UPEI on Live! with Regis and Kelly

UPEI's website saw a 50% increase in hits on Tuesday, July 13 after receiving about a minute and a half of dedicated airtime from Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa during a live broadcast of the Live! with Regis and Kelly show from the Charlottetown waterfront.

The internationally-syndicated talk show is typically broadcast from the Disney-ABC studios in New York, but was on location on PEI for four episodes.

During the start of Tuesday's show, during what is called the 'host chat', Kelly Ripa hoisted her UPEI coffee mug and said the province had a great university, while Philbin jokingly commented on how the 'UPEI Panther' stuffed toy he received kept him 'up all night'. The duo added that, this week, the Atlantic Veterinary College was hosting their award-winning summer vet camp, and that Ripa was thinking about sending her kids next year.

The comments came as a result of small gift packages and personalized letters to Ripa and Philbin hand-delivered to their hotel earlier in the week.

Increased visits to upei.ca, inquiries to AVC concerning vet camp, and emails congratulating UPEI on the positive exposure all highlight the boost in awareness that UPEI received via inclusion on the show.

To see the host chat for Tuesday, July 13 featuring UPEI, click here.