Reinventing Michigan, Eminem style: Can Chrysler 200 Super Bowl ad help revive state's image?
If Michigan can be reinvented — as Gov. Rick Snyder phrased it endlessly during his campaign — the transformation will be powered first by an image revolution.
Michigan's image problem is far greater than its economic challenges, which is why it was so encouraging to see Chrysler's eloquent portrayal of Detroit at its finest in a captivating two-minute Super Bowl commercial tonight featuring Eminem.
Chrysler featured Detroit in a Super Bowl ad tonight.
Photo courtesy of Chrysler
Eminem, of all people. Someone who was down and out — effectively left for dead.
Kind of like Michigan. Michigan was left for dead.
But we're back. And we're ready to remind the world that manufacturing innovation was invented here. We're ready to remind the world that Michigan was once a world leader in entrepreneurship.
And we're charging toward that global leadership post once again. It won't happen easily.
We've lost hundreds of thousands of jobs over the last decade. Our manufacturing base has been decimated. We've lost hordes of talent, and our state budget looks scary.
All of this has contributed to our image problem. People believe Michigan is dead.
Which is why Snyder, a former Ann Arbor venture capitalist who became Michigan's 48th governor by promising to "reinvent Michigan," has always believed that revolutionizing Michigan's image is of supreme importance.
That, indeed, is a bipartisan objective — and it's incumbent on all of us as Michigan residents to work together to achieve it. Until we reinvent Michigan's image, we can't expect the world to take us seriously again.
With a gritty, grassroots, hard-nosed effort to revitalize our economy town by town, we can resurrect our economy. We can inject our state with entrepreneurial life by giving economic development leaders the tools to help start-up companies, give existing businesses a helping hand and clear pointless bureaucratic hurdles from obstructing our revolution.
I see encouraging signs of Michigan's resurgence — encouraging signs that "imported from Detroit," as Chrysler put it, can become Michigan's mantra. Take Mobiata, for example, an Ann Arbor-based mobile software company started by 23-year-old entrepreneur Ben Kazez, who moved here in early 2009 to build his company.
Some 18 months later, Kazez sold Mobiata to global travel website Expedia.com, which has identified the Ann Arbor region as a place to grow its mobile software capabilities.
Mobiata could have moved anywhere. It's a completely mobile company, no pun intended.
But Kazez chose Michigan, because he realized Michigan could fuel his company's growth.
It's successes like that that will help us reinvent Michigan's image.
And it doesn't hurt to have a helping hand from Eminem.
Contact AnnArbor.com's Nathan Bomey at (734) 623-2587 or nathanbomey@annarbor.com. You can also follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's newsletters.
Comments
Leaf
Wed, Feb 9, 2011 : 11:22 p.m.
What a powerful ad! Makes me remember why I love the area I live in, why I love to visit Detroit, why I love this state so much. Bravo Chrysler for making a commercial that moved me and left me speechless in a room of rowdy football fans.
Monica R-W
Tue, Feb 8, 2011 : 6:50 a.m.
I am lost on where Rick Snyder had anything to do with this ad, really, A2.com. He has been Governor for less than two months. If anything, please give credit in this case, where credit is due....and that is to the following entities and/or individuals: 1. Former Governor Jennifer Granholm who fought hard (and for anyone to say that she did not would be a falsehood) to have a bailout of specifically Chrysler LCC and General Motors from the Federal Government. If Ms. Granholm sat on her hands (like many wanted her to do) and let these two manufacturers die....we would not be seeing this ad or many others to come, about a Michigan comeback in the next five to ten years. 2. The UAW and its' union members. Who took the pay and benefits cuts necessary to allow all the Big 3, including Ford Motor Company, to survive. In addition, these workers are providing (building) efficient, safe and popular vehicles the public wants to buy. 3. President Obama and I am not a Barback Obama fan-girl but, the point is that if he allowed the auto companies (except for Ford) to die a slow, painful (for the state of Michigan indeed) death, all of our great state would be in a mess for decades to come. Regardless of how people might want to spin it...Michigan and Cars are tied together for the foreseeable future. Yes, the state is explaining to different industries but, one cannot just believe over 100 years of history will be deleted because Google or other IT based companies are taking notice of the talent here in this state, in the last five years. 4. Congress...Republicans who voted for ARRA (the stimulus act of 2009) and Democrats. Without this....Michigan would be knee deep in something that I cannot name here on this site, at the moment. Governor Snyder will have his day to get credits but, it is not on this....right now.
Tru2Blu76
Tue, Feb 8, 2011 : 3:45 a.m.
Good advertising. Regardless of anything else: advertising works. Advertising convinced millions of people that George Bush would be a good president - twice!! Advertising convinced probably hundreds of people that Global Climate Change is a hoax. Advertising caused Americans to believe that both political parties are actually patriotic organizations devoted to the good of the country. The list verifying advertising's power is endless. So if more ads like this Chrysler ad keep rolling out, then we can at least believe Detroit and Michigan are great and even glamorous. The ad companies might as well try presenting the real, inspiring story of our major city and our state - they've succeeded so well at all that other stuff.
snoopdog
Tue, Feb 8, 2011 : 1:54 p.m.
Global Climate Change, formerly known as Global Warming is a hoax. They had to change the name because it was not working for them. Now any change in weather is blamed on Climate Change. Total Bull and now we know it.
Alan Benard
Tue, Feb 8, 2011 : 3:06 a.m.
Nathan, your opinion piece if facile, overreaching, breathless and flatly uncrticial. I like this one better: <a href="http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/02/chrysler-deplorable-detroit-super-bowl-ad" rel='nofollow'>http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/02/chrysler-deplorable-detroit-super-bowl-ad</a> "But there's a lot to dislike here: the fact that a major bailout recipient is dishing beaucoup bucks for a one-off ad to boost its image; the cynical racism (or at least colonialism) of positioning Chrysler as a tough, gritty, 8 Mile-style brand that's perfect for what marketers call the "urban core" demographic; and using Detroit poverty porn to hawk your product while simultaneously trying to deride the media's recent Detroit poverty porn."
snoopdog
Tue, Feb 8, 2011 : 2:12 a.m.
For at least once I am going to leave politics out of my comments. This ad was damn good and made me feel good about Detroit and Michigan, if only for a short while. I know I can be and guess that most of us can be a bit hypocritical about our state. We get upset when outsiders make fun of Detroit and Michigan but we do it ourselves all the time. The Chrysler 200 is a very nice car, now on par with the Fusion,Malibu,Sonata,Accord,Camry and Altima. It even has the highest horsepower V-6 of the lot rated at 282 HP. Mr. Marchione is already working his majic and it is good for Detroit. This was the best Super Bowl ad of the entire lot in my opinion !
Hospadaruk
Tue, Feb 8, 2011 : 12:40 a.m.
I LOVED the commercial, as I love the D! But A2news, what up with this Snyder ad?
Cash
Tue, Feb 8, 2011 : 12:01 a.m.
Brian Williams, NBC News just did a beautiful story on that ad...and Detroit. Okay, that story made me emotional and it seemed it might have made Brian Williams emotional too. Says the ad has gotten 1.2 million hits on You Tube today.
Tom Teague
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 10:27 p.m.
@Nathan - Our Mr. Mathers appeared in two commercials last night: In the flesh for Chrysler and in animated form for Brisk. He may be down and out as you mentioned in your article, but I'm sure his and his agent's bank accounts are doing quite well.
MichGirl
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 10:24 p.m.
I LOVED the ad! It really caught be by surprise and when I heard "Detroit" I started clapping and cheering. Hooray for us. Long way to go, yes, but we can get some pride back! This is a nice start, no matter who gets credit. And I must agree with the previous comment about the tasteless Groupon commercial. How totally insensitive. Ugh.
Roger Rayle
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 9:48 p.m.
(To counter some of the gloomy comments above and inform people about some of the good news in SE Mich, I decided to re-post this separately instead just as a reply to an earlier comment...) If you can't be at Ignite-Automotive in person at 7:30pm on Tues Feb 8, watch the live video streams of the presentations by Anthony Oliver and the others here: <a href="http://www.igniteautomotive.org/live-streaming-video.html" rel='nofollow'>http://www.igniteautomotive.org/live-streaming-video.html</a> Then the next day, if you can't be at Ignite-AnnArbor #5 at 7pm, Wed Feb 9, <a href="http://www.igniteannarbor.com/,">http://www.igniteannarbor.com/,</a> watch it live at <a href="http://www.igniteannarbor.com/?p=463">http://www.igniteannarbor.com/?p=463</a> to see Gritty, Glorious Detroit: No Such Thing as "Ruin Porn" by Michael Hodges and 15 other eclectic, entertaining, and enlightening talks. ... all part of Global Ignite Week 2011 <a href="http://igniteshow.com/global-ignite-week" rel='nofollow'>http://igniteshow.com/global-ignite-week</a> ... so there's also Ignite-Chelsea <a href="http://ignitechelsea.wordpress.com/" rel='nofollow'>http://ignitechelsea.wordpress.com/</a> and Ignite-Lansing <a href="http://www.ignitelansing.com/" rel='nofollow'>http://www.ignitelansing.com/</a> both on Feb 11. (There are a lot of creative, inventive people here making things better.)
SonnyDog09
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 8:47 p.m.
I fail to see how a television commercial from an Italian company can help to revive Michigan's image.
nekm1
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 8:39 p.m.
I was on the phone with a friend living in Virginia when the ad came on. We both watched and at the end, I asked him what he thought. He said Detroit looks like Gotham City, very dark and scary. Not sure that is going to help our reputation around the country. As for the car, didn't say much about the new 200. Also, Eminem appeals to the 20 something? 30 something? I fear that when creative is to "inside" (meaning it played well to Detroiters but little else) you lose the value. What was the spots purpose anyway?
Rosemary Bodley
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 8:36 p.m.
Great pictures. Detroit in 21st century array. Makes me choke up just watching it. Roseglen.
jerry grzesik
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 8:27 p.m.
This is what we all need to think so we can help our self, and our own jobs or we will not have a middle class any more in this country.
tim
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 8:19 p.m.
Don't mean to rain on the party, but if fuel prices keep climbing people will not be in the mood to buy any ones cars.
Anthony Oliver
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 7:11 p.m.
Well, I don't have a commercial, nor am I getting paid for this, but here is a plug. I am presenting at ignite automotive tomorrow (<a href="http://www.igniteautomotive.org/)," rel='nofollow'>http://www.igniteautomotive.org/),</a> my topic is "Why the auto industry needs open source". Granted it won't be as well produced as that commercial but I am actually trying to generate change in the industry through methods and processes, not just commercials that inspire hope.
Roger Rayle
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 9:17 p.m.
And if you can't be at Ignite-Automotive in person at 7:30pm on Tues Feb 8, watch the live video streams of the presentations by Anthony and the others here: <a href="http://www.igniteautomotive.org/live-streaming-video.html" rel='nofollow'>http://www.igniteautomotive.org/live-streaming-video.html</a> Then the next day, if you can't be at Ignite-AnnArbor #5 at 7pm, Wed Feb 9, <a href="http://www.igniteannarbor.com/,">http://www.igniteannarbor.com/,</a> watch it live at <a href="http://www.igniteannarbor.com/?p=463">http://www.igniteannarbor.com/?p=463</a> to see Gritty, Glorious Detroit: No Such Thing as "Ruin Porn" by Michael Hodges and 15 other eclectic, entertaining, and enlightening talks. ... all part of Global Ignite Week 2011 <a href="http://igniteshow.com/global-ignite-week" rel='nofollow'>http://igniteshow.com/global-ignite-week</a> ... so there's also Ignite-Chelsea <a href="http://ignitechelsea.wordpress.com/" rel='nofollow'>http://ignitechelsea.wordpress.com/</a> and Ignite-Lansing <a href="http://www.ignitelansing.com/" rel='nofollow'>http://www.ignitelansing.com/</a> both on Feb 11.
InsideTheHall
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 6:54 p.m.
At a cost of $9million US taxpayer dollars Fiat effectively distanted itself from Chrysler. Liberal Fascism is alive and well.
transmission
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 6:34 p.m.
Here's a music video to bring tears to your eyes. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCi17SEPgpc" rel='nofollow'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCi17SEPgpc</a>
PformerPfizer
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 6:31 p.m.
Decimated? Root is 'deci' meaning one tenth. I'd argue Michigan has lost well over 1/10th of it's manufacturing base & workforce. Annihilated is more like it.
Cash
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 7:19 p.m.
And the auto industry is making a comeback. Can't say the same for Pfizer.
Tom Teague
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 6:26 p.m.
The ad was beautiful with a number of compelling images and a gritty, attention-grabbing voice over. As Cash and others have pointed out, it comes at a time when Michigan is reminding the rest of the nation that the state still has an important role to play in America's future. The point of the ad, though, is to sell Chrysler 200s, and I hope it helps sell a bunch of 'em. With luck, the phrase "Imported from Detroit" resonates with the general public enough to become a theme in future commercials. Kudos to the firm of Wieden & Kennedy for their work creating it. CNN reported this morning that the ad was searched for on Google more than any other SB ad. I won't comment on the generally lifeless feel of the SB ads this year except to say that the Chrysler 200 ad would have held its own even if the competition had been sharper.
Cash
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 7:23 p.m.
In listening to commentary today that is the part of the ad that seems to be resonating....."Imported from Detroit"....and it wasn't even spoken. that's very cool!
KJMClark
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 5:52 p.m.
Wow, talk about looking backward. We're supposed to get misty eyed over a car ad? They mostly took shots of the few pretty things still left in Detroit and ignored the 99% that the auto age destroyed. And Eminem is from Warren - another of those suburbs that killed Detroit. If you want nostalgia, I can point to several hundred places around this beautiful state that should inspire us at least as much as the things the ad showed. People are such suckers for advertising.
Topher
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 5:38 p.m.
I feel a bit torn with this ad. On the one hand I like that Detroit is being billed as a turnaround city, and the ad had a somewhat inspiring quality to it. On the other hand the ad implied that Michigan is only about major car corporations - that the car infrastructure is the only clear option for reviving (maintaining?) Detroit. The "Keep Detroit Beautiful" on the marquee implies that Detroit is beautiful as it is now (and there are many beautiful things about Detroit) and does not need to change; that all Detroit needs is for people to buy more cars (especially this new one) and things will go back to how they were. Corporations should not be the sole defining factor in major cities - thriving cities are those with mixes of corporations, public enterprise, arts and entertainment, quality schools, mass transportation, and people who live in and support their neighborhoods. Chrysler can be part of the solution - they're just not the only one.
Cash
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 7:17 p.m.
But it was....a car ad.
5c0++ H4d13y
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 5:18 p.m.
That ad is lame like 99.999995% of car commercials. Even Don Draper couldn't turn this area around with a car commercial.
magnumpi
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 5:26 p.m.
i don't think the ad was lame, but i had to give you a thumbs up for mentioning don draper!
Detroit Hemingway
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 4:38 p.m.
Save the political comments for your free coffee buddies at McDonalds. The commercial is not meant to appeal to everyone. And those who have no idea where the background images are taken, nor who the is speaking at the end, I suppose also have their political soapbox safely planted in the far off suburbs. Worse yet, they may not even reside in MI. Focus on the commercial itself. From it's honest photography, to the choral crescendo at the end, you cannot deny that it is brilliant. Marketing strategy? Yes. But I have sent this YouTube video to every classmate that I studied alongside at the Shiffman Medical Library, and every drinking buddy that barely spoke English at the bars in along Woodward, Michigan Ave, and Hamtramack. So even though I have no intention of ever buying this car. It still worked. If you grew up here, went to school here, or for whatever reason, served time in the D, you can't help but have a certain amount of pride and appreciate this ad - regardless of what it is trying to sell. Absolutely proud that this commercial was given a national stage and the Park Place of commercial placement. Home run.
Brian Bundesen
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 4:26 p.m.
It was great as an ad for Detroit. I hope I'm wrong, but I don't see it moving the needle on economic development. I'm also sorry to say, I don't see folks banging down the doors of dealerships to buy a 200 based on this ad. Make no mistake, it was the best SB ad there was. No competition though, because IMO, all the other ads were lame at best, and horrible at worst.
mkm17
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 3:55 p.m.
Like Cash, I watched this beautiful ad multiple times. Our family spent Super Bowl Sunday in Detroit at a fund raiser for a community group in a Detroit neighborhood. In the coming week we will be preparing for another event for the same community group. We love Detroit and believe in Detroit, a beautiful city.
Murf
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 3:34 p.m.
It was a great ad. However, I do wonder how much longer before people stop considering Chrysler an American-made car since the definition most people use for an American-made car and to discount all things Toyota and Honda is that the money stays in the US. Chrysler is owned by Fiat, an Italian company. Money going back to Japan is bad but money going back to Italy is o.k.?
DonBee
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 3:26 p.m.
I cried. It was a wonderful ad.
Alan Goldsmith
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 3:25 p.m.
"People believe Michigan is dead." Not true but I can't say the same thing for journalism.
Alan Goldsmith
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 3:21 p.m.
"It's a little lame to try to tie this to Rick Snyder's reinvention of Michigan." Since he seems embarassed about mentioning the automobile industry when babbing about 'reinventing' the future. But it's been one day since Rick Snyder was mentioned in an AnnArbor.com article so there you go.
Christopher LeClair
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 3:14 p.m.
Did this ad bring tears to anybody else's eyes? I know I was tearing up...
Somewhat Concerned
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 2 p.m.
It was a good ad. That said, if we think it changed the image most of the country has of Michigan, we are continuing to delude ourselves in the same way that got us into this mess. Apparently, for many of us, our contact with the rest of the country is not deep enough to make us aware of how we are viewed and how that affects plant location decisions and decisions about whether to invest in our startup companies. It will take more than advertising to change how we are viewed and how we are treated. It will take sustained, substantive change in how we think and in what we do. It's up to us, not to marketing people.
blahblahblah
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 1:51 p.m.
Here's the obvious budget solution for the Pure Michigan advertising campaign....use product placement within the Pure Michigan television commericals to help fund some or all of the cost of the commerical. So have Jeff Daniels drive up a Michigan sand dune in a jeep while drinking a Verner's or something like that. Great commercial!
Bill
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 1:48 p.m.
Fact is, if you have never been to Detroit in the last 2 years, you shouldn't talk about the Big D. This ad was a fairly realistic and the car looks good too.
Smiley
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 1:46 p.m.
It was a very cool ad. Would've even been cooler if it was for Ford. I was under the impression that Chryslers are Italian cars now, given that Chrysler is owned by Fiat.
Craig Lounsbury
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 1:39 p.m.
A spectacular commercial in my opinion. But a week, two weeks, a month from now it will have played out with little impact. It a commercial.
pvitaly
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 1:37 p.m.
I really liked the ad! I just wish it was for a car with a HIGHER number than the 300! What's next, the Chrysler 100? Ohhhh well, still an awesome ad :)
WalkingJoe
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 12:33 p.m.
Although because of my age I'm not an Eminem fan I thoutht the Chrysler ad was one of the best of the Super Bowl ads. Of course I told my wife I thought it would popular around here, around the rest of the country they're probably saying "it's still Detroit". Of course I think even the lamest Super Bowl ad was better than this years singing of The National Anthem!
sailhounds2
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 12:14 p.m.
Eminem down and out and left for dead? Nathan, you seriously need to get out of Ann Arbor once in a while. This was not informative, too much personal opinion. If this was an op-ed I apologize.
Alan Caldwell
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 12:01 p.m.
I absolutely love the ad, the first time I saw it, and the second and third. Image is incredibly important, and this is a start! Let's feel good about who and where we are. Thank you Chrysler and Eminem.
Cash
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 11:57 a.m.
The ad was wonderful...brilliant even. I have re-watched it multiple times and it gives me chills. But it had NOTHING to do with Rick Snyder. (and he is not from Ann Arbor he is from Superior Township). Couldn't this just be an article about the wonderful corporate ad selflessly improving Detroit's image, the comeback of Detroit and the auto industry? They deserve the kudos and the credit ...and that includes the UAW membership making sacrifices and the auto executives for recognizing that fact. When the weather gets better this spring, it will be touted here...... as the result of Rick Snyder's reinventing Michigan.
Cash
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 7:16 p.m.
Peter, and the executives should have taken that same attitude, correct? They should have expected to rise and fall with the industry as well. Their golden parachutes were not examples of taking one for the team. Good grief.
Peter
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 4:49 p.m.
The UAW must make sacrifices in times when a company is not doing well or else their job would be non-existant if the company goes out of business. Bite off the hand that feeds you? If people want a "free-job" like that (one where they didn't need any college degree) they better be expected to rise and fall with the state of the industry!
jondhall
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 11:49 a.m.
I loved the ad , of course I love Michigan , I love America , and I'm buying the 200 . Seen it at the Auto Show ,one word describes it , AWESOME . Welcome back Michigan about time , just say the words "I believe ". All you naysayers out there you will be amazed , the turn around has ,begun . Not as Reverend Wright said , but God Bless Michigan !
Soothslayer
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 2:23 p.m.
Enjoy living at the dealership for repairs.
eastsidemom
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 11:21 a.m.
Eminem has made my day...take that America!
Ignatz
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 11:17 a.m.
That was a wonderful ad. The haters will not make me see otherwise.
Basic Bob
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 10:17 a.m.
"Workers are going to take it on the chin." Not even close to all the places the unemployed, and Detroit residents, are taking it. For many of us hard working non-union folks, the days of unlimited overtime, generous holiday and vacation benefits, cottages up north, boats, snowmobiles, and health care for life never happened. Chrysler could assemble this car in any number of places populated by a critical mass of unskilled labor. I am grateful if they keep the work here, even if they pay Alabama wages for Mexico quality.
transmission
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 7:45 a.m.
Cool ad. But come on. It's a little lame to try to tie this to Rick Snyder's reinvention of Michigan. As far as I can tell, Snyder's "reinvention" means workers are going to take it on the chin some more. And, I don't know about you, but that video seemed to celebrate Detroit's workers. Not blame them for Michigan's problems.
Kai Petainen
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 5:55 a.m.
brilliant advertisement. it took me by surprise but i loved it.
say it plain
Mon, Feb 7, 2011 : 5:37 a.m.
C'mon, honestly, it was a marketing strategy, either people will like this Chrysler model or not but it's not going to be a referendum on whether Eminem has convinced us that somehow "Detroit knows how to make luxury" lol. But, speaking of businesses coming from this area and the Superbowl, I really really really did not like Groupon's (ann arbor founder and all, as per your recent piece on the dude and his ideas about MI and so on) Superbowl Ad. Trying to be funny, I suppose, about Tibet and joshing about how we should all care about the plight of the Tibetans but haha, who *really* cares, all I want is the excellent fish curry at half-off from the Tibetan food joint offering coupons via the Groupon email scheme. Can't believe that business model works at all, ew, and I was so grossed out by the snarkiness of the ad that I'm about to get *off* their silly email list offering meh coupons and now dished up with bad karma to boot ;-)