Detroit Campaign Aims to Create Army of Believers

DETROIT, Nov. 5, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Local celebrities, media personalities and leaders from throughout the business, political and educational communities in southeast Michigan will gather at WXYZ TV, Channel 7 studios in Southfield Monday, November 8 to film a public service announcement focused to help change the way people perceive and talk about Detroit.  The station is donating production facilities for the day.  

Scheduled to appear in the PSA are: Detroit Mayor David Bing, Oakland County Executive Brooks Patterson, Wayne County Executive Bob Ficano, Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel, Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee, Detroit Public Schools Financial Manager Robert Bobb, The Parade Company CEO Tony Michaels, rapper Trick-Trick, local composer and singer Jill Jack, veteran radio icon Dick Purtan, on air TV anchors from local stations, Redwing Coach Mike Babcock, Michigan Food and Beverage Association President Ed Deeb, Detroit News Editorial Page Editor Nolan Finley, novelist Elmore Leonard, philanthropist Al Taubman, Beaumont CEO Gene Michalski, WWJ radio personality Jayne Bower, WJR radio host Paul W. Smith, author Mitch Albom, Tiger icon Willie Horton, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy,  Free Press Editorial Page Editor Stephen Henderson, and the list goes on. 

The PSA is the first component in the ambitious "I'm a Believer" campaign designed to make people feel proud about Detroit and help change the hearts and minds of the people living in and around the city.  The goal of the first phase of the campaign is to encourage residents of southeastern Michigan to become change-makers themselves.  

"Until now, there have been dozens of campaigns designed to make people feel proud that they're from Detroit, but none have succeeded in connecting all of them together in a compelling way," said Paige Curtis of The Curtis Group, whose team created radio, TV and outdoor advertising.  "'I'm a Believer' hopes to do just that with a dynamic ad campaign that features the PSA, a website and a plan that encompasses local network TV, radio, print, billboards and cable.  We might not have the money to do everything we need to do to change Southeast Michigan," said Curtis, "but we do have the manpower. And if we all do something, we can do anything."

This campaign began as a collaborative effort and passion of Sandy Hermanoff, CEO of Hermanoff Public Relations, and Curtis late in 2009. It was Hermanoff and Curtis who assembled the "I'm a Believer" team and convinced them to donate their time. Since then, the team – which is comprised of staff from the Hermanoff and Curtis agencies and former Detroiters who are now Hollywood producers and directors – have logged more than 1,500 hours. Funds are presently being handled through the Community Foundation for Southeastern Michigan.  

The estimated value of the campaign is $10 million; however, because everyone is working for free, the only hard costs are $30,000 for 501c3 fees, insurance and other fixed costs.  All creative, meeting time, messaging, strategic planning and energy is being donated.

"The campaign talks frankly about the challenges and problems of southeast Michigan and points out how many people have turned their backs on the everyday issues and concerns that face our area," said Hermanoff.  "By focusing on the positive, our belief is that when internal attitudes change, the external image begins to improve.  We all need to be ambassadors if we are going to change the image inside our city."

In addition to the radio and television ads, the website (www.believeindetroit.org) is another important component of the campaign, along with a Facebook page (www.facebook.com/detroitbeliever) and a Twitter campaign (www.twitter.com/DetroitBeliever ).  The website, which is not yet complete, links Believers to non-profits, school and community volunteer programs, offering mentor opportunities, encouraging donation options, and presenting other appropriate links that bring people together.  It will eventually feature a link to the Believer Store with retail items for sale. Content will send visitors to legitimate, bona fide organizations that will offer ways area residents can step up and help.

"We are very excited about what the website will do for this campaign," said Mark Petroff, CEO of Marketing Associates in Detroit, creators of the website.  "It offers a portal where people can visit to learn what they can do to start believing in Detroit and partnering with organizations that are working to positively change our city."

SOURCE I'm a Believer