There are not many positive things you can say about this crazy year we’re experiencing but I can say this: creativity is alive and well. Through the challenges of a global pandemic, we’ve all witnessed imaginative and innovative solutions for new problems we’re discovering every day. For us, our work, clients, and friends span the globe, but we have a deep connection to our local community right here in Northeast Pennsylvania and their resilience is really inspiring.
While adapting to new ways of working and looking around the squares of our video meetings, we couldn’t help but think there must be a way to use our creative powers to rally support for our local entrepreneurial rockstars. Our initial plan was a bank of resources and a small campaign with ONE VIDEO that shined a light on the importance of a strong local business community and reminded viewers to support those who have supported them for so long.
Well shit, one video was just NOT enough to say all that.
To date, we’ve completed 31 videos.
I remember that first day of filming. It was a Saturday. Our crew that day hadn’t physically worked together in months. We were a little nervous. CDC guidelines were changing every day, Pennsylvania was lighting up like a busy intersection, and all of a sudden everyone was socially awkward (it still pains me to NOT hug upon entry). So we went through all the logistics: a boom mic, zoom lens, face masks, Clorox wipes, and hand sanitizer. We were armed and ready.
We saw 7 businesses on that first day. We were greeted with the warmest, most welcoming faces. I came home that night, cracked open a locally-made to-go cocktail, and couldn’t wait to dive into the audio files we had captured only hours earlier. Hearing these stories of resilience, creativity, and courage was enlightening and uplifting. Suddenly this campaign became more emotional than I had imagined. Our neighbors were learning new ways to operate; they were pivoting their offerings and reaching their customers in a new way. It was humbling and inspiring.
You can have the best equipment and the fanciest designs but if you don’t have a good story- whatcha really got?
At our core, we are storytellers. You can have the best equipment and the fanciest designs but if you don’t have a good story- whatcha really got?
Once we started talking to businesses we couldn’t help ourselves. We needed to tell more stories. We needed to provide resources for others to tell their stories and to inform their customers in style. With the support of our community, Scranton For You began to grow and sparked hundreds of social media shares, comments, window signs, floor decals, downloads, and more.
Quarantine and the uncertainty of the world put us all in a weird spot. At times, a dark spot. For me, seeing the passion fueling these businesses, their fear, frustration, and ambition helped combat any quarantine creative block and is cathartic and motivating.
I read a quote somewhere on social media that said something to the effect of ‘we’re not all in the same boat. We’re braving the same storm, but in very different boats.’ This campaign really brought those words to life for me and through the storm revealed the amazing fleet of ships that make up a community I’m proud to live and work in. I invite you to check out some badass businesses representing just a fraction of the awesome community we have in Northeast Pennsylvania. And for our friends out there braving the storm every day, hit us up if you need signs and floor stickers, or check out our downloads for digital stuff and printables.
