Ideas
Explore the world's #1 largest database of ideas and innovations, with 459,692 inspiring examples.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,236 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 321,366 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Consumer Insights
Uncover major shifts and emerging opportunities with our exclusive PRO research.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,236 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 321,366 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Trend Reports
Get fast, customized trend reports, presentations and deep dives 20x faster than traditional research.
Plans
Get started today with a free consultation, our self-serve tools, or a dedicated program.
Articles & Magazine
Get inspired with our 4,208 innovation strategy articles, keynote, videos and innovation tools.
Innovation Awards
Trend Hunter’s Innovation Strategy Awards recognize the best innovation tactics gathered from our interviews with some of the world's most notable business leaders, authors and change makers.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Innovation Assessment
Enhance your innovation potential with a deeper understanding of your unique innovation archetype and how your organization benchmarks.
FuturistU
Prepare for the years ahead with 100+ lessons, tactics, tools and frameworks with our full learning database.
Innovation Books
Join 20,000,000 people getting better and faster with our New York Times Bestselling books and keynote videos.
Jeremy Gutsche
Ignite your event or virtual event with our CEO, a NY Times Bestselling Author and one of the top innovation keynote speakers.
Our Team of Speakers & Virtual Presenters
Inspire your group with our most popular speakers on innovation, trends, change and futurism.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Custom Masterclasses
Join the world's leading brands who leverage our custom programs to accelerate innovation.
FuturistU 5-Day Program
Become a Futurist with our immersive 5-Day program at Future Festival World Summit.
Online eLearning
Learn the fundamentals of futurism and trends with 100+ online courses about innovation.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Contact
Get in touch to learn more, ask a question or submit a tip.
About Us
Learn more about Trend Hunter and how we accelerate innovation.
Follow-Us
Join our 3,500,000 social media followers, on the cutting edge.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
FAQ
Get answers to common questions about Trend Hunter.
Community
Stay on the cutting-edge with the help of the Trend Hunter community.
Team
Meet the team trusted by hundreds of leading businesses worldwide.
Jobs
Find opportunities to accelerate your career with the #1 Trend Firm.
News
Catch up on noteworthy Trend Hunter news and media mentions.
Join
Build a portfolio and put your trend-spotting abilities to the test.
Advertising
Supercharge your marketing by partnering with Trend Hunter.
Portfolio
Visit your public portfolio and browse your past articles.
Add a Trend
Write up an article and showcase your trend-spotting skills.
My Trends
Edit your articles and see how they stack up on the leaderboards.
Settings
Edit your profile, connect your social media accounts, and more.
Add a trend, customize your dashboard, or track topics.
Future Festival
Innovation Events
Join the world's top innovators at our in person events.
Free Webinars
Learn to innovate through chaos, navigate the new normal and maintain work culture from home.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Search our database of 459,692 cutting edge ideas.

#ExperienceBuick: Detroit

How a Brand and a City are Reinventing Themselves

— January 14, 2015 — Tech
You don't often see a classic American auto brand and the city that it calls home concurrently reinventing themselves, but that is exactly what's happening with Buick and its hometown of Detroit, MI.

Kicking off a year-long adventure with the brand, I was whisked down to Motown in the middle of January for the #ExperienceBuick program. Yay, Detroit in the middle of winter! I hadn't the slightest clue what to expect from the city or the brand. Turns out that Detroit is not the abandoned ruin it's portrayed to be and Buick is not "an old man's car."

While the main event of this trip was certainly the 2016 Buick Cascada unveil, the main takeaway was much more resonating: Detroit and Buick are reinventing themselves. Both are shedding images that do not reflect how special, desirable and surprising they really are.

Detroit is a maligned city with little being covered in the media about its food scene, art & design culture and many refurbishment projects . Buick made it a priority to showcase them on our adventure, which was refreshing since I was expecting the trip to be about the brand first and the city as the backdrop. In fact, it was the opposite. Detroit was the main fixture with the brand playing softly in the background like a subtle instrumental.

Our group toured the city on behalf of the Detroit Experience Factory. The DXF guides were knowledgeable and passionate about their city, making for an unforgettable experience. With stops at the College For Creative Studies -- where many top brands like GM, Nike and Whirlpool lure up-and-coming designers, creatives and innovators -- Shinola Detroit, and Two James (the first licensed distillery in Detroit since Prohibition) it was becoming clear that Detroit is nothing like it's made out to be. Businesses are flourishing, people are happy, and it's quietly transforming into a creative and culinary hub.

Other highlights on our tour included dining at the boutique-y Seldan Standard and the historic Traffic Jam & Snug. We were also treated to a 16th century bookmaking class and homemade brunch at letterpress studio Salt & Cedar. Each culinary experience was enjoyed in the family-style dining format, a trend in the Detroit food scene. We also stopped by a graffiti-infused parking garage called The Z Lot, which was another great example of creative, entrepreneurial Detroiters pushing the envelope with their reclamation projects.

Now, back to the 2016 Buick Cascada unveil. The car itself is the first convertible the brand will bring to market in 25 years. Specs include a 1.6L turbocharged engine that churns out 200 horsepower, HiPer Strut front suspension, OnStar 4G LTE with built-in Wi-Fi hotspot and the insulated softop that retracts in 17 seconds. When speaking with Duncan Aldred, VP of Sales at Buick, the words "attainable luxury", "connectivity" and "confidence" were frequently used. Aldred says, "Its features work harmoniously to provide a safe, connected and confidence-inspiring driving experience." Just on appearance alone these statements ring true. Buick is reinventing itself, and if Cascada wasn't proof enough then the surprise unveil of the Avenir concept car surely reinforced it.

Simply put, the theme of this experience was reinvention. It's hard to count how many times I was surprised and delighted with the brand, Detroit and all the creative people involved in this adventure. I'm super excited to continue this journey with Buick and hope you join along for the ride of the #ExperienceBuick program this year.

Partial image credits to © GM Co.
Trend Themes
1. Reinventing Detroit - Opportunity for businesses to tap into the city's vibrant food scene, art & design culture, and refurbishment projects.
2. Changing Perceptions - Opportunity for brands to shed outdated images and showcase their true value and desirability.
3. Attainable Luxury - Opportunity for automotive brands to create affordable, yet luxurious vehicles that provide a safe and connected driving experience.
Industry Implications
1. Automotive - Disruptive innovation opportunity to create convertible models that offer connectivity, safety features, and affordable luxury.
2. Hospitality - Opportunity to promote Detroit as a creative and culinary destination, showcasing its flourishing businesses and happy people.
3. Retail - Opportunity to tap into Detroit's entrepreneurial spirit and support creative projects, such as reclamation initiatives and boutique dining experiences.
6.7
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness