CINCINNATI (October 1, 2019) – New York is crammed with people and glittering lights. The city never sleeps, that’s why they’re uptight. Now let’s talk about a place that’s not quite the same. Out in the Midwest with a long and funny name. No subways, few pigeons and not so rat-y. You’re in O-hi-o, in Cincinnati.

Fresh beats are blasting from Empower’s Creative Studio today as it officially drops “The City That Sleeps,” a comedic, yet, oh-so-true rap video that cleverly sums up Cincinnati’s culture. But don’t take Empower CEO Jim Price’s word for it, the validating lyrics were largely inspired by the company’s boomerang Creative Director, Terry Dillon and leadership recruited from all over the globe.

By way of Johannesburg, Singapore and NYC, Tinus Strydom planted roots in the consumer marketing capital of the world last fall.

“Cincinnati – it’s not a sleepy town, but a town that sleeps is an honest way to say that this is a town where you can live your best life,” Empower’s Chief Creative Officer Tinus Strydom explains. “One can be professionally and personally fulfilled, Strydom says.”

And Strydom is not the only global influence with this perspective at Empower. Born and raised in England, President and Chief Operating Officer, Rob FitzGerald has held senior roles in all aspects of the agency business all over the world including China, Tokyo and NYC.

“People who live here know it. People who left and came back definitely know it. Big city people like me who never considered Cincinnati until they visited it are now seriously looking into it and we wanted to celebrate that culture shift in an authentic way that’s fun,” said FitzGerald.

According to the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce, No other city has more consumer branding experience connecting the most loved and successful brands to consumers across the globe.

• Between 2011 and 2016, private employment in Ohio increased by 450,000 jobs, far outperforming the regional average of 261,000 jobs. In 2016, the Cincinnati region had 56 companies make the Inc 5000, the list of the fastest growing private companies in the U.S.
• With more Fortune 500 companies per capita than anywhere else in the country, Cincinnati is one of the most competitive cities on the continent when it comes to attracting businesses.