Link to WDIV Flashpoint Segment (02/13/11): Imported from Detroit/The Detroit Image:
On WDIV (Channel 4-News) we discussed the Chrysler ‘Imported from Detroit’ commercial as a catalyst to the Detroit Image. After doing the piece for Flashpoint I thought it would be interesting to expand on the story and include other regional and local Detroit digital storytellers who are doing a good job telling our story.
The Imported from Detroit commercial spot was an initiator to discuss Detroit Storytelling. So I wanted to recap others who are telling the Detroit Story. This story communicated the power of storytelling on a national level.
National Detroit Storytelling
Imported from Detroit
The Imported from Detroit commercial was the buzz of Super Bowl XLV and national media since it was aired. On the event of Super Bowl XLV, Brand Bowl 2011 that was presented Radian 6/Mullen/Boston.com tracked and monitored the Twitter buzz of the Super Bowl commercials. The people voted with their tweets and selected Chrysler, ‘Imported from Detroit’ as the overall winner.
o Overall Score: 90, Tweets: 32,514, Sentiment: +16.5%)
o BrandBowl: Radian 6 (Social Media Monitoring and Engagement)
o Total Tweets: Over 300K tweets
o Chrysler Tweets: Over 32K tweets
o Radian 6: Radian6’s social media monitoring software helps businesses listen, measure and engage in conversations across the social web.
o YouTube Views: 4.7M (as of 02/10/11)
According to the Wall Street Journal Chrysler and the Chrysler 200 spiked on auto-shopping web sites. Edmunds.com reports that research on Chrysler models on its web site jumped 328% after the ad appeared.
Does this mean that Detroit is back? Does this mean that Chrysler is back? I don’t think any one commercial alone saves a city, state or company. But I will say the commercial did exactly what it was suppose to do. Create buzz (mostly positive), engage potentials customers, get people sharing content, and driving traffic to their site.
Regional Detroit Storytelling
Pure Michigan Ad Campaign - http://www.michigan.org/
Gov. Rick Snyder (in his State of the Union (SOTU) address, stated that $2 in tourism is generated for every $1 spent on the ad campaign. He will continue to fund it. Michigan is a tourist destination for Chicago, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Cincinnati and Cleveland. This story can and will only be told by Michigan’ers. The campaign has gone so well funding has been increased by $10M (Total Funding is $25.4M for 2011)
Local Detroit Storytelling
Lemonade Detroit – www.LemonadeDetroit.com
Founder Eric Proulx and Greg Meyer
Bad news is sensational. It’s the stuff of prime time exposés and gotcha news hours. People are attracted to bad news for the same reason they slow down past car accidents and watch horror movies: It’s impossible to turn away.
Thankfully, the same can be said for good news. Instead of sensationalizing blight, one new film will sensationalize hope. “Lemonade: Detroit” is about the disarming resilience of a city that can no longer rely on a single industry for its livelihood, as told through the intensely personal stories of people who are actively changing their city.
In November, 2010 Erik Proulx and Greg Meyer launched
http://buyaframe.lemonadedetroit.com, a microfunding site to both build community and raise money, one frame at a time. The premise is simple – with 24 frames in a second of film and 129,000 frames in a 90-minute feature, Erik and Greg worked with Loveland’s Jerry Paffendorf to create a space for people to own their piece of the film. For $1/frame, $24/second, $1,440/minute and so on, every person who buys frames gets their name listed as a producer in the rolling credits as well as on IMDB.com, the premiere internet movie database.
The response to the site has been overwhelmingly positive. As of the New Year 2011, more than 1000 producers have funded just shy of $30,000. The site has also attracted corporate matching from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Quicken Loans.
I am Young Detroit – www.IamYoungDetroit.com
Margarita Barry (Founder & CEO)
The Detroit story that we’re sharing is that although we’re struggling with a HUGE brain drain, we DO have young people choosing to stay here: entrepreneurs, creatives, and thought leaders who are paving their own paths. With our launch this year we’ll be showing the world the young people, places, events, and spaces that make Detroit a vibrant place to live. Already during our beta first year, we’ve established a large following in Chicago and New York, and have garnered some national press on Time.com, WorldNews.com and Venus magazine, and national funding opportunities. Most importantly, our efforts of attracting and retaining young people to the city have already shown some promise.
“When I was offered a position in Detroit everyone was scared or my well-being (including myself). I searched online for days for anything positive I could find about Detroit and ran across the I am Young Detroit blog. I read about all the young pioneers in this city with a desire to revitalize the essence that is Detroit. Needless to say, I made to the move to Detroit from Florida over some other offers in great cities, including Chicago, Charlotte, NC, Columbia, SC, Tampa, FL, Orando, Florida. I credit I am Young Detroit for opening my eyes to all that Detroit has to offer! I have an awesome transition to the Motor City and even though the snow and cold can really be trouble at times I never regret my move. I look forward to more adventures, things to see and people to meet everyday I’m here in the D!”
- Kendyll Myles, 24 years old, Program Analyst at the Detroit VA Medical Center
Kendyll Myles’s story is definitely one that we hope to replicate over and over again!
Links
- http://iamyoungdetroit.com/index.php/2010/11/venuszine/
- http://wn.com/i_am_young_detroit
- http:// detroit.blogs.time.com/2010/04/30/podcast-i-am-young-detroit/
Detroit Moxie – www.DetroitMoxie.com
Founder Becks Davis
I started Detroit Moxie because I was finding amazing things that we’re happening in Detroit that the general public didn’t seem to know about. I often get tweets, Facebook messages, and emails from people telling me that they went somewhere because of one of my blog posts. I’ve also had people email me about advice for moving to Detroit. Most recently, someone in France asked me for suggestions for cheap places to stay in Detroit for their upcoming visit in April. I was able to direct them to Hostel Detroit, which will be opening around the same time, and recommend different things to do in the city.
Links
- Detroit Moxie was recently featured in Groupons
- One of Detroit Moxie’s Top Blog Post: 40-Things to Do in Detroit Before You’re Dead
I See Detroit – www.ISeeDetroit.com
Founder Shawn Lee
Photographer and Community Leader Shawn Lee of Shawn Lee Studios www.ShawnLeeStudios.com launched his critically acclaimed photographic project titled I SEE DETROIT. Mr. Lee’s vision of a positive Detroit is by highlighting what he calls the true “Spirit of Detroit” through several photographic works.
“I SEE DETROIT is what I see as I make my way in and around Detroit City. Photographs I take of Buildings, People and Landmarks either significant to the history of Detroit or to me. I have coined the phrase “I SEE DETROIT” for this is my vision of the beauty and ashes of the city.” Says noted photographer Shawn Lee when asked why he started this groundbreaking initiative.
Who are the New Detroit Storytellers?
The new Detroit storytellers are you and I. The new storytellers are anyone with a message, an idea or something they are passionate about sharing. With the power of the new media we have an incredible ability to create a new narrative of Detroit. The examples I listed are a few small examples. I would like to hear about others.
New Media enables all of us to be curators of stories that will open up the world to those who want to see Detroit.
Please share your ideas, blog post, blog domain names, hashtags or Facebook Fan Pages that you are using to communicate the Detroit story. The new Detroit Narrative.
About the author
Hajj is the founder of Brand Camp University . He has been featured on Fox 2 News (http://bit.ly/Hajj_Fox2News), ESPN.com and BusinessWeek.com on the subject of Personal Branding. His clients include Walt Disney, Ford Motor Company, Skechers Footwear, U.S. Department of Defense (Telecom Division). He has spoken at Iowa State University, Davidson College, University of Michigan and numerous colleges and universities around the nation on personal branding, social media and career development to crowds of 3,500 plus.
- More at
