Ford Edge Launches With Unprecedented Reach: 500 Million Consumer Impressions

December 21, 2006 | 9:17 am

DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ford (NYSE: F) is enlisting a Grammy-nominated hip hop artist, the star of Dreamgirls, an up and coming Canadian songwriter, full-size vehicle models, extensive TV ads and the company's biggest-ever digital marketing push to launch the all-new 2007 Ford Edge crossover, with a goal of making 500 million consumer impressions over the holiday weekend.

"Edge excitement has been building all year and now it's time to build showroom traffic," says Barry Engle, general manager, Ford Division Marketing. "The crossover segment is hot, and we've got the right product at the right time."

The Ford Edge, which is now arriving in showrooms, features five-passenger seating, a powerful 265-horsepower V-6 engine and exclusive features, like the panoramic "Vista-Roof(TM)," all of which will be featured in the advertising. The marketing and advertising campaign will crossover into every part of consumers' lives through Internet partnerships, TV ads and targeted print tie- ins, beginning on Dec. 24, 2006.

Cutting Edge Music

Cutting-edge music by up and coming stars and established artists will provide the soundtrack to the Edge marketing launch.

* The exciting electro-pop song "Miles 'n Miles" by Montreal-based singer/composer DEE is the soundtrack to the Edge TV commercial and the Internet home page, http://www.fordvehicles.com/edge . Since its debut on the site in mid-October, the song and wallpaper have been downloaded more than 29,000 times.

* High profile Korean music and soap opera star Ahn Jae Wook will appear in advertising targeting Asian American consumers, and a dance and rock remix of his hit song, "Forever," will be available on http://www.fordvehicles.com/asia .

* Ford Edge is sponsoring Rolling Stone magazine's top songs for 2006, which are downloadable, for 49 cents a song, at http://www.rollingstone.com/top100 .

* Radio commercials will feature Grammy Award-nominated artist Kelis singing her original song "Push it to the Edge." Consumers can check out Kelis and reviews at http://www.fordurban.com beginning in January.

* Ford Edge is also sponsoring the national contemporary gospel tour, Sisters in the Spirit, during the first quarter of 2007 and the Ebony Fashion Fair, the world's largest traveling fashion show.

* Hip hop DJ and car customization guru Funkmaster Flex will customize a Ford Edge that will appear at car customization events and concerts across the country beginning March 2007.

* Ford will sponsor a sweepstakes where the winner will see Grammy Award- winner and Golden Globe-nominee Beyonce Knowles perform live in Mexico. Beyonce's music will also be available as ringtones and other downloads at http://www.fordenespanol.com .

Digital Edge Drive Demands

The Edge launch marks Ford's biggest ever commitment to digital media. Already, more than 6,600 customers have downloaded full product brochures from http://www.fordvehicles.com . More than 29,000 consumers have downloaded the Edge wallpaper and anthem "Miles 'n Miles" by DEE and more than 350,000 consumers have "built" Edges on Ford's "build and price" Web site.

New digital marketing initiatives include:

* Custom web portal hubs on AOL and MSN that include the Net's newest content and social network techniques are now live.

* On AOL's AIM social networking pages, Ford is allowing consumers to "Find their Edge" and learn about the exciting hot spots of their favorite cities.

* Edge's equally large presence with "Ideas from the Edge" on MSN's Windows Local Live (http://www.fordedge.msn.com ) highlights great restaurants, entertainment, shopping and music and an Edge Bot to answer consumer questions.

* Advertising takeovers of the homepages of three of the highest trafficked sites: MSN, Yahoo! and AOL.

* In the Asian market, Ford is taking over sites such as sina.com and goldsea.com with the industry's largest digital presence ever in Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese.

* A Web site that consumers can access from their mobile phone to download wallpaper, the Edge launch video and product information.

* Edge brand messaging is integrated across a variety of console-based (XBox Live/Xbox 360) and PC games when connected to the Internet. For example, an Edge "billboard" may be visible on an outfield wall in the Major League Baseball 2K6 game.

Edge Takes Over The Airwaves

Ford will be running an aggressive schedule of television advertisements beginning Dec. 24.

* The first of four Ford Edge commercials on network television appears during Ford's exclusive sponsorship of the NFL on FOX pre-game show.

* Heavy television advertising media has been purchased on Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese networks such as KSCI, Skylink, Taipei International and Saigon TV.

* To reach Latin and Hispanic consumers, Edge will be featured on Unvision's Sabado Gigante and Belleza Latina; Telemundo's Vas o No Vas and Dame Chocolate, and Galavision's Decorando Contigo and Mision Reportar.

* In January, Dish Network users will be able to interact with a "live" area embedded within the commercial to create a dynamic consumer experience and provide a link to deeper branding/vehicle content.

* Ford is working with nationally syndicated radio personalities Steve Harvey and Tom Joyner that reach millions of listeners everyday on special promotions that will include vehicle giveaways. Staff members of the show also will be driving the vehicle and sharing their experiences with the audience.

Edge Outdoors

* Outdoor boards featuring life-size foam Edges will appear in nine major cities, including Dallas, Atlanta, New York and San Francisco. Ford is also sponsoring urban graffiti murals and wallscapes in Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago and New York.

* Leading up to and including New Year's Eve, Ford will sponsor ABC-TV's 585 square foot Super Sign in New York City's Times Square -- the largest curved electronic billboard in the world. More than 1.7 million people pass through Times Square every day, and more than 500,000 revelers visit on New Year's Eve.

* Larger than life Edges will be projected on nighttime urban landscapes in eight markets including Boston, Miami and San Francisco.

About the Edge

Bold American design distinguishes the 2007 Ford Edge in the red-hot crossover utility vehicle market -- along with a dynamic driving character and innovative features. Equipped with an all-new 265-horsepower V-6 engine and 6- speed automatic transmission, Edge will deliver performance, quietness and fuel efficiency. Ford Edge has impressive fuel economy of 25 mpg on the highway.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures and distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With about 300,000 employees and more than 100 plants worldwide, the company's core and affiliated automotive brands include Aston Martin, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury and Volvo. Its automotive- related services include Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit http://www.fordvehicles.com .