ABOUT THE PROJECT
Mobilising a global network to deliver the world’s largest dealer-led food drive
Imagination partnered with Ford to develop and launch Ford Building Together, a landmark global community initiative. Designed to empower Ford’s network of more than 9,000 dealers, the project transformed local showrooms into hubs of social impact. In its inaugural global activation, we coordinated a record-breaking food drive that turned Ford’s brand promise – the freedom to move and pursue dreams – into a tangible reality for thousands of families worldwide.
CHALLENGE
Ford sought to unify its long-standing legacy of philanthropy with the immense power of its extensive dealer network. The challenge was to create a scalable, global framework that could move beyond traditional corporate giving to create authentic, local impact.
The initiative needed to align thousands of independent dealers across 31 countries under a shared purpose: helping to build a better world. Imagination was tasked with the strategic development, campaign creation, and global coordination required to turn this ambitious vision into a coordinated movement that resonated across diverse cultures and markets.
OUR IMPACT
- m+
- lbs of food and essential supplies donated globally
- 0
- countries united under a single purpose-driven initiative
- global Imagination Studios coordinated to deliver the campaign
THE OUTCOME
A blueprint for global good
We developed Ford Building Together as a permanent platform for community empowerment. By providing the strategic toolkit and creative framework, we enabled Ford to launch “The World’s Largest Dealer-Led Food Drive.” This wasn’t just a corporate mandate; it was a grassroots mobilisation on a global scale, ensuring that Ford’s purpose-driven message reached every corner of its network.
Mobilising the front line
The campaign saw thousands of Ford dealers around the world transform their facilities into collection points. From Detroit to Sydney, dealer teams engaged their local communities to collect over 2 million lbs of food and essential supplies. Imagination’s own studios in Detroit, London, Sydney, and Melbourne joined the effort, bridging the gap between agency, client, and community by delivering donations directly to local dealerships.
Scaling the impact
To ensure the initiative’s longevity, we focused on strategic clarity and ease of execution for the dealers. By handling the global coordination and multi-market messaging, we allowed Ford to focus on the human element. The result was a seamless rollout that proved Ford’s network could be a powerful force for social good, setting the stage for future global activations under the Building Together banner.
Our dealers have always been at the heart of their communities. Ford Building Together gives them new opportunities to make a tangible difference and this campaign is just the beginning.” The World’s Largest Dealer-Led Food Drive marks the first of many global activations planned under the Ford Building Together banner, with Ford and Imagination continuing to grow and scale the initiative in the months and years ahead.
Caroline Pernot Director of Global Dealer Community Engagement at Ford Motor Company
We feel immensely proud to have worked on a campaign that was a genuine win-win-win – benefiting communities, dealerships, and bringing to life how Ford makes a difference around the world. We’re looking forward to continuing to grow and scale the Ford Building Together initiative alongside our Dealer Community Engagement clients for years to come.
Patrick Reid Chairman and CEO at Imagination
VALUE
For the audience
The initiative provided immediate, life-changing support to thousands of families. By leveraging the physical presence of Ford dealerships, the campaign made it easy for local citizens to contribute, resulting in over 2m lbs of aid reaching non-profit organisations at a time when community support was most critical.
For the brand
Ford successfully turned its “Freedom of Movement” philosophy into a global social action platform. The campaign significantly strengthened the bond between the brand, its dealers, and their customers. By uniting dealers around the world under one cause, Ford demonstrated a level of operational unity and social responsibility that reinforces its position as a purpose-led global leader.
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