Activate

What Activate does

Activate, Inc. (doing business as Activate Experiential) is a Metro Detroit-based experiential marketing agency founded in 2013 and headquartered at a 75,000 sq. ft. facility in Ferndale, Michigan. The firm designs and produces four core service lines for global enterprise brands: brand activations (immersive in-person experiences), mobile tours (nationwide traveling brand experiences), PR boxes (premium customizable direct-to-audience kits), and influencer marketing (campaign strategy, sourcing, and management). Its primary customers are large global brands across luxury, retail, entertainment, aviation, home goods, and consumer product verticals — a publicly named roster includes Coach, Disney, Delta, Nordstrom, IKEA, TOTO, Burberry, Kendra Scott, Ruggable, Bayer, and Amazon Prime.

The agency's competitive foundation rests on its vertically integrated production infrastructure. In-house fabrication capabilities span woodworking, custom aluminum structure modifications, truss work, laser etching, 3D printing, embossing, and stamping, supported by full shipping/receiving, kit packing, and event asset storage functions. This enables turnkey project delivery from concept and creative through pre-build, installation, and on-site operations, eliminating the third-party vendor dependencies that constrain smaller experiential competitors. The company is privately held, women-owned, and WBENC-certified for diversity supplier status.

Activate generates revenue through project-based professional services fees billed to enterprise clients, with no publicly disclosed pricing tiers or subscription models. Its go-to-market is enterprise field sales — a Business Development team conducts direct outreach supported by case studies, portfolio presentations, and industry event presence — supplemented by inbound inquiries via the company website. No funding rounds, acquisitions, or institutional investors are disclosed in the available data; the company appears to be founder/management-owned and bootstrapped. Operations remain US-domiciled despite serving global-brand clients.

Name

Activate

Legal name

Activate, Inc.

Website

https://activateexp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Activate is a Metro Detroit-based experiential marketing agency serving global enterprise brands with brand activations, mobile tours, premium PR boxes, and influencer campaigns, operating from a 75,000-square-foot in-house production and fabrication facility in Ferndale, Michigan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Experiential Marketing Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (54181), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Public Relations Agencies (541820)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Brand Activations & Experiential Campaign Design (MPAAAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Brand Activations & Pop-Ups (Retail/Street/Guerrilla) (BPAFAGAF), Sponsorship Activation & Sports/Festival Experiential (BPAFAGAG), Product Launches & Brand Activations (Experiential Marketing) (MPAGAHAD), Sponsorship Fulfillment & Activation Services (On-Site Ops, Creative Production, Staffing) (MPAKALAL), Event & Experiential PR (Launches, Stunts, Press Events) (MPAAADAM)

Keywords

• Experiential marketing services
• Brand activation campaigns
• Mobile tour marketing
• PR box fulfillment
• Influencer marketing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ferndale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Brand Activations: Creating dynamic, immersive experiences that captivate audiences and drive consumer engagement for global brands. Revenue generated through project fees for strategy, creative design, and flawless execution of brand experiences.
2. Mobile Tours: Take brands on the road with turnkey approach ensuring seamless execution nationwide. Revenue from custom vehicle builds, tour logistics, staffing, and on-site operations management.
3. PR Boxes: Premium, fully customizable PR boxes delivered to audiences. Revenue from kit design, product sourcing, assembly, and fulfillment services. Tiered solutions built for scale with global fulfillment capabilities.
4. Influencer Marketing Services: End-to-end influencer programs including identification, outreach, contracting, content management, and campaign coordination. Revenue from service fees for influencer relationship management.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Activate is a full-service experiential marketing agency that designs and produces brand activations, mobile tours, PR boxes, and influencer marketing campaigns for global enterprise brands. Services span strategy, creative design, in-house fabrication (woodworking, aluminum structures, laser etching, 3D printing, embossing, stamping), kit packing, fulfillment, and on-site execution nationwide. All production runs through a 75,000 sq. ft. Metro Detroit facility supporting turnkey operations.

Product overview

Activate is an experiential marketing agency offering a unified suite of brand engagement services: Brand Activations (immersive in-person experiences), Mobile Tours (traveling brand experiences delivered nationwide), PR Boxes (customized brand kits and mailers), and Influencer Marketing (campaign strategy and management). These services operate from the company's 75,000 sq. ft. Metro Detroit facility, which provides turnkey operations including installation, fulfillment, fabrication, woodworking, aluminum structure modifications, specialty decorating (laser etching, 3D printing, embossing, stamping), and full shipping/receiving support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Brand Activations Creates dynamic, immersive brand experiences that captivate audiences and drive consumer engagement through strategy, creativity, and flawless execution. Designed for global brands seeking memorable in-person activations that inspire action and build lasting connections.
• Mobile Tours
• PR Boxes
• Influencer Marketing

Quantifiable outcome

• Measurable brand engagement and consumer connection driving brand loyalty and business growth
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Bud LightminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBud Light sponsored the Detroit Lions 'We Want More' mobile tour. The partnership worked because it felt like a natural part of the fan experience - branded elements enhanced the Lions experience without taking away from what fans cared about. Both the Lions and Bud Light benefited from the partnership.
• Delta AirlinescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOngoing partnership for Delta 360 Gifting programs delivering loyalty gifting to Delta's top customers. Programs integrate storytelling with culturally relevant items, brand partnerships, and personalization options including size selections and individual recipient interests.
• American ExpressminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDelta x American Express co-branded gifting partnership at airport lounges, combining Delta's loyalty program with Amex benefits for premium cardmembers.
• Detroit LionscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerExecuted 'We Want More' statewide mobile tour with stops at high-traffic locations across Michigan during playoff season. Custom 45-foot branded tour bus served as centerpiece with engagement elements including Dan Campbell Phone Booth, photo opportunities, and surprise appearances by Lions Legends.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MKG: MKG is a New York-based experiential marketing agency specializing in brand activations, pop-ups, and immersive consumer experiences for global brands. Direct peer with similar service mix targeting enterprise marketers across luxury, retail, and consumer verticals.
• GMR Marketing: GMR Marketing is a global experiential and sports marketing agency specializing in sponsorship activation, mobile tours, and consumer engagement programs. Direct peer on sports sponsorship fulfillment work (Detroit Lions, Bud Light-style partnerships) and mobile tour production.
• Sparks: Sparks is a global brand experience agency delivering live events, mobile tours, exhibits, and digital activations for enterprise clients. Closely comparable across brand activations, mobile tours, and trade show services with similar Fortune 500 customer base.
• Current Global: Current Global is a PR, influencer, and experiential marketing agency serving consumer, lifestyle, and entertainment brands. Comparable on PR boxes/mailers, influencer campaigns, and integrated experiential-PR offerings for similar enterprise customer profiles.
• MAS Event Design: MAS Event Design is an experiential event production agency specializing in large-scale brand activations, corporate events, and custom fabrication. Direct competitor in custom-built experiential environments with comparable in-house production capabilities.
• BMF Media: BMF is a lifestyle and hospitality-focused experiential marketing agency producing brand activations, influencer events, and PR campaigns for premium consumer brands. Comparable on luxury/lifestyle brand activation and influencer-driven experiential programs.
• Mosaic Group: Mosaic is an experiential marketing agency within Acosta Group executing in-store sampling, mobile tours, and retail activations for CPG and consumer brands. Comparable on mobile tour logistics, retail execution, and consumer sampling engagements with established Fortune 500 clients.

Broad incumbents

• Octagon: Octagon is a global sports and entertainment marketing agency managing sponsorships, athlete endorsements, and experiential campaigns for major brands. Comparable on sports sponsorship activation and event-driven consumer engagement with broader scale and IP rights expertise.
• George P. Johnson Experience Marketing: George P. Johnson is a leading global experiential marketing agency focused on live brand experiences, events, and exhibits for enterprise technology and consumer brands. Comparable on brand activations and trade show execution with substantially larger headcount and international footprint.
• Jack Morton Worldwide: Jack Morton is a large global brand experience agency within the Interpublic Group offering experiential marketing, events, digital, and content services. Competes for the same enterprise experiential RFPs as Activate but with significantly greater scale, geographic reach, and integrated communications offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/activate-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/activateexperiential

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Activate