By any standards, the last 12 months have tested the Detroit advertising community. Losing one of its largest and long-standing advertisers set off a stream of layoffs and uncertainty. A town already running lean wondered if the city’s vibrant creative industry would survive. Well, that question was fully answered Thursday night as the 2025 AdCraft D Show showcased some of the freshest and most impactful thinking anywhere.

TOLEDO, OH — Hart and Children’s Minnesota have earned a Gold Aster Award for their breakthrough TikTok ad series, part of the hospital’s award-winning “Raise ’Em Up” brand campaign.

TOLEDO, OH — Hart, a full-service marketing agency with offices in Toledo and Columbus, Ohio, Detroit and Washington, D.C., recently won a Silver ADDY Award at the 2025 American Advertising Federation (AAF) National Awards. The recognition celebrates Hart's creative work on the "Because Reasons" campaign developed on behalf of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) for Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD).

Four days on Mackinac Island. One grand porch. And hundreds of passionate leaders from across Michigan. Each morning, we rode Shepler’s Ferry across sparkling waters, joining a wonderfully mixed crowd of elected officials, state leaders, lobbyists, business execs and nonprofit changemakers. From sunrise coffee chats to late-night bar conversations, we networked, we brainstormed, walked the island, rode in horse-drawn carriages, and soaked up every ounce of this uniquely Michigan experience. And through it all, one thing was clear, we were all there because we care deeply about the future of our state.

As the travel and tourism sector continues to rebound and evolve, place marketers are stepping up in bold new ways. At Hart, we’re rethinking what destination storytelling looks like – especially after recently joining leaders at City Nation Place Americas in beautiful Ottawa, Ontario, where global place branding professionals explored how destinations can remain relevant, competitive and community-first.

Hart, a full-service marketing agency with offices in Toledo and Columbus, Ohio, and Detroit and Washington, D.C., has announced the appointment of Amanda Marko as managing director of its D.C. office. Marko joins the agency’s leadership team to drive strategic growth, foster innovation and expand Hart’s visibility in the D.C. market where the agency has been steadily building its presence for the past three years.

In 2025, women’s sports are no longer on the rise – they’ve arrived and they’re rewriting the rules of what we thought was possible in this industry just a short time ago.

Caitlin Clark? She’s that player. Her logo-range threes and no-look dimes didn’t just break records, they broke the internet.

Hart, a full-service independent brand transformation agency, has won Gold at the 42nd Annual ANA REGGIE Awards for its work with Nationwide Children’s Hospital on the emotionally resonant "Light Up The Lawn. Light Up A Life.” campaign. Honored alongside campaigns for brands like Dove, Cadillac, Jägermeister and State Farm, Hart’s campaign took top honors in the Purpose, Cause or Non-Profit Marketing category at a ceremony held on May 8.

Last week, I joined a few hundred peers in Orlando at the Healthcare Marketing & Physician Strategies Summit (HMPS), and it confirmed for me what I think a lot of us in the industry have been feeling: healthcare marketing is no longer slowly evolving – it’s completely transforming. Fast.

The Hart team recently attended the Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference on Tourism, where big challenges – and even bigger opportunities – were front and center.

If you're reading this, chances are you already have a pretty good idea of what the HTI-1 rule is. But just in case you missed it (or need a quick refresher), early in 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), along with the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC), finalized the HTI-1 rule.

TOLEDO, OH — Hart, a Toledo-based full-service brand transformation agency, stole the show at last week’s Toledo ADDY Awards, presented annually by the American Advertising Federation. The agency’s creative team was awarded 22 ADDY recognitions – including Best of Show and all three Judge’s Choice Awards – underscoring Hart’s continued commitment to innovative, results-driven advertising.

Staying ahead of the curve in social media strategy has never been more important. With more than 43% of marketers reporting social media as their highest-ROI marketing channel, the opportunity to create meaningful connections with audiences is unparalleled. But in an era where the brand experience (BX) is deeply intertwined with employee experience (EX) and customer experience (CX), the key to social media success isn’t just about reaching audiences – it’s about building authentic, lasting relationships. 

Detroit has long been a city of resilience and reinvention. Recent shifts in its advertising and creative landscape have only amplified its need for agencies like ours, as there aren’t many options remaining for clients seeking the type of integrated, strategic marketing solutions that an agency of our size and flexibility can uniquely provide.

There’s something electric about Detroit. It’s a city that wears its heart (and history) on its sleeve – equal parts ambition and raw potential. Detroit’s story isn’t one of simple reinvention; it’s one of constant innovation. This is a place where challenges spark creativity, resilience fuels progress and the result is a certain pride in the community that just isn’t possible everywhere.  

When we began considering a partnership to propel our agency into the future, we knew one thing for certain: alignment on values, vision and keeping our team here in Detroit consistent would be non-negotiables. In Hart, we found far more than a business partner. We found a kindred spirit. 

As we approach Hart’s 60th anniversary in 2025, I’ve been reflecting on what has made this agency so enduring. My father founded Hart with a vision to create something truly independent – an agency driven by values and people, not trends and bottom lines. Sixty years later, I’m proud to say that vision still guides us, evolving to meet the ever-changing needs of our clients and communities. 

Significant investment in Detroit expands Hart’s independent, brand transformation approach to nearly 100 professionals across four office locations. 

Hart, a full-service independent brand transformation agency, is announcing its acquisition of Rebuild, an independent agency based in Detroit, Mich. An alliance built to address the growing gap between boutique agencies and those larger agencies owned by a holding company, Hart’s commitment to independence was a cornerstone to its growth plans. As Hart celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2025, this addition of a like-minded agency is a significant move in continuing its growth march into its seventh decade. 

In an era where traditional advertising struggles to capture audience attention, college football bowl games have emerged as unexpected laboratories for experiential marketing innovation. By creating immersive, shareable moments instead of traditional sponsorships, brands are turning passive viewers into active participants in their story. The most successful activations don't just capture attention – they inspire participation, fuel social conversation and create lasting brand advocacy with consumers.  

In this season of reflection and gratitude, I'm moved to share my appreciation for the remarkable journey we've shared throughout 2024. Each Thanksgiving offers us a chance to pause and count our blessings, and this year has given us many.