A Tale of Two Cities: Bankrupt Detroit to Rock Out In Cannes

In 2013, Campbell Ewald became Lowe Campbell Ewald – the same year that Detroit declared itself bankrupt. The agency decided to show its support for the iconic Motor city and spearhead and creative rebirth, and in 2014 Lowe Campbell Ewald Detroit opened its doors.

Film maker Michael Moore famously tweeted ‘Detroit 1701-2013’. At 11am on Friday June 20th at Cannes Lions, the team intends to prove Michael was a little premature with his epitaph for Detroit. Green shoots of recovery are pushing through with creative, positive, daring and entrepreneurial thinkers front and centre of an, albeit complex, renaissance from the rubble.

Soul is a word synonymous with Detroit. As ‘Motor City’ it was the first truly global home of car manufacturing and as the birthplace of Motown Records, Detroit’s place in music folklore was firmly cemented.

In their presentation, Detroit: Reboot City, they will bring a little Detroit attitude to Cannes. Jose Miguel Sokoloff, President of our Global Creative Council and the creative force behind Lowe SSP3 Colombia’s multi award winning anti-terrorism campaigns, takes to the stage to co-present alongside CCO of Lowe Campbell Ewald, Mark Simon and world famous DJ, music producer and the acknowledged pioneer of Techno music, Carl Craig – who is also an outspoken Detroit ambassador.

The trio will show how the city is driving its own rebirth, by showcasing a number of the people who believe that out of adversity comes the creativity, drive and passion that can bring an entire city back to life. These Detroiters are rolling up their sleeves and reclaiming their hometown. Detroit has just pressed the reboot button on its own future.

LBB spoke to Lowe Campbell Ewald Detroit's Digital Creative Director Iain Lanivich last year about bringing Detroit back to life. You can read the interview here.