Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their very own.
If you consider New Orleans, parade floats are fast to return to thoughts. These grand creations embody the town’s delight, creativity and wealthy cultural heritage. They function symbols of energy and the spirit of overcoming adversity.
Mark Ingram II, three-time Professional Bowler and former New Orleans Saints working again, has discovered a significant strategy to give again to the town that formed his profession and life.
In partnership with monetary administration platform QuickBooks and parade float firm Kern Studios, Ingram is highlighting the essential position small companies play in New Orleans’ tradition of resilience.
The marketing campaign options Ingram because the spokesperson for QuickBooks in a industrial that aired nationally throughout the NFC Championship Recreation.
It spotlights Kern Studios, a family-owned enterprise in New Orleans that focuses on customized parade floats and props. For generations, Kern Studios’ work has been a fixture within the metropolis’s iconic parades, together with these at Mardi Gras and Disney. “Anyplace you see floats, it is coming from Kern Studios,” Ingram says.
Associated: Learn how to Win $10000 In the course of the Tremendous Bowl: Fetch App
‘New Orleans is house’
For Ingram, this marketing campaign holds a particular place in his coronary heart.
“New Orleans is house,” he says. “I met my spouse right here, and I raised my kids right here. This metropolis means every part to me. The folks of New Orleans are extremely resilient. From hurricanes to financial challenges, the spirit of this metropolis by no means falters — and that spirit is pushed by its small companies.”
Ingram was launched to Kern by way of QuickBooks and toured the studio to see how the magic occurs.
“It was nice seeing every part they do behind the scenes,” the previous participant says.
New Orleans has lengthy been a metropolis of energy, overcoming vital obstacles whereas remaining a cultural beacon. Small companies like Kern Studios are central to this story. They do not simply present items and providers— they create a way of neighborhood, gas the financial system, and assist protect the town’s distinctive character.
“Small companies are the guts of America,” Ingram says. “Once they thrive, our nation thrives. It is private as a result of I’ve met so many small enterprise homeowners right here in New Orleans—folks with eating places, boutiques, you identify it. These companies signify the resilience of this metropolis, and QuickBooks helps them keep organized and proceed to thrive.”
Associated: Google Edits Tremendous Bowl Advert After AI Reality Error
Empowering small enterprise development
This partnership with QuickBooks is about greater than selling small companies in New Orleans — it is about empowering them to develop. Kern Studios, for instance, is getting ready for its most vital venture but: designing parade floats for the upcoming Tremendous Bowl.
QuickBooks performs a pivotal position in serving to Kern Studios handle the monetary facet of their enterprise as they put together for this monumental occasion.
“Being a part of this partnership with QuickBooks and Kern Studios feels pure,” Ingram says. “We share the identical values: treating folks proper, giving again to the neighborhood, and doing issues the correct method. And in a spot like New Orleans, that is every part.”
As Ingram and QuickBooks proceed to have fun New Orleans’ small enterprise tradition, they don’t seem to be simply showcasing the town’s energy — they’re serving to to make sure the following era of entrepreneurs has the instruments they should succeed. And what higher strategy to uplift the neighborhood than with a float?
Associated: Taco Bell in 2025: Stay Más Stay and a Tremendous Bowl Return