- The new Ford Explorer Go Do Adventures campaign comes to life today with the first webisode featuring a California family taking an all-new Ford Explorer to the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii
- Consumers were asked to suggest how they would use an Explorer to create their own unique adventure, with entries submitted in the form of essays, photos and videos through www.facebook.com/FordExplorer
- The latest chapter in the launch of the reinvented Ford Explorer builds on the success of the vehicle and its launch campaign, integrating a range of online media, from the live reveal to ongoing dialogue on Facebook
NEW YORK, April 20, 2011 The all-new Ford Explorer can handle just about any kind of terrain, but the first webisode of the Go Do Adventures campaign shows this sport utility vehicle can help make dreams come true, as well.
Fords new Go Do Adventures program invites consumers to suggest how they would use an Explorer to create their own unique adventure. Those people whose ideas are selected will then be able to live out their dream adventure, courtesy of Explorer.
This particular entry provided us with a way to really show consumers what Go Do Adventures is all about especially with the background being Hawaii, said Kevin Schebil, Ford experiential marketing manager. It seemed compelling as a celebration for the family and as a way to show the back-road, adventurous nature of the new Explorer.
This first video webisode features a California family on a once-in-a-lifetime Hawaiian adventure. It is the first in a series that will run through the end of the year.
The Asdel family from Northern California wanted nothing more than to escape the cold winter and head to the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, to bodysurf and dive with the sea turtles of Laniakea. An all-new Ford Explorer took them there, traveling from the paved highways on the island all the way to the dirt roads leading to the secluded beach.
Once there, a legendary North Shore lifeguard, Mark Cunningham, offered the family a backstage pass to the North Shore and took them out to the Wiamea Shorebreak for a lesson in bodysurfing. He also gave them an overview of Kaena Point and the number of protected species that reside there. The Asdels made sure to document the adventure with plenty of pictures, which they were able to download back on land into the MyFord Touch system in their Explorer.
The trip proved especially meaningful for the family, since theyre going their separate ways in the coming month. The father is heading to Puerto Rico to continue his studies in dentistry, his daughter is returning to college and the son is traveling to Guatemala for mission work. Check out the webisode here: www.facebook.com/FordExplorer.
Whats your adventure?
Consumers can submit stories in the form of essays, photos and videos through www.facebook.com/FordExplorer. Ideas can be entered up until November, with more than 850 entries already submitted. In the last 30 days, more than 60,000 people have visited the wall on the Explorer Facebook page and more than 46,000 have visited the Go Do Adventures Facebook page.
Additionally, through collaboration with Outside Media and its network of unique assets, the webisode will be uploaded to the Facebook page for Outside Magazine and Outside TV. Running through the rest of the year, Go Do Adventures will include the creation of up to 10 adventures. Ultimately, they will be developed into a TV special.
Building on success
The current marketing campaign for the reinvented 2011 Explorer, Go Do, is an innovative example of how a consumer-oriented approach can influence advertising and generate online discussion. It began with the Ford Explorer Facebook engagement that showed the all-new SUVs live Facebook reveal last July 26.
The Go Do campaign continued evolving through Facebook as Ford engaged fans and prospective Explorer customers in one-on-one conversations using texts, videos and images. This led to significant Facebook growth more than 138,000 fans and growing and increased anticipation for the new Explorer. Explorer fans also can get real-time answers from Ford experts as well as view video responses from engineers and celebrities such as Bret Michaels and Snoop Dogg.
The unfiltered feedback influenced more traditional aspects of the campaign, including TV and print advertising. The result is an unscripted, organic look at American families and the American road trip, with a mini-documentary feel to TV spots.
To see more of the creative work and how the reinvented Ford Explorer is changing the way consumers think about SUVs, log on to www.ford.com/explorer or www.facebook.com/fordexplorer.
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About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 164,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.