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Designation Detr@it
She's A
Believer
Sandy Hermanoff applies PR savvy to
boost volunteerism in Detroit.
Allan Nahajewski I Contributing Writer
T
wo years ago, longtime PR
pro Sandy Hermanoff want-
ed to do something special
to mark the 25th year of her
agency, Hermanoff Public Relations,
based in Farmington Hills.
The "something special" turned out
to be the award-winning "I'm a Believ-
er" campaign that surpassed its goal of
generating 100,000 volunteers for the
city of Detroit.
The campaign has been somewhat
dormant in recent months as the city
focuses on its financial crisis. But stay
tuned — a relaunch is being planned
for late October.
At its peak, the effort pulled to-
gether more than 200 key influencers
from in and around Detroit, including
the mayor and Wayne, Oakland and
Macomb county executives, who came
together as "Believers."
The idea was to use the talent of
southeastern Michigan, in part through
a series of public service announce-
ments, to encourage residents to think
positively, believe in the city and take
action.
The cost of the campaign, based on
the amount of air time on radio and
television, print ads in local papers and
more than 500 billboards, was val-
ued at $10 million. But because all of
the services, printing and production
were donated, the campaign cost only
$22,000. Of that amount, $10,000
was donated by local businessman and
philanthropist Al Taubman.
The effort received professional rec-
ognition, earning Best of Show honors
among 1,000 entries from 21 countries
in the Mercury Awards, celebrating
excellence in communications.
Reflecting on the origin of the cam-
paign, Hermanoff said, "For my 25th
year in business, I wanted to do some-
thing that would make a difference in
other people's lives."
Why Detroit?
"It's where we need the help," she
says. "If the city is strong, the state
becomes stronger. There are a lot of
people who are down and out because
of the financial situation in the city.
Things are turning around, but it takes
time to do that. Now we've got to get
36
August 16 • 2012
20 A .3 dit iel a te tv o l to
sit
Sandy Hermanoff
the right people involved in the
city to make a difference. A lot
of things need to get fixed."
A visit to her office reveals
that one of Detroit's biggest
boosters is a Buckeye. The walls
are full of memorabilia from
Ohio State University, where she
graduated with a bachelor's de-
gree in journalism, specializing in
public relations, and now serves
on the college's alumni board.
"I grew up in Canton, Ohio, in a
very Orthodox family," she says.
"My dad was a pillar in the Jewish
community. He built our syna-
gogue and was president for eight
years. He was the inventor of the
heat pump. He had his own heating
and air conditioning company."
After graduating from college,
Spirit of Detroit statue
she worked in Toronto for 10 years,
where she met her future husband,
Michael, a Detroit native, on a blind
date. Upon moving to Detroit, she
worked at Doner Advertising for five
years before starting her agency in
Ami in West Bloomfield.
1985.
"This is a great place to live," she
"It's been a good run," she says. "We
says. "The Jewish community is won-
specialize in branding and creative."
derful. There are a lot of great lead-
Among her clients: the Detroit Housing
ers — both young and experienced.
Commission, Dunkin' Donuts, YMCA,
We just come together and get things
Southeast Airlines, Northern Trust,
done."
McDonalds and the Detroit Zoo. "The
What next for the "I'm a Believer"
creative part is what gets me out of
campaign?
bed in the morning," she says. The firm
"We're developing a new, more
has seven employees.
comprehensive website," she says. "We
The Hermanoffs live in Bingham
want it to include all of the volunteer
Farms and are members of Temple Kol
organizations. We're going to build a
I
database of believers. We might have
a free concert for all the believers or
offer them special discounts. We have
such a great opportunity to make this
as fun and exciting as possible. We
want to make it compelling.
"We're working with a lot of dif-
ferent people right now to do some
interesting things," she adds. "Nobody
seems to want to walk away from this
campaign. Everybody wants to be
involved in some way."
The website for the "I'm A Believer"
campaign is www.
BelievelnDetroit.org .
The group also has more than
3,400 Facebook followers (www.
facebook.com/detroitbeliever).
"It's a grass-roots effort that's
necessary right now," she says. "It's
not from the top down; it's from the
bottom up. That's what we're do-
ing. And if we all do something, we
can do anything. It's going to take a lot
of people to do this."
Hermanoff is a member of the Col-
lege of Fellows, the highest honor in
the Public Relations Society of America
(PRSA). In 2009, she was inducted into
the PRSA Hall of Fame. She is also a
board member of Arise Detroit and on
the executive committee of the YMCA
of Metropolitan Detroit.
Sandy and Michael have a son, Jeff,
daughter-in-law jungwon, grand-
son Aaron and a dachshund named
Bertie.
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