Akron Goes All Out for Month-Long Branded Campaign to Vote Devo Into Rock Hall of Fame

By Brendan Menapace

Akron, Ohio, is rallying behind local music legends Devo, as the band is nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. The city is hoping that an all-out marketing campaign across the city will be enough to motivate Akronites to vote in one of their most famous musical exports.

Starting today, which has been dubbed "Devo Day" in Akron, the month-long #DeVOTE campaign will include 50 giant recreations of the band's signature “energy dome” hats made of recycled tires and placed around the city. Each sculpture will also include a printed sign that says "A vote for Devo is a vote for Akron" with a QR code locals can scan to vote for the band.

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Also, there will be life-sized cutouts of the band placed around the city.

“The City of Akron has an unbelievable sense of pride, especially when it involves the success of our people,” Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan said in a statement, according to Stereogum. “We are, and will continue to be, immensely proud to be the home of Devo, and will be rallying this great community to help them achieve the recognition they deserve.”

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As call-to-action promotions go, this one has a lot going for it. The statues placed around town create a kind of experiential treasure-hunt energy for people who really want to see them and post them on social media, or even just join in the fun. The QR code combines the modern technological capabilities to complement tactile, printed products.

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Using recycled tires is a good example of sustainability and repurposing materials. And the cutouts remind us of what sports leagues like Major League Baseball did when people couldn’t actually be in the stands in person.

Obviously, the guys in Devo can’t hang around the streets of Akron forever, so this is the next best thing. The band is, however, getting in on the fun, offering (digital) pins for anyone who votes:

Vote DEVO into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame! Every vote counts! Vote daily for DEVO! You can receive a digital “I DeVOTED” pin!
Get your pin now: https://t.co/gklqNIk2TR #DeVOTE #rockhall2021

— DEVO (@DEVO) March 9, 2021