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Posted on Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 7:33 p.m.

Pure Michigan video shoot showcasing Michigan Stadium, Ypsilanti Water Tower draws crowds

By Katrease Stafford

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Two area landmarks in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti were in the spotlight Wednesday as the Pure Michigan tourism campaign made a stop at Michigan Stadium and the Ypsilanti water tower.

When completed, the video will showcase 50 cities throughout the state of Michigan and will have a modified version of the song “Good Time” by Owl City and “Call Me Maybe” singer Carly Rae Jepsen.

Status Creative, the same firm behind a Grand Rapids video, known as the Grand Rapids LipDub that went viral last year with 4.9 million views, will highlight each city, landmark and other "eye catching" things from around the state.

Forty members of the U-M Marching Band, 40 cheerleaders and 25 dance team members participated in the Ann Arbor portion of the video shoot and sang a portion of the song. The Ann Arbor video was not open to the public.

The band, along with the cheerleaders and dance team, formed the entire state of Michigan—including the Upper Peninsula—on the field.

Maggie St. Clair, administrative specialist for the marching band, said a graduate student came up with the idea.

“I think it’s very exciting and I’m really thrilled we were invited to participate,” she said. “One of our graduate students did the outline as the state of Michigan and the Upper Peninsula as a drill chart that we used on the field.”

Kristen Adamowski, a U-M junior and cheerleader, said she was excited to be pat of the video shoot.

“It’s really cool,” Adamowski said. “The fact we get to be a part of it is awesome and to be able to participate and represent the state is awesome.”

Ann Arbor Area Convention & Visitors Bureau president Mary Kerr was on-site of the U-M shoot and said having Ann Arbor be part of the shoot was a “fantastic opportunity.”

“It’s amazing to have this opportunity to join our peer cities in the state and showcase Ann Arbor and this incredible stadium,” Kerr said.

Kerr said when the bureau initially was approached by Pure Michigan, they knew right away the Big House was the ideal place to represent Ann Arbor.

"U-M is a huge part of our community and we are proud to have them represent us in this video, as it will be a tremendous marketing piece for the State of Michigan,” Kerr said.

More than 100 people showed up for the Ypsilanti shoot at the water tower located on Cross Street to participate in a 5-second clip to be featured in the promotional video. Ypsilanti participants also sang the "Good Time" song.

Although the video only was shot at the water tower, Eastern Michigan University, the Auto Heritage Museum, Michigan ElvisFest and more were represented by individuals in T-shirts and other outfits showcasing their “Ypsi Pride.”

Theodore Coutilish, associate vice president of marketing for EMU, said the university was well-represented by students, faculty members and alumni.

“It’s really great to see the Ypsilanti community and the EMU community come together for this very exciting Pure Michigan video shoot,’ Coutilish said.

Bill Nickels, chair of the Ypsilanti Visitors and Convention Bureau, has lived in the community for nearly 50 years and said the video will show the rich history Ypsilanti has.

“It’s got everything that Ypsilanti is in it,” Nickels said. “Ypsilanti looks better than it ever has looked.”

Debbie Locke-Daniel, executive director of the Ypsilanti bureau, said her organization helped put together the Ypsilanti shoot and get the word out.

“I hope it does go viral,” Locke-Daniel said. “An all state lip dub? This could be a first. This video will nationally show Michigan in a way that hasn’t been seen before. It might pique interest to travel to Michigan.”

Both shoots took a little more than an hour to complete and Cross Street was intermittently closed during the filming.

The Pure Michigan 7-day road trip began in Caseville on Aug. 18 and will wrap up in Harbor Springs on Saturday.

Katrease Stafford covers Ypsilanti for AnnArbor.com.Reach her at katreasestafford@annarbor.com or 734-623-2548 and follow her on twitter.

Comments

Kitty O'Brien

Fri, Aug 24, 2012 : 3:38 a.m.

When did it become acceptable to climb and mount a marble bust of a city's founder . Demetrius Ypsilanti deserves better.

Michigan'63

Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 8:37 p.m.

Great pix; however, it is a shame that the Upper Peninsula was not recognized as being a part of the State of Michigan! Not just once, but twice there was a reference to the Michigan Marching Band forming the "state of Michigan and the upper peninsula" (not even capitalized!) as if the state only consisted of the Lower Peninsula; no wonder there is occasional talk of the UP becoming a separate state! (And, no, I am not from the UP.)

LXIX

Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 3:33 p.m.

Very exciting news but not so pure. The 'Pure Michigan' ad campaign this year cost Michigan taxpayers $28.2 million. Your cost-cutting Lansing representatives gave them a three year contract with two one year extensions. The ad agency is part of Interpublic Group, a global corporation owning dozens of other companies. If that budget is the same each year then $28.2 X 5 = $141 million of your not-schools money for moving pictures of the Ypsi water tower - how appropriate. "In December 2011, the non-partisan organization Public Campaign criticized Interpublic Group for spending $1.3 million on lobbying and not paying any" [federal] " taxes during 2008-2010, instead getting $15 million in tax rebates, despite making a profit of $571 million and increasing executive pay by 32%". Wikipedia

MorningGirl

Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 3:16 p.m.

They sung a song? The past tense of "sing" is "sang." One's interest is "piqued," not "peaked." It's Bill Nickels, not Nichols. And I doubt that he said, "Ypsilanti looks better than it every has looked." What does "the video only was shot" mean? What else was there to shoot?

Katrease Stafford

Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 4:08 p.m.

Thanks, MorningGirl. The story has been corrected.

Kyle Mattson

Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 2:10 p.m.

Em brings up an interesting thought, should somewhere besides the university been the focus of Ann Arbor's shoot?

Mary Ann Barbary

Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 1:58 p.m.

PS -- it's "pique" someone's interest, not "peak." I like that hand-picked individuals from UM represented all of Ann Arbor, and Ypsi crowded out in all our grassroots glory. Says a lot about our different communities.

George

Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 1:32 p.m.

To bad the pure Michigan campaign missed Ann Arbors very 1st historic district. It is the USS Washtenaw County LST 1166 the most decorated United States Navy ship of the Vietnam War. The historic district display lies in the lobby of the County Clerk building lobby at the corner of Ann and Main street. With Ann Arbor being the only city in America with that Name and Washtenaw County being the only county in America also, 'being the only one with that name, enough said.

LatersBaby

Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 1:29 p.m.

I am SO sad I missed this. I love that they portrayed every great part of Ypsi in this, hopefully it is not a parody and makes fun of our city. I LOVE you Ypsilanti :)

Brad

Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 12:20 p.m.

You need to fix that headline. The stadium shoot didn't draw a crowd because they didn't want anyone that actually LIVES in Ann Arbor in the video. Pure University of Michigan.

mightywombat

Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 1:02 a.m.

wait a second... "...formed the entire state of Michigan—including the Upper Peninsula—on the field." Doesn't it go without saying that the "entire state of Michigan" generally / ALWAYS included the UP?

Kai Petainen

Thu, Aug 23, 2012 : 1:24 a.m.

i'm glad the marching band included the UP. nicely done. but you do have a point.... the UP is usually snubbed in the PU campaign.

Em

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 11:59 p.m.

The ypsi shoot was a blast! I like how Ypsi let the public participate and make it "their own". Ann Arbor didn't even let anyone not affiliated with U of M participate. For shame! Go Ypsi!

Kai Petainen

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 : 11:46 p.m.

that's pretty cool how the folks in ypsi got together for this... lively crowd, a variety of folks, fun times.... that's great stuff and the energy will probably come out great in the ad. from an editing perspective... this lip-dub must be pretty hard to edit?

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