by
Joe Louis (Wikipedia photo)
Imagine for a moment that I was a person from out of state who started a watch company in Chicago and wanted to capitalize on that city's persona and history.
So in the course of business, I started producing a watch to commemorate some legendary athletes. Would I create a watch to honor "Magic" Johnson or Larry Bird or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or would I create one to honor Michael Jordan, Chicago's pride and joy? If I'm in Chicago and using the city as a brand, I'd say the answer is obvious.
So why isn't the choice in Detroit obvious to Shinola?
I don't mean to diss the company. It's great it's here in Detroit and uses the city as part of its branding. It's great the company has created jobs. A double amen to that. And the watches look great, not to mention that former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama own one.
But sometimes the company seems tone-deaf. Consider a press release this week:
Shinola is pleased to introduce the Jackie Robinson Limited Edition Timepiece, the fifth installment in our Great American Series – a collection of limited-edition watches that honors those who helped shape our culture and made a lasting mark on American history. This year we celebrate Jackie Robinson, the formidable advocate for human rights, entrepreneur, and first African American baseball player to start in the major leagues.
No knock on Robinson, who was born in Georgia and played for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was an amazing ballplayer who did great things far beyond sports and dealt with endless racism.
Others honored by Shinola in this way include Muhammad Ali, another legendary boxer and great human.
But Shinola: What about Joe Louis?
You're in Detroit. He's a Detroit legend. A big fist honos him on Jefferson Avenue. The hockey arena was named after him. Is it too much to acknowledge a Detroit legend like Joe Louis?
I asked one of the spokespeople why there's not a Joe Louis watch. The response:
"We have no comment specifically on the Joe Louis inquiry. The Great Americans Series is an ongoing project."
It's not too late, Shinola.
P.S. A company representative contacted me Friday to point out that the company has recognized some local people. It previously issued a Henry Ford pocket watch and just recently produced, The Gail, a watch paying tribute to Emily Gail, who owned businesses in Detroit and was known for promoting the slogan: "Say nice things about Detroit." She also founded the Emily Detroit Run in 1975. She now resides in Hawaii.
