A Birmingham-based advertising company will film a Porsche car commercial in Columbiana later this month.

Leo Ticheli Productions will shoot the commercial Saturday, March 21, according to director Clay Morrison.

Columbiana Mayor Allan Lowe said Morrison contacted him three weeks ago about the commercial.

“Of course, I asked him why he chose our city. I think they were really taken with our downtown,” said Lowe. “They were looking for a real small town to put that classy Porsche in.”

Morrison said Columbiana was indeed what his company was looking for. Directors considered several cities, including Bessemer and Tuscaloosa.

“What we wanted was a classic Americana look, with the small town feel, but we didn’t want it to look rundown,” Morrison said. “Columbiana had the perfect combination of both. It was classic but kept up. It looks good.”

Columbiana’s new sidewalks, streets lamps and occupied storefronts were also big selling points, Morrison said

Morrison and colleagues from Los Angeles will be in town March 19 to work out final details. A film crew will shoot the commercial March 21 from 4 p.m. to midnight.

The ad company welcomes the general public to come out and watch the filming, Lowe said.

“We are all invited to watch them,” Lowe said. “I’ve never seen a commercial produced, so I’m going to try to be there and watch it.”

The intersection of Main and College streets will be blocked for several hours that Saturday. Columbiana police officers will redirect traffic.

The ad is called a spec commercial. It is being produced with the hope that Porsche will buy it and air it nationally.

Morrison said his company is also negotiating with an area dealer to run the commercial locally.

“It will be good material to show our work,” Morrison said. “I think it will be a good venture for everyone.”