Ford is revving up the latest phase of its marketing campaign to push its Sync voice-activated technology with rich media widgets on AOL.
Widgets are multimedia devices designed to carry ad messages that can be posted on Web pages and readily transferred to Web surfers’ personal pages.
The Sync Rich Media widget will offer product information, free song downloads, and videos about the product. It will be available across the AOL Network.
It’s the latest effort by Ford to promote Sync, an in-vehicle technology developed exclusively for Ford by Microsoft, which enables voice-activated interaction with mobile phones and other wireless devices, including MP3 players.
“We recognize the consumer we’re trying to reach is tech-savvy and likely to be online,” said Ford spokesman Mark Schirmer.
Ford has previously promoted the Sync technology with a presence on MSN.com and with banner ads that transport Web surfers to the http://www.SyncMyRide.com site, which explains the technology. Ford also created a current Web show on MySpace.com, “Kim and Seana,” which depicts two aspiring musicians using the technology in their Ford Focus as they travel around the country seeking career opportunities.
Ford is satisfied with the “buzz” it’s created for the Sync technology with the Web-centric approach it adopted to promote the technology since October, Schirmer said.
Sync is available in 12 Ford, Mercury and Lincoln models. It comes standard in two Lincoln models and in the high-end Ford Focus, and optional in the others.
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