Chattanooga economic development videos don't usually touch on matters such as "funky lip action," but a new tongue-in-cheek spot is lighting up the Internet, officials say.
A second installment is slated to go online next week as the city's economic developers try a bit of a different approach to wooing entrepreneurs to Chattanooga.
"The idea is to reach people in California, the [Research] Triangle areas which have got a lot of entrepreneurial people who may be looking for a lower cost of living," said Sybil Topel, the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce's vice president of marketing and communications.
Called "Chattanooga, Literally Perfect - Mouth Time," the video features a business venture focusing on an app that "uses your phone's built-in pressure sensitivity to rate your funky lip action" and connect to people. It chronicles roadblocks to setting up the venture on the West Coast as well as the ease of starting up in Chattanooga.
"We're very interested in targeting high-tech types," Topel said. "We're targeting people who would be moving to start their businesses."
The video has already had nearly 9,000 views on Facebook and almost 8,000 views on YouTube in its first week.
To finance the effort, the business group is teaming with Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport, where the video will be available to visitors at a kiosk on the concourse.
Terry Hart, the airport's chief executive, said he thinks the video is "spot on."
"It helps us to promote the airport," he said, noting that Lovell Field gains when Hamilton County attracts new businesses.
Hart said the video's novel approach is "definitely different," but it gets out the intended message.
Jeremy Henderson, the Chamber's creative product manager, said the second spot will broaden its focus a little to include more traditional manufacturing.
The aim is to reach a segment of people that typical economic development marketing doesn't, he said.
"It was a risk, but a risk worth taking," Topel said. "It has definitely paid off. I predict many more views."
Businesses the Chamber worked with for the videos include Pathfinder Films and Papercut Interactive.
Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318.