, who did not want to be named, struggles to pull a shopping cart past a mural on Somerset Street off Kensington Avenue on March 18. The mural is on a wall outside of Cantina La Martina.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
A man kneels in prayer near the crime scene after multiple people were shot at an Eid al-Fitr gathering at Clara Muhammad Square in Philadelphia on April 10.Monica Herndon / Staff PhotographerRetired Army Maj. Andre McCoy, a member of American Legion Post 405 and the Philadelphia Veterans Advisory Commission, salutes the grave of Navy Cmdr. John Montgomery Dale after an abbreviated Memorial Day ceremony at the Christ Church Burial Ground in Old City. The Christ Church Preservation Trust program honored Dale (1797-1852).Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Nyshyia Thomas (right) is shown at home with her family, during an interview during which she talked about her son Da'Juan Brown, who was killed in a random shooting.Jessica Griffin / Staff PhotographerHigh School student, Ivan Bailey-Green is photographed with his paintings on May 7 during art class at St. Joseph's Preparatory School. Ivan was a member of the St. Joe's Prep football team and recently committed to East Stroudsburg. He is also considered by many to be the best artist in the school, something he came to lately but fell in love with. He plans to major in nursing but also explore art in college as a minor or possibly a career.Jose F. Moreno / Staff PhotographerRising sophomore Kylie Price, of Wilmington, stands in front of the University of the Arts Dorrance Hamilton Hall on South Broad Street in Philadelphia on June 9. Just over one week earlier, university officials announced that the school would be closing permanently.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff PhotographerPeople riding dirt bikes and four wheelers ride down the Art Museum steps on Feb. 3.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
People watch the Italian Air Force Frecce Tricolori during a flyover at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Aug 12.Jose F. Moreno / Staff PhotographerSpectators watch as a group from Pace Roofing try to climb the greased pole during the Italian Market Festival on May 19.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer
Tugboats taking the Battleship New Jersey to the Paulsboro Marine Terminal pass near the flight plan for Philadelphia International Airport on March 21. After a stop in Paulsboro, the World War II-era battleship turned museum headed to the Navy Yard for repainting and repairs.Tom Gralish / Staff PhotographerAlmond Street resident Ryan Annau checks the depth of a large sinkhole on the 3100 block of Almond Street in Port Richmond on Jan. 28.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Birders gather along South 51st Street at Botanic on Jan. 23 to look at a colorful male Painted Bunting, a bird that normally breeds in southern climates.Alejandro A. Alvarez / Staff PhotographerRalphie, a bullmastiff who reached about 30% overweight. He's lost about 10 pounds but he has a good bit left to go. Healthy treats like carrots are now used to reward him.Charles Fox / Staff Photographer
Pennsylvania State Police and Philadelphia police keep an eye on a horse reported to have been running wild on I-95 on Feb. 20.Alejandro A. Alvarez / Staff Photographer
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Staff Contributors
Introduction: Tony Wood
Art Direction: Julia Duarte
Editing: Brian Leighton
Photography: Alejandro A. Alvarez, Steven M. Falk, Charles Fox, Tom Gralish, Jessica Griffin, Monica Herndon, Heather Khalifa, Yong Kim, David Maialetti, Jose F. Moreno, Elizabeth Robertson, Tyger Williams
Videography: Gabe Coffey, Astrid Rodrigues
Photo Editing: Jasmine Goldband, Danese Kenon, Frank Wiese
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Picture it: The Birds game is on, you’re snacking on the couch, and suddenly, you hear it: “This holiday season, my good friend gave to me: seven Powerball tickets — .” With the start of Pennsylvania’s annual showing of its prized lottery Christmas commercial, the holiday season is truly here.
Dating to 1992, the ad, which is titled “Snowfall,” features a group of carolers singing an abridged and heavily modified version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” swapping the usual swans a-swimming and geese a-laying for an array of lottery games.
On social media, the return of the ad — which typically begins airing in early November — is celebrated. “It’s practically a holiday tradition,” one Reddit user wrote 13 years ago about the ad (from a Reddit thread in 2011 discussing its return that holiday season). A new Reddit thread posted this week also embraced the holiday ad.
“The moment they hear the carolers sing, many Pennsylvanians reflexively smile, sing along, and mentally count the weeks until they can put up the tree,” Drew Svitko, the Pennsylvania Lottery’s executive director, said in 2016 ahead of the ad’s 25th anniversary. “We are proud that our popular commercial brings back so many warm memories for viewers and has become a Keystone State holiday tradition.”
But the ad we see today is not the exact ad that was shown over three decades ago.
The original version was filmed in Pittsburgh ahead of its 1992 debut. It features an older man, Joe, leaving his place on a snowy night to dole out lottery ticket gifts throughout his neighborhood, including tocoffee- and newsstand owners. Carolers sing. That version was shown from 1992 through 2011.
In 2011, the Pennsylvania Lottery reproduced the holiday commercial in high-definition video and to accommodate modern TV specs. This time, the shoot took place in Philadelphia. But the shot-for-shot remake was so carefully executed, many viewers didn’t notice the difference when it was shown in 2012 until it was pointed out.
“The lottery took great care in recreating the beloved ad,” Pennsylvania Lottery spokesperson Ewa Swope said Tuesday. “By retaining the original audio track and voice-over, along with the shot-for-shot remake, we stayed true to the look and feel of the original spot.”
Local Philly blog Crossing Broad posted a side-by-side comparison of the 1992 and 2012 ads to highlight the matching.
Of course, the 2012 ad has been tweaked slightly over the years to account for changes to the lottery’s game offerings. Swope said a visual card within the ad is also updated annually to spotlight a featured holiday scratch-off game — this year’s is the Jingle Jangle Jackpot.
“Because the original spot is so beloved, we didn’t want to upset anyone by going in a vastly different creative direction,” Connie Bloss, a marketing pro who worked on both the 1992 and 2012 “Snowfall” ads, told the Associated Press at the time of the new spot’s debut. “We meticulously examined each frame to match the outfits, props, location, and other small details. We really wanted to get it right.”
Swope said the ad’s aim has always been the same: to remind consumers that lottery products can be given as gifts. Becoming a holiday classic was just a bonus.
“We could not have imagined in 1992 that this spot would become such a holiday classic,” Swope said. “We routinely hear from players that when they see the commercial, they know the holiday season is starting. We are happy that so many players enjoy and look forward to this spot as a part of their holiday tradition.”
You can watch the latest version of “Snowfall” below:
