Locally, we call our region a lot of things, ranging from Metro Detroit to Motown to southeast Michigan. One of the leading voices nationally on urban areas, the Urbanophile Blog, argues that we shouldn't dance around our name and should embrace Detroit, an under-rated brand that could serve as the linchpin for renewal.
Excerpt:
Detroit is one of America's most powerful brands. I realize this is not what most people think. Many would say it is one of America's most tarnished brands. That might be true, but that doesn't diminish its power. There are lots of cities that are struggling right now, but how many of them have a stream of international reporters, film makers, artists, etc. coming to see it in person for themselves? How many of them have attracted random bloggers from all over the country to analyze the place and propose remedies? Why is this place thought to hold lessons for America while so many others do not?
Yes, Detroit is a brand with power. Yet too often its own residents feel the need to downplay it, euphemistically referring to the region as "Southeast Michigan" or to the city as "the D", as if the brand has to be changed in order to attract people or investment. That might be true to some extent, but this is not what is going to attract the pioneers and early stage investors who are going to reverse the cycle of decline. Changing the brand will be the consequence, not the creator, of civic renewal. To attract those first people and businesses, you need to lure them in a different way – you need to inspire. So I say embrace Detroit, stand up and be proud of the city and what it is and what it could be. It is the only way to generate the inspirational motivation that can bring renewal.
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