• by Tanya Gazdik , January 20, 2024

Editor‘s Note: The Detroit Lions beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday and will advance to the NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers in San Francisco on Jan. 28.

Both General Motors and Ford Motor Co. are getting behind the Detroit Lions, who have advanced in the NFL playoffs for the first time in 32 years. 

GM is caught up in the excitement even though the Lions, who play at Ford Field, have long been owned by the family of crosstown rival Ford Motor Co.

GM’s headquarters at Detroit’s Renaissance Center is lit up with a special animated “lionized” GM logo which features a gently wagging tail.

The new logo was created by two IPG agencies, McCann Detroit and Jack Morton Worldwide.

“Being a Detroit Lions fan has never been easy, but this year, that all changed,” according to a statement from IPG. “The Lions are in the hunt. It’s an electric time in Detroit, and all of Michigan couldn’t be more excited, GM included.”

The GM headquarters building often is shown during panoramic shots of downtown Detroit during sporting events. 

“It’s an exciting time for Detroit," said a GM spokesperson. “At GM we are excited to share our Lions pride with the city, and our fellow Lions fans.”

Meanwhile, the Michigan Central Station, which was purchased by Ford and is being restored thanks to the automaker, has been lit up blue for several weeks. 

The blue of the Ford oval logo is not far off from the “Honolulu blue” featured in the Lions’ uniforms. One week ago, a drone display in the shape of the Lion’s logo was displayed over the train station.

The video capturing the display was posted on the Michigan Central Station Instagram page and has been widely shared by Lions fans on social media over the past two weeks.