Chris Detert

Imani Waddy

Chris Detert - American Rebel PR

By Kristina Dmitrieva

An interview with Chris Detert founder of American Rebel PR

Bunker Hill: What was your occupation before you founded American Rebel PR?

Chris Detert: I was the Vice President of Marketing and PR for internationally renowned fashion brand, Von Dutch. This experience was what I consider the pivotal moment that helped shape my career path.

Bunker Hill: Did you always want to run a PR company?

Chris Detert: I can honestly say that I wasn't even aware of PR firms until I was in college and I never really thought about starting my own firm until people starting seeking me out to help them grow their brands because I was the guy behind Von Dutch.

Bunker Hill: How did an idea for American Rebel PR come to life?

Chris Detert: From the experience at Von Dutch, I figured out a new blueprint for exposing brands through the use of celebrities and the mass media. I realized that it was shortsighted of me to be doing this for just one company, so with that in mind, I started my agency so that I could apply my brand building strategy to many different clients. It started with fashion and accessory brands, but has branched out into all sorts of different lifestyle products, including electronics, beverages, and more.

Bunker Hill: American Rebel PR uses guerilla marketing tactics, did you attend seminars for it?

Chris Detert: Actually, I had the greatest real-life seminar in guerilla marketing through my experience at Von Dutch. When I first started my company in 2006, we won a Guerilla Marketer of the Year award from Brandweek Magazine.

Bunker Hill: American Rebel caught the attention of MTV's Hired. Tell me about your experience?

Chris Detert: MTV Hired was an amazing experience for my company and me. There is no better promotional vehicle than television for a company like mine, so I feel very fortunate for the opportunity. We actually filmed the pilot with the producer before the show ever got to MTV and once they gave the show the green light, MTV selected my company to be in the first episode. As a result, we were featured in Star Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, and The Washington Post.

Bunker Hill:American Rebel offers a wide variety of services. Which one is your favorite and why?

Chris Detert: I would say that my favorite part is celebrity product placement. The company was founded, in large part, because of my past successes with product placement. It is always thrilling for me to watch my clients’ brands grow as a direct result of the celebrities that we align their products with.

Bunker Hill: What do you consider your greatest achievement??

Chris Detert: Starting American Rebel PR and keeping it growing for the last 5 years is probably my greatest achievement. Growing a PR firm through an economic recession was a real challenge, as PR and marketing are usually the first things cut from budgets in tough financial times, but I feel that much more accomplished for having gone through it.

Bunker Hill: What are some of your more notable celebrity projects?

Chris Detert: Aside from celebrity product placement, I have worked with a number of celebrities directly to either start or help grow their product lines. I created a clothing line for Stone Temple Pilots lead singer, Scott Weiland and I’ve launched clothing lines for Avril Lavigne and Charlie Sheen. I’m also part owner in the Jackson 5 clothing line, J5 Collection and I’ve launched a shoe collection with Taboo of The Black Eyed Peas through my client, JUMP Shoes.

Bunker Hill: What is the next step for American Rebel PR?

Chris Detert: We’re just going to keep growing the company and expanding by representing things that are a natural extension for us. We just expanded our showroom here in LA and our next move is to open a showroom in New York City. Though we plan to continue growing in size, we will always keep a very independent, boutique feel at our company.

Bunker Hill: Your company has a reputation for throwing great events. Can you tell us about some of them?

Chris Detert: In February, we helped our client Silly Bandz launch a collaboration with the Kardashian sisters by producing a launch event at famed LA boutique, Kitson. Their TV show came out to film the event, as well as every media outlet you can imagine! Next month, we’ll be doing another launch event with fashion stylist, Rachel Zoe and our client, Petit Trésor.

Bunker Hill: What is your motto?

Chris Detert: “It’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission.”

Bunker Hill: What words or phrases do you overuse?

Chris Detert: As someone who works in the communications field, I try to be very aware of not overusing any words or phrases because it annoys me so much when others do that. A few of my least favorite words and phrases at the moment are “Game changer,”“at the end of the day…,”and “synergy.” Business speak is generally annoying to me.

Bunker Hill: What is your greatest extravagance?

Chris Detert: I would have to say that my car is my greatest extravagance, which sounds so LA, but I absolutely love it. It’s a Cadillac XLR-V and it looks like the Batmobile.

Bunker Hill: What is your greatest fear?

Chris Detert: Being buried alive or drowning. I nearly experienced the latter last May, while I was kayaking just outside of Washington DC. The instructor taught our whole group about how to escape the kayak if it flips over and then he made us try it. I, of course, didn’t listen to the instructions, so when I flipped it over, I couldn’t get out. After about 15 seconds, a couple guys flipped my boat back over, but it was long enough that I swallowed a lot of water and thought I was going to drown. Very scary.

Bunker Hill: What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Chris Detert: Wow, that’s the toughest question yet! I guess I’ll have to get back to you when I achieve it!

 

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