Civic made Ford’s Detroit renewal come to life

By: Jon Springer

For decades, Michigan Central Station was a symbol of Detroit’s decline, a derelict former passenger rail hub the rapper Eminem once called “Detroit’s tombstone.”

Ford’s move to restore the hulking Beaux-Arts site and reinvent it as an open-source mobility hub represented a bold bet on its future—and that of Detroit—so its 2024 grand reopening required more than a standard ribbon-cutting. That’s where Civic brought its touch for impactful experiential marketing, orchestrating a star-studded opening concert that was televised on NBC and elevated perceptions of Civic’s client Ford as an innovation leader. The automaker sold 1,000 vehicles just from event activity, according to Civic.

Ford CEO Jim Farley later called Michigan Central a “turning point” for its 2024 fortunes in the automaker’s fourth-quarter earnings call. And the site today is thriving behind more than 200 startups and venture capital firms, with 47% of those founders coming from underrepresented backgrounds.

The reopening encapsulated Civic’s guiding principle that “the action is the marketing,” meaning that a brand’s true story is told through what it does, and not just what it says. The effort has earned Civic recognition as Ad Age’s 2025 Experiential Small Agency of the Year.

For Audible, Civic transformed an Austin, Texas, parking lot into a vibrant carnival that showcased the diversity of the company’s library of books and podcasts. The “Audible Sound Experience” at SXSW included a 66-foot Ferris wheel that became a festival landmark. Guests got sweeping views of Austin while listening to Audible titles curated to their tastes. The attraction drew more than 5,000 guests; more than 20 pieces of original content were created and more than 160 journalists covered the story, Civic said.

Co-hosted with Politico, the CNN Grill is a fully functional pop-up restaurant that over its 20 years has become a must-visit destination for attendees of the Republican and Democratic national conventions. “It wasn’t a cocktail party with a logo,” Civic noted in its application. “It was a culinary and cultural institution.”

At the RNC in Milwaukee, the CNN Grill featured a bustling on-site studio and a curated menu with a Midwest flair. The DNC version in Chicago featured local twists—including a nod to the infamous Malört liqueur.

Both pop-ups did triple duty as news studio, restaurant and advertising platform, giving CNN’s brand partners exposure in the most-watched political moments. They also bolstered CNN’s reputation as a trusted news source—and center of conversation and influence.

See link to original article here.