cleveland tourism parody

Who Made the Cleveland Tourism Video?

By Alice Nichols

If you’ve been on the internet in the past few years, you may have come across a video that showcases the city of Cleveland in a way that’s both hilarious and heartwarming. The video, which has now gone viral, features a catchy tune and some truly impressive visuals. But who is responsible for this masterpiece?

The History

The Cleveland tourism video was released in 2014 as part of a campaign to promote the city. The video quickly gained popularity due to its quirky humor and upbeat vibe. It was created by an advertising agency called “Destination Cleveland” in collaboration with local filmmakers.

The Creative Team

The creative team behind the Cleveland tourism video consisted of a group of talented individuals who brought their unique perspectives and skills to the project. The team included:

• David “Swag” Swain – rapper and lyricist
• Adam “A-Ok” Krueger – producer and musician
• Aleksey Gubarev – videographer and editor
• Andrew “Drew” Spaeth – creative director
• Mike Suglio – copywriter

Each member of the team played an important role in bringing the vision of the Cleveland tourism video to life.

The Inspiration behind the Video

The creative team drew inspiration from several sources when creating the Cleveland tourism video. They wanted to showcase all that Cleveland has to offer while also highlighting its unique personality.

One source of inspiration was a parody music video called “Newport State of Mind,” which parodied Jay-Z’s hit song “Empire State of Mind”. This video showcased various aspects of life in Newport, Wales, and became popular on social media.

Another source of inspiration was a TV show called “Portlandia,” which celebrates the quirkiness of Portland, Oregon. The creative team wanted to capture the same spirit of individuality and creativity in the Cleveland tourism video.

The Impact of the Video

The Cleveland tourism video quickly became a viral sensation, with millions of views on YouTube and social media. It put Cleveland on the map as a vibrant and exciting city with plenty to offer visitors.

The success of the video also led to an increase in tourism to Cleveland. In 2015, the city saw a record-breaking 17.6 million visitors, up from 16.9 million the previous year.

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There is now a third 'hastily made cleveland tourism video' and it's great, share this article.

It has been 10 years since Cleveland-based comedian Mike Polk Jr. put out his first version of the “ Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism Video .” The video, which has 10.3 million views to date, eventually had a second — arguably better — edition a few weeks later.

Then, there was 10 years of Non-Hastily-Made-Cleveland-Tourism-Video content.

But so much had happened to the fine city of Cleveland since — LeBron leaving, LeBron coming back, the Cavs winning a title, LeBron leaving, the Browns having legitimate promise — that there had to be a third video.

Thankfully, Polk came through in time for the MLB All-Star Game. As part of a segment for ESPN, Polk unveiled his third (safe for TV) edition of the Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism Video. And hey, it wasn’t bad!

“We’re like Vegas, but cold 10 months a year.”

Nicely done.

And, of course, the video wouldn’t have been complete without a shot at Detroit. At least you’re not Detroit, Cleveland.

That video was worth the wait.

[jwplayer Q6o53UPe-q2aasYxh]

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LOCAL NEWS: CLE Comic Mike Polk, Jr. Creates Updated ‘Hastily Made’ Tourism Video on Cleveland

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Source: Diamond Images / Getty

‘Factory of Sadness’ no more.

CLEVELAND — Comedian Mike Polk Jr. — the  newest member of the WKYC family  — has another hilarious hit on his hands with a fresh “Cleveland tourism” video.

He put this latest parody together at the request of ESPN in honor of the  MLB All-Star Game  at Progressive Field.

It’s a 48-second jingle that pokes fun at the infamous burning river, our love of corned beef, the Cleveland script signs and Northeast Ohio’s lengthy cold weather.

Watch it  HERE :

READ MORE: WKYC.com

Article Courtesy of WKYC Channel 3 News Cleveland

First Picture Courtesy of Douglas Sacha and Getty Images

Second Picture Courtesy of Diamond Images and Getty Images

Tweet and Video Courtesy of ESPN, Mike Polk Jr., Twitter, and WKYC Channel 3 News Cleveland

LOCAL NEWS: CLE Comic Mike Polk, Jr. Creates Updated ‘Hastily Made’ Tourism Video on Cleveland   was originally published on wzakcleveland.com

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Cleveland: Hastily Made Video Winners

Posted by Web Staff - email

CLEVELAND, OH - Comedian and Clevelander Mike Polk made a fake tourism video that poked fun at the city and it became a viral sensation. Positively Cleveland, the real convention and visitors bureau promoting Cleveland Plus decided that, instead of getting defensive, it would have some fun. The destination marketing organization representing more than 600 hospitality partners in the area created a contest that asked fans of the region to slap together their own two-minute or less creative videos in two weeks or less using two dollars or less in the hopes of winning one of two major prize packages.

"The response was amazing," says Tamera Lash Brown, Positively Cleveland's VP of Marketing. "We received tens of thousands of web hits and 38 amazing entries and, although some were funny and others were sentimental, they all showed an overwhelming love for the city we call home."

The final five semifinalists were determined by weighting online ratings, comments and views via Positively Cleveland's YouTube group, www.youtube.com/group/hastilymadecontest and voting ended on Wednesday, May 27 at 11:59pm. "We didn't determine the finalists, the public did," explains Brown. "We would have had trouble with narrowing it down since we loved everything from the restaurant profiles of Tricia Chaves to the original music of Daniel Braxton's entry and pretty much everything in between." The final five were judged on originality, positivity, creativity and theme or feel by a panel of five judges that included Rick Batyko (Greater Cleveland Partnership), Ivan Schwarz (Cleveland Film Commission), Marcie Goodman (Cleveland International Film Festival), Mike McIntyre (Plain Dealer) and Mike Polk (creator of the original "hastily made" video that inspired the contest).

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Hastily made cleveland tourism video: 2nd attempt.

Comedy ( Spoof ), Music ( Music Videos ), Viral ( Viral ads ) [ 0:49 - from YouTube ]

I have spent a lot of time in Ohio and Cleveland, and this thoughtful video does the place justice. It's kind of the antithesis to the "Drew Carey Show's" opening theme song by Weezer that proclaims "Cleveland rocks," but is just as upbeat and groovy. 

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Parody Tourism Videos Tell Serious Truths About Cities

A meme of videos that poke fun at cities actually serve as a great way for citizens to point out the shortcomings of their communities.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysmLA5TqbIY

In 2009 you may have seen this "hastily-made" tourism video for Cleveland as it made the internet rounds. This very funny and very obviously satirical look at the city's shortcomings by Mike Polk features lyrical gems like "come and look at both of our buildings" and "this train is carrying jobs out of Cleveland" over dismal footage of the city's downtown. Polk followed this up with " Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism Video: 2nd Attempt " in which he lobs more zingers like "under construction since 1868" and "at least we're not Detroit."

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZzgAjjuqZM

Shortly after the videos came out, they had caused such a stir that Positively Cleveland launched its own contest for a more "positive" tourism video. Maybe they were positive, but they weren't funny.

Since these were first posted over a year ago, the "hastily-made tourism video" has become a meme, with hastily-made videos for Detroit , Boston , Orlando , St. Paul , North Korea , and Yosemite , and, as I just discovered today, even a Canoga Park Tourism Video (plus a Part 2 ) for a city outside of Los Angeles. None of these are as good as the originals, of course, but they each get to the heart of the problems with each city's urban environment.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLVlY8BAbPo

While it may seem like these are just silly tongue-in-cheek jabs at cities, these videos actually offer some pretty specific criticism, and working within the frame of parody allows them to be even more honest. The Canoga Park pieces, for example, opine about the prevalence of strip club billboards and the absence of bike parking, against seemingly endless footage of people pushing shopping carts through the city. I would like to see more of these videos, actually, because if a city's residents spend the time to observe their city enough to make a "hastily-made" tourism video, it means they're actually thinking about what's wrong with their community. Now let's hope their mayors are watching.

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Meet the Intern: Lizzy Jerse

Posted on June 14, 2019

Hello, my name is Lizzy Jerse and I am a Cleveland native entering my second year at Fordham University. I plan to study Film & Television with a Business minor and have recently decided to apply for an additional Creative Writing major. I loved my Freshman year of gradually navigating New York City but am also excited for a summer home and the opportunity to work with the Greater Cleveland Film Commission.

I have always been an avid lover of the arts but constantly found myself being too afraid to be creative myself out of fear of failure. It wasn’t until a teacher’s guidance in high school turned me towards theatre that I began to understand that I too could contribute my creative prose to the play that is life. Aside from theatrical acting and crew work, I’ve developed a love for photography and film. My favorite movie,  The Revenant , inspired in me a new appreciation for cinematography and general filmmaking, and great works such as this have ultimately pushed me to pursue my passion for film and media production. Over the past few years, I have created a collection of montage videos showcasing various adventures, big or small, from my point of view. More recently, I’ve stepped into the comedy world, performing on Fordham’s improv team Stranded in Pittsburgh and creative a comedy short called Find Your Twist  for a college film festival. I am immensely grateful to have found a community of creative, talented, and hilarious people who have pushed me to find the confidence and inspiration to find my creative voice.

I wanted to intern with GCFC in order to familiarize myself with one of the many aspects which go into the filmmaking process, but also because they do truly amazing work for the city of Cleveland. I grew up watching the city that I love grow from being the punchline of many jokes (I have been shown that old Cleveland tourism parody video more times than I can count) into a thriving city of cultural celebration and innovation. Yes, Lebron did help show the nation what we Clevelanders are made of, but the GCFC helped to keep outsiders interested. They’ve brought in jobs and excitement to this city in ways I’ve never seen before, and I am so joyed to have this opportunity to work with them.

As for my future, I am not sure what exactly I want to do. There are so many working parts that go into a creative process; all I know is that I want to contribute. Although I am exploring many creative outlets, I am gravitating towards a long-term pursuit of jobs in production management. It is a great time for people of all backgrounds and identities to tell their stories and communicate powerful messages; I hope to be a part of this.

Check out some of Lizzy’s video works from over the years!

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