Editor's note: This is one of our favorite videos. We first ran this article in 2011, but the flick is so much fun to watch, we thought we'd share it again. Happy New Year!
Clark Retirement Community was created more than 100 years ago as a haven for retired Methodist ministers. Clark's website says it's a not-for-profit, continuing care retirement community, offering a full complement of services and residential options from independent living and assisted living to skilled nursing.
But we're betting it will be remembered for creating a LipDub video, where senior citizens sing, dance,
synchronize swim and more to Michael Buble's cover of the 60's hit "Feelin' Good."
The video is perhaps the first of its kind performed by a retirement community. The video production crew from the Grand Valley State University
(GVSU) School of Communications shot the video. And, although the school produced a fun video before, it was used to seeing young people as the stars.
Grandparents, though? Not so much.
"I loved the GVSU LipDub and thought, why can't we do that?" says Jane Brierley, Clark's director of
marketing and admissions. "The residents and students had a fabulous time working together. From practices to sharing meals, it was an amazing
experience for everyone."
The video took eight takes and 2.5 hours to produce. There were 29 GVSU crew (students, alumni and professors) and 103 Clark residents who
participated.
Uploaded to YouTube July 12, nearly every local media outlet covered the video and linked to it from various website and blogs. A news release on Clark's website says the video was featured on:
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Fox News Network
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"Good Morning America"
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"Inside Edition"
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National Public Radio
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"The Today Show"
Internationally, the story of the video was picked up by Canadian Broadcasting Company, The European Television Network, and a radio station in Ottawa,
Canada.
Gone viral
As the video gained steam, it:
- Made the YouTube "Spotlight" and "What's Trending."
- Was selected by Mashable as the video of the day.
- Was posted on Gawker.com and Bored.com.
- Was proclaimed "the one thing you can't miss today" by the Huffington Post.
- Earned several residents interviews with "The Daily Dot."
The reaction
Aside from the outpouring of interest in the video, the retirement center and its residents got a pat on the back from musician Michael Buble, who has
Facebook following of nearly 4 million.
A news release on the retirement center website says that when a Clark staff member joined in on a live broadcast on Buble's Facebook page and asked
his opinion on the lipdub, Buble said he loved it. It reminded him of his grandpa.
And a comment from "Good Morning America's" Lara Spencer made us giggle. "My mother wants to know if any of the men in the video are single…"
The Clark website shares this reflection on the experience:
"There is nothing about the Clark LipDub that hasn't been amazing. From the great friendships that grew with the talented Grand Valley State University
crew to the viral international attention, this adventure has been extraordinary."
Could your health care organization, hospital or retirement center partner with an educational institution in your community for a similar
extraordinary adventure?