| Four Student-Designed Apparel Items Go On-Sale December 12-16 at Pistons313Shop.com; All Proceeds to Benefit SAY Detroit for Future Programming DETROIT – Tom Gores and the Detroit Pistons announced today the launch of a SAY Detroit x Pistons retail collection developed by Detroit high school students during an 8-week summer business and marketing program. The apparel – two t-shirts, a crew-neck sweatshirt and a hoodie – are available at Pistons313Shop.com from Dec. 12-16 and will be available at Little Caesars Arena on Dec. 16 when the Pistons will face the Sacramento Kings. All proceeds from the retail line will benefit SAY Detroit for future programming. Over the summer, the Pistons teamed up with SAY Detroit to develop an 8-week business and marketing program for local highschoolers in Detroit. The program stemmed from a $350,000 donation Gores made to SAY Detroit in December 2021 during Mitch Albom’s annual radiothon fund raiser, with $100,000 earmarked to create an entrepreneurship program for youth at SAY Detroit Play Center, an after-school academic enrichment center. “I’m very excited about the work the kids have done and I respect their ability to execute,” said Gores. “They are so smart and creative. It’s one thing to have dreams, we should all have them, but it’s another to do something every day to achieve them. I’m inspired by the kids and their ability to deliver.” |
Throughout the course, two student cohorts learned the basics of branding, retail marketing and product development while working with their fellow classmates to create a t-shirt design of their own. Both cohorts were instructed to develop a t-shirt design and build a basic marketing plan with target audiences, campaign strategies and marketing copy. At the end of the course, each cohort presented their designs and plans to a selection of judges from the Detroit Pistons and SAY Detroit. The winning designs were selected to be created and sold on the Pistons313Shop. “The entire process of this project has been a breath of fresh air,” said Malcolm McCants, Director of Education for SAY Detroit Play Center. “It was exhilarating to be able to observe the students and learn how deeply ingrained they are in the culture and climate of Detroit through their creativity and work ethic. Throughout this entire project, students were able to experience how to create and present a real marketing plan, while also demonstrating their creativity, and building community by working as a team. We are so grateful to have been granted this opportunity by Tom Gores and the Detroit Pistons. This exhibits how dedicated the Pistons organization is to the community and making sure the voices of the people within it, especially the youth, are heard in a unique way!” -pistons.com-
