Reopening of The Ford Rouge Factory Tour
 |
Originally designed by Henry Ford and considered an American icon in automotive manufacturing, The Ford Rouge Center has served as the home to many of the most famous automobiles in our country, from the historic Model A to the new Ford F-150 pickup truck. Tours of The Ford Rouge Center, which began in 1924 and once attracted up to 250,000 visitors annually, have been closed since 1980.
Open to the public once again, the new 2004 version of The Ford Rouge Factory Tour delivers a visitor experience that exceeds all expectations. Retained by the Ford Motor Company and The Henry Ford as the "experience wizard" behind the new Ford Rouge Factory Tour, BRC Imagination Arts combined multi-sensory theaters, special effects, immersive and interactive elements, plus a mezzanine-level walk through the assembly plant where the new Ford F-150 is assembled. The tour provides a totally immersive guest experience that uses technology and design innovation to emotionally engage visitors in Ford's culture, history, and brand.
"Museums and historic sites are increasingly competing for the attention of sophisticated audiences who are accustomed to thrill-a-minute theme parks. We have taken the advanced technologies and pizzazz of theme parks and expertly applied them to education and corporate branding. The result is an engaging and compelling combination of scholarship and showmanship," said Bob Rogers, president and CEO of BRC Imagination Arts.
"Most of today's advertising is interruption-based and an unwelcome distraction from the consumers intended activity. As a result, audiences are simply tuning out. To attract and engage customers, companies can no longer use yesterday's techniques," continued Rogers. "With The Ford Rouge Factory Tour, we applied a variety of 21st Century Public Engagement design techniques and technologies to create an experience that draws visitors into the Ford story. This includes some amazing history (such as the invention of the assembly line process and the creation of the American middle class), plus personal immersion into the mind-boggling world of a next-generation assembly plant where guests witness the creation of the new Ford F-150 pickup truck."
Whether designing 21st century "experience destinations" for Disney, Ford, NASA or Volkswagen, BRC applies a vision of magic and wonder usually reserved for fantastic theme parks. By bringing history, consumer brands and corporate visions to a new level of excitement, immersion and public engagement, BRC exceeds traditional advertising's reach by creating lasting "approach responses," to the brand or museum subject. This approach helps capture the attention and hearts of today's sophisticated audiences.
About the Tour
This firsthand journey into the genius of Henry Ford begins at The Henry Ford where visitors travel by bus to the new Ford Rouge Factory Tour. Among the tour features are two theaters that bring The Ford Rouge Factory Visitor Center story to life. The Legacy Theater features a three-screen film presentation that explores the history of the Rouge and celebrates the generations of Americans who worked there. In the second theater, The Art of Manufacturing, visitors enjoy a multi-sensory, seven-screen experience that allows them to see, hear, smell and feel the intricacies of vehicle manufacturing from start to finished product.
"The new Ford Rouge Factory Tour brings together modern technology and historical interpretation in a physical setting that blends the best of both," added Steve Hamp, president, The Henry Ford. "Working with BRC, we were able to create a spectacular experience that allowed us to showcase the awesome history of the Rouge, while educating visitors about Ford's progressive, contemporary manufacturing in a way that entertains and enlightens."
Numerous touch-screen interpretative and hands-on displays add to The Visitor Center experience as they share facts and information about the past and present. Visitors can also visit the center's 81-foot-high observation deck. From there, they'll see the World's Largest Living Roof as recognized by Guinness World Records(TM), atop the new Dearborn Truck Plant final assembly building, and enjoy a panoramic view of The Ford Rouge Center complex.
Finally, an enclosed pedestrian walkway connecting The Visitor Center to the new Dearborn Truck Plant brings visitors to a mezzanine inside the plant, where they can view final assembly of the new Ford F-150 pickups below. A display of legendary Ford vehicles manufactured at The Ford Rouge Center, including a 1929 Model A Roadster, 1932 Victoria, 1949 Coupe, 1956 Thunderbird, 1965 Mustang convertible and a new Ford F-150, completes the tour.
About BRC Imagination Arts
BRC Imagination Arts is one of the world's leading innovators in the creation of non-fiction experience attractions for clients as diverse as Disney, NASA and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Based in Burbank, CA, BRC has over 20 years of experience combining culture, history, education and brand to build 21st century visitor attractions that create a lasting emotional connection between businesses and their audiences. For more information, visit www.brcweb.com.
Note to editors: Photos available upon request.
