Perhaps Wieden+Kennedy Portland was taking a cue from its own poetry/narrative-driven “Go Forth” work for Levi’s in its latest “Imported from Detroit” spot for Chrysler. The ad above features a brief cameo from one of the automaker’s pitchmen, Detroit Lions star Ndamukong Suh, the tune “Mannish Boy” from Muddy Waters and most importantly, a reading of a 1917 poem called “See Through It” that was penned by Michigan poet laureate Edgar Allen Guest.
With friends who are Michigan natives telling us that Detroit officials could be cutting thousands of city jobs in the coming months (here’s a report from today, in fact) perhaps this little motivational poem coupled with images of Detroit could provide some brief uplift as we head into the day of thanks. The spot will make its network TV debut, appropriately enough, during Fox’s Thanksgiving broadcast of the Lions-Packers game.