The Henry Ford

The Henry Ford is a tourist attraction made up of the Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, and IMAX Theater. It was formerly called the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. Solomon Friedman Advertising was hired to assist in re-branding it under a single name - The Henry Ford.   

The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village was a mouthful to say and presented a confusing and non-unified positioning to the public. Despite it being one of the Midwest's top tourist attractions, it had an image of being as old as some of the history it was presenting. The agency consulted with the client on a primary research project that led to our creative strategy to support the promise that The Henry Ford is America's Greatest History Attraction, while creating a new sense of excitement. Our analysis of the primary research indicated that over 50% of the visitors to Michigan were visiting relatives and friends. We realized that if we could change the opinions of the local residents we would be influencing the entire region. Those visiting their relatives would be motivated to visit The Henry Ford, and carry home a strong feeling that The Henry Ford was a national treasure that others need to visit.

In addition to the targeted re-branding, the agency strongly recommended the implementation of a program to grow membership with the thinking that members would attend The Henry Ford with a greater frequency than non-members. With Greenfield Village closing for renovation the prior October, membership was below 15,000. Since then, paid membership has soared and now is around 40,000. Our success in transforming one of America's truly historic venues that attracts over 1.5 million people per year clearly makes The Henry Ford one of Michigan's most important tourist attractions.
 
Our efforts "raised all ships," meaning that each and every area of The Henry Ford has seen success: corporate sponsorship, catering, retail sales, membership, group tour, events and daily attendance. The evolution of the brand continues with the ongoing multimedia campaign targeting distinct demographics and regions.