digital frontier
Be where they love you
Challenge
The goal was to launch the 2011 Ford Explorer in a fresh and innovative way to reintroduce this iconic vehicle. The Ford Explorer had always been an essential part of Ford's portfolio, and with its redesign, a new approach was necessary to signal that something was different and exciting.
Opportunity
Before the 2011 Ford Explorer launch, traditional media strategies involved a full-scale media blitz, utilizing broadcast, email, out-of-home ads, and radio spots. However, times have been changing, particularly with the rise of social media platforms like Facebook. At that time, many companies had not yet considered organizing their brands on these platforms. I observed over 20 individual groups of Explorer enthusiasts on Facebook, ranging from 500 to 10,000 fans each. Ford did not have dedicated vehicle or brand pages at that point, which presented an opportunity to bring these passionate fans together under a single Ford Explorer fan page. By consolidating the conversation into one stream, I was able to engage with an audience that genuinely cared, as opposed to the impersonal nature of traditional broadcast ads. The real advantage was the ability to showcase the new Explorer to those who were most interested, significantly reducing the media dollars needed for the reveal. This marked a major paradigm shift where digital media became the leading platform for communication, changing Ford's approach moving forward. I had the privilege of collaborating with the renowned Scott Monty, who led the reveal to launch. It was another significant shift in our thinking. The reveal occurred on Facebook, and there was about a three-month gap between this reveal and the official launch. By the launch date, our unified group had generated a substantial groundswell of enthusiasm, leading to a flood of pre-orders at dealerships. On the day of the launch, we partnered with Mike Rowe, who broadcast live from Times Square with the Explorer. All launch media was exclusively digital, and after the initial rollout, we continued to leverage digital platforms with highly focused messaging, implementing a CRM system for customer retention and conquest. Eventually, traditional broadcast media was utilized to support retail efforts. This represented a significant shift in our strategy and approach.
Insight
The strategic approach centered around the idea of “connecting with those who already care”. The insight focused on a large group of socially active and passionate enthusiasts. This became a rallying point that allowed us to concentrate on engagement, education, and entertainment. By prioritizing these pillars, we were able to create content that satisfied an audience eager for more information and resources. This approach also introduced a new strategy in my toolkit: connect, collaborate, and then create. These three distinct social approaches emerged from this realization leading up to the launch.
Strategy
From this, I developed a strategy titled "Reveal to Launch Sustainment," which was supported by data illustrating how media dollars and key moments would be utilized. This approach, first implemented for the 2011 Ford Explorer launch, became a template for every launch I worked on thereafter. I continuously asked myself, "Why not?" This mindset led to case studies being written on behalf of Facebook, as well as a mention in the Harvard Business Review.