Sports analyst, former NBA player and Michigan Wolverine, philanthropist, and Detroit native Jalen Rose stars in a new social and digital campaign for the Grand Wagoneer. The six-week campaign, “Where I’m From,” features Rose, who pays tribute to the Detroit streets and the neighborhoods that have helped him thrive and influenced his success. It celebrates people from great cities across the nation, including Detroit, who are making an impact. The campaign runs through mid-March, culminating to encourage audiences to share stories about their city pride through the hashtag #WhereImFrom.
“Jalen is a fierce advocate for the city of Detroit and hometown hero, and we’ve been fortunate to work with him through his Jalen Rose Leadership Academy,” said Marissa Hunter, vice president of marketing – North America for Stellantis. “The Grand Wagoneer sets a new standard of modern mobility, sophistication, and authenticity, one that celebrates the drive to achieve. This initiative is grounded in and honors where it all started for Jalen and other Detroiters through their journey of success. We invite our audiences to help us celebrate Detroit during our kickoff and other cities and neighborhoods across the nation throughout the six-week campaign.”
“Where you come from it doesn’t define where you’re going to go, but it provides the foundation that will get you there,” said Jalen Rose. “In Detroit, our pride comes from the neighborhoods that molded, taught, inspired, and kept us, and in return, we keep them in our hearts. Taking pride in knowing that where we are from builds who we are. This is why I will always invest my time and resources into this city and its people, including through the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy in my old neighborhood.”
The Jalen Rose Leadership Academy aims to empower all scholars to develop the strength of character, skills, and knowledge needed to matriculate, be great in and graduate from college or a post-secondary institution so that they have opportunities to be successful in the competitive world and to take care of themselves and the people that they love. Rose is proud of his partnership with Jeep/Grand Wagoneer saying, “Jeep has not only donated their time, energy and money, but their resources to help influence so many young people in the city of Detroit. There are a lot of businesses that make money in Detroit but not too many to give back. I am talking about the charity that makes it to the hood. I’m really proud of that”
The campaign features Rose, driving a Grand Wagoneer through iconic Detroit streets, including Woodward Avenue, Six Mile, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. boulevards, and around Hart Plaza, the home of “The Monument to Joe Louis,” also known as “the fist,” Jalen Rose says the campaign is about authenticity more than anything and credits Detroit for who he is today.
“My goal is to help build back up our city and build back up our pride. I want to inspire young people who see me and say if I can make it, you can make it. And once you do, you turn around and give back to the community just like I am. That’s what this is all about.”
Head of Interior Design for Jeep/Wagoneer, Chris Benjamin says the #WhereImFrom Campaign with Jalen Rose perfectly aligns with the Jeep Brand and notes the similarities between Rose and the auto manufacturer. The #WhereImFrom campaign is relatable. It is for everyone who grew up in the inner city no matter where you are in the United States. When you watch the campaign, you can relate to it. It is something that that hits home for so many people. It speaks to who Jalen Rose is and how he feels about the city of Detroit. It is about the people that are from rough places or tough neighborhoods who have succeeded in life and are still proud of where they come from. That connects back to Grand Wagoneer because as Jalen said, Detroit hustles harder. We do too. Everyone thought Jeep/Grand Wagoneer was done back in 2018 but we came back stronger than ever. That connection is huge.”