Detroit is in such an interesting place at this moment. I am an outsider who was an insider connected to the Detroit Advertising community and fashion community growing up in the city back in the ‘50’s when Detroit was the center of the universe. I was a bit concerned about having to return to the Motor city after 20 years in fashion and new media in New York. I moved back to Detroit in February of 2008 and I have seen some pretty devastating days as Detroit fights to remain standing. I think it’s pretty safe to say that the overhaul of the American auto industry has deeply affected every one of us who lives in this great town.
But what Detroit has not lost is a distinct sense of style born from car design and marketing. When it comes to style and new media Detroit is rich with resources. There are great influences in the city that have grown out of car country. And every major new media resource is represented in Detroit because of the money and development Detroit autos have poured into new media marketing.
As we start pulling out of the economic disaster by overhauling the infrastructure of auto production, we seem to be attracting many young, hip growth industries requiring a lot of energy and creative thinking: namely alternative energy sources, innovation in making our world green and even a little film business, thanks to our connections in Hollywood and the Governor’s film incentive package. Detroit is starting to look like it will have a strong re- tooled future after all.
For a city that could have been written off, Detroit has never lost its mojo. There is something to be said about the Motor City and the sense of style that we generate here.
Style is that illusive element that fills all of us with desire. Style is what separates the cool from the ordinary. Imparting an image of style on a car will energize the senses of a female audience faster than any other factor. And the sense of style that used to govern the Detroit auto industry needs to be reinforced more substantially than ever. Understanding the appropriate role of fashion in creating a sense of style is the key to attracting and keeping the female audience.
Joanie Abraham, Digital AE & Author of StyleBranding
