Ford Blends Digital with Branded Content
Each generation has seen different ways companies try to market their products. Today social media is leading the charge. For businesses trying to sell their brand to the younger generation, companies have to turn their focus to social media platforms and focus less on billboards, newspapers, and TV ads. When asked the question “How has this digital investment grown in recent years” Kelly responded with “It’s grown tremendously. We’re putting more and more money into digital, but also not online and offline integrated programs.” (Kelly, 2014).
In 2011 Ford launched the Explorer Live campaign. The new car was launched on Facebook, as well as live streams from launch events around the country. Kelly stated that this form of marketing tactic was bigger, smarter, cost-effective in ways to engage consumers. Ford compared this event to a Super Bowl ad. Many automakers are buying to have their brand noticed during the Super Bowl at a high cost. Explorer Live isolated their competition making their product the key focus reaching more viewers and at a lower cost.
All companies face challenges of the economy. Consumers only have so much money to spend on vehicles. Automakers need to get out in front of their competition; all car makers are offering the same vehicles, but they need that thing to separate them from the competition. The goal would be to try and reach as many potential customers as possible by spending the less amount of money.
What made Ford’s strategy so effective is Facebook. DitalBuzzBlog.com stated that “Facebook is used by 1 in every 13 people on earth. (digitalbuzzblog.com, 2011). This number is back from January of 2011. Figuring out whether the strategy was effective or not they looked at online conversations, researcher done on the Explorer through third party sites, and what are the conversations like on Facebook. Comparing Explorer Live to the Fiesta Movement the Explorer Live, the company gained more likes on Facebook.
People might only associate social media with Facebook and Twitter.
Learning more about how to market your brand through social media seems to be the must these days. For me knowing that this form of marketing is working shows that social media can be useful and if I want a future as a trainer I need to use some of the same tactics and strategies that companies like Ford are doing to market their brand amongst the globe.
Curious to see what Ford Social has got cooking take a look.
References
Facebook Statistics, Stats & Facts For 2011. (2011, January 11). Retrieved January 5, 2017, from http://www.digitalbuzzblog.com/facebook-statistics-stats-facts-2011/
Kelly, S. (2011, March 4). Ford Blends Digital with Branded Content [Web log post]. Retrieved January 5, 2017, from https://www.emarketer.com/Article/Ford-Blends-Digital-with-Branded-Content/1008262
Photo Credit. Auto blog http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/11/2011-ford-explorer-limited-review-road-test/
There’s something happening here at Ford. https://social.ford.com/content/fordsocial/en/home-page.html
Will Coons 