MPTV show puts spotlight squarely on local merchants
"Shop Local, Dine Local, Live Local" is the tagline of a new MPTV show launched this fall to help Mount Prospect businesses and residents see the importance of supporting the merchants in their back yard.
Supported by a comprehensive marketing campaign from the Village of Mount Prospect, the half-hour show called "Experience Mount Prospect TV (ExMPTV)" highlights four local businesses: a restaurant; retail stores; and services in Mount Prospect and tells each business owner's story in a unique and exciting way.
The idea for the show to help local businesses came about when two former producers of NBC's "24/7 Chicago" approached MPTV, the village's government access channel.
As residents of Mount Prospect, Tricia Fusilero, former producer and marketing coordinator of "24/7" and Colleen Kelly, former executive producer and correspondent, wanted to help their community in a difficult economy.
Kelly and Fusilero approached MPTV Executive Producer Howard Kleinstein with the idea and a partnership was formed.
"The show was created to feel like a real network show, something that moves quickly yet is informative ... a cross between something you might see on ABC mixed with a bit of PBS," noted Kelly, who hosts. "To be able to really tell the story of our own local businesses is so rewarding."
"The most exciting aspect of creating this show is our ability to help the local merchants, right here in our own town," said Fusilero, who produces. "Knowing that ExMPTV drives new business their way makes it all worth while."
In addition to the monthly television show, the Village of Mount Prospect has developed a unified marketing campaign to support local businesses. From a free Web site, experiencemountprospect.org, to free member cards where holders are eligible for special discounts, to street pole banners that a business can sponsor for a fee, the village has made an effort to contribute to the success of its merchants.
The show's full production cost and the subsequent marketing campaign is almost fully underwritten by the Village of Mount Prospect, with businesses that participate contributing a stipend of $500 toward production costs.
Of every dollar spent in Mount Prospect, 2 percent on most goods sold comes back to Mount Prospect, where it supports public services like police and fire, street improvement and flood control, and social and educational programs.
An estimated $15 million in sales tax revenue came back into Mount Prospect in 2008 from Mount Prospect businesses.
"Mount Prospect is wonderfully unique," said Mount Prospect Mayor Irvana Wilks. "With a unified marketing program, we are showcasing our businesses to village residents and to our friends from neighboring towns, and via the web, to the world."
"ExMPTV" is a monthly show that can be seen daily at 5 and 10 p.m. on MPTV, Channel 17 on Comcast or W.O.W. and can be viewed anytime on-demand over the Internet at experiencemountprospect.org.