Ford Motor Co.’s Ford Division said Friday that in fiscal 2005 it will continue to move away from traditional TV and print advertising and place the vast majority of its marketing spend on product integration, grassroots events and online advertising. The automaker laid plans for a massive marketing blitz and said it would spend less than 80% of its marketing budget on TV and print ads, compared to 98% 10 years ago.
“Compared to 10 years ago, we have a lot more tools available to reach potential customers—and it’s up to us to use them wisely,” said Marty Collins, general marketing manager, Ford Division, in a statement.
Among the major efforts beginning this fall, the company plans to integrate action sequences of new products into major TV programming, sports events, concerts and video games.
“Our strategy is simple,” Ford Division President Steve Lyons said in a statement. ‘Be big. Be bold. Be relevant.'”
Ford said that in an era of 500 satellite TV channels, TiVo and the Web, non-traditional advertising is an essential part of its comprehensive marketing plan. The division also plans to make 32.3 million contacts with consumers via one-to-one customer relationship marketing—up from 16.5 million just a year ago—via the Internet, music events, sporting events and in other non-traditional opportunities.
For example, Ford is in the process of placing product on hit TV shows.
On Fox’s The OC, a lead character will drive a new Mustang, that will be featured prominently throughout the season. The car will also appear on ABC’s Alias.
Six recipients of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition will receive an additional surprise that helps get them on the road ahead—a new garage that comes complete with a new Mustang, Freestyle, Five Hundred or Super Duty. Super Duties and F-150s also will be seen on the show’s construction sites throughout the season. Freestyle will take the show’s hosts on the road.
NBC’s American Dreams will broadcast its commercial-free fall finale sponsored by Ford, including a special five-minute video starring Five Hundred and Mustang models.
Online ads will appear on Yahoo!, MSN and AOL, as well as automotive shopping sites like Edmunds, Autobytel and Car & Driver HP. Ford’s expects to gain 1 billion consumer impressions online in fiscal 2005.
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| Toby Keith pitches the F-Series on his tour |
The company’s grassroots efforts include placement of Super Duty trucks at Cabela’s and Home Depot stores, the Freestyle at 13 NCAA football games and F-Series on country performer Toby Keith’s
Big Throwdown Tour. A three-minute video featuring the artist, his Super Duty truck and his dog opens the concert at more than 75 performances that run through March.
In addition, Ford said it is intensifying its efforts to reach African-American, Hispanic and Asian-American consumers in a cross-media multicultural campaign. The new advertising will include TV, print, radio and Internet marketing designed for specific ethnic groups.
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