The folks at Mashable love to measure buzz, twits and general internet exposure, and they’ve come up with a few graphs that show how the automakers are weathering the current unpleasantness. And they show that (by the numbers, anyway) Ford is the most new-media savvy of the American automakers. Which means that on the straightforward (and questionably effective) metrics, Ford comes out on top. Most Twitter followers. Most Twitter updates. Most Youtube video tags. Most Flickr photos. Stop me if you’re getting too excited. But despite the huge numerical advantages that Ford boasts in the YouTwitosphere, the most interesting fact is that Ford is the least-covered automaker in actual news stories but most-covered in blog posts. Which means a lot of Ford’s measurable popularity might be attributable to the lack of bad news about it in the mainstream media. Not taking a bailout probably helped, too. Either way, you can’t help but wonder what the benefit really is of most of this “new marketing.”
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The video is mostly feet and asphalt. Not sure what is says about Ford.
gosh, I want to follow ford on twitter!
The old fashioned establishment Blogs are knocking twitter. I love it.
Ford may generate more blog posts because it has just introduced a new Fusion, Fusion Hybrid and Mustang. There are also more interesting new models just around the horizon (Fiesta, new Focus).
All of those models appeal to younger customers who are more likely to get their news from the net.
And Ford has done a pretty good job of fanning interest in the new Fiesta.
Chrysler really doesn’t have much in the hopper at this point. GM has a new Camaro, but its other big new model introduction is the Buick LaCrosse, which isn’t likely to appeal to 20- or even 30-somethings.
A wise man once said there is no such thing as bad publicity.
I think the success or failure of the Fiesta will speak volumes about the effectiveness of Internet buzz marketing. I’m sure there have been other similar efforts to Ford’s fiestamovement, but I can’t think of any that were so Internet-centric and trying to drive such a large purchase.
Then again, they’re putting a lot of work in now for a car that won’t go on sale until 2010. Nuts to that. The Internet is a good place to build buzz, for sure, but it’s NOT a good place to get people revved up for something and have them wait patiently with their dollars. A year is a long long time, an eternity in Internet time. I think Ford’s timing on this is their biggest mistake – by the time the Fiesta actually goes on sale, it’ll be old, old news and netizens may consider it passe. Wasting all the buzz…
Either way, you can’t help but wonder what the benefit really is of most of this “new marketing.”
It sure as hell isn’t going to hurt. It seems like years now that we have been talking about Ford winning The Last Man standing prize. So far, all indications continue to point that way.
It is interesting, BTW, that Ford hasn’t yet sold Volvo off to a Chinese mail order bride. Maybe the hardy souls in Dearborn realize that giving a Chinese company a set of keys to the global car marketplace is a decision they would later regret.
Gooooo YouTwits! :::shakes pom-poms:::
Ford is successfully taking a few years (months) off it’s demographics. Look at how many crappy Foci were sold last year by Sync. I believe something like 40% of them had it, and it ain’t cheap.
I don’t see anyone else, except maybe Honda a little with the Insight intro, really doing a decent job at that. Even the Prius is now the Buick of Hybrids compared to the Insight.
Ironic when you look at Scion and their supposed youth oriented line that they really suck at the internet stuff.
I’m kind of suprised…they got this result in the midst of the Camara/Volt everhype?
BTW, I was annoyed by the length of the intros for those cars (still waiting Volt), but it seems to have worked a charm in the Camaro’s case. I’d be suprised if that hasn’t affected Ford’s plans on when to start really pushing the Fiesta. We may just have to consign ourselves to the new order of things if it continues to get good results.
In the end I’d say the early reveal is more honest, and reveals more useful information, than the old long and slow spy-camera stripshow.
I want to see how the Fiesta sells to see if this whole “new marketing” pays off compared basic Nascar/Baseball/TV adds.
Although, if it sells well, I don’t credit the internets as much as it, well, being actually a good car.
And we can’t forget the non-stop monotonous coverage of everything Mustang over at Autoblog
Verbal:
A wise man once said there is no such thing as bad publicity.
Not when it comes to cars.
Exhibit A)
The Audi 5000 without shift-lock.
Exhibit B)
Ford Explorer with Firestone tires.
Done right, new media will be very successful.
Totally off topic, I couldn’t helping clicking on the Google ad for the site seeking to match up successful men with beautiful women. That’s the new media for you–no need to beat around the proverbial bush.
I’ve noticed that none of the Fiestas involved in any of the internet blitz ads I’ve seen are equipped with the Ford dual-clutch transmission the US version is supposed to get. Not even a mention of it.
Did Ford axe the idea, or is DCT talk just not cool enough for these ads?
The dual clutch transmission probably isn’t ready yet. Ford has to put them in their european models at least, if they want to stay competetive with VW.
Maybe someone can explain Twitter to an old fart like me. I have an account, and even have two followers – one I know, and one I never heard of.
What is Twitter good for? If I want to communicate with someone I know, I can IM them, or email them, or I don’t know, call them. Twitter doesn’t even keep one busy with stupid quizzes like fb. Or is that the attraction?
A wise man once said there is no such thing as bad publicity.
That is 20th-century PR fallacy. There most definitely IS such a thing. And the interwebs are a bad publicity accelerator/magnifying glass.
The two examples cited above to point. There are many other non-auto related examples as well (Peanut Corporation of America comes to mind).
The dual clutch transmission probably isn’t ready yet.
If it’s not ready yet, Ford better get its ass in gear.
Nothing would sink the Fiesta in the US faster than launching it with some old school 4-spd auto like GM did with the Astra (As a $1300 option no less).
I hate this stuff. Twitter, Mashups, the 99% of Youtube that’s just awful. And it gets worse when it’s corporate. why doesn’t Ford do an Alternate Reality Game while they’re at it? They would be the favorite car of 12 year olds, WoW players, and shut-ins.
And get off my lawn!
“Either way, you can’t help but wonder what the benefit really is of most of this “new marketing.”
It’s how the kids communicate today. I call my son’s generation (he’s 24 – but basically the 16 to 25 year old group) the matrix – they’re all plugged-in together similar to the movie The Matrix.
They all document their lives on Facebook and other similar sites, they all have blogs, they all have internet equipped phones, they all twitter; basically their entire social life revolves around the internet.
It’s not “new marketing”; it’s old marketing targeted a little differently, that’s all.
I’ve noticed that none of the Fiestas involved in any of the internet blitz ads I’ve seen are equipped with the Ford dual-clutch transmission the US version is supposed to get. Not even a mention of it.
Did Ford axe the idea, or is DCT talk just not cool enough for these ads?
I looked through some of the videos and noticed the same thing. I wonder what the motive was behind ensure all of the vehicles are manual and that does who didn’t know would learn. Is it to see if younger buyers who are not familiar with a manual transmission would be willing to learn if taught how (At 20, maybe 10% of the people I know around my age can drive a vehicle with a manual transmission, those who know it prefer it). Or is it simply because the automatic version is not ready yet as another user mentioned? I understand that Top Gear is somewhat of a curse word around here but I do recall a video where they showered the “new” Ford Fiesta with praise and even bothered to have a C6 Corvette chase it through a mall (the C6 suffered from massive oversteer), looked like a fun economical car.
One word for all of this….Jim Farley
As soon as someone identifies something as “new marketing” it isn’t new anymore. AM radio to FM stereo to broadcast TV to Cable TV to product placement and magazine and newspaper advertising. These have all given up a significant portion of their share-of-voice to online banner advertising, search marketing to podcasting to social marketing to mobile text marketing to iPhone applications. Marketing has always been changing and always will.
I guess this is just me, but I saw a picture a few days ago, I think in the WSJ, of six small kids in sitting in the trunk of a small car. This was in Pakistan; their area was in the war zone with the Taliban and Pakistani army fighting, so they were being evacuated. It’s like this or worse in large parts of the world. While here, our teens or whatever with their video-equipped cell phones are giggling over a new car. They’re not working a job or sweating their student duties. Just living their excessive consumptive lives. There’s something disgusting about this.
I think Ford’s marketing strategy with the Fiesta is brilliant and a perfect match for the vehicle, notwithstanding the quality of this particular video.
“Then again, they’re putting a lot of work in now for a car that won’t go on sale until 2010. Nuts to that. The Internet is a good place to build buzz, for sure, but it’s NOT a good place to get people revved up for something and have them wait patiently with their dollars. A year is a long long time, an eternity in Internet time. I think Ford’s timing on this is their biggest mistake – by the time the Fiesta actually goes on sale, it’ll be old, old news and netizens may consider it passe. Wasting all the buzz…”
Hence why it is called Ford’s Camaro.
Ford really has been stupid with this Fiesta. It’s like the car that never gets here…which is funny because Ford states that they are hardly changing anything. Well, IF that’s the case, why so long to get here?
Now, I realize that some are under the fallacy that Ford cannot sell the car here because the factory, being built in Mexico, isn’t done yet. So? The factory is done and the Fiesta is burning up the sales charts in Europe. Why can’t Ford import the Fiesta? They are going to import that stupid Transit Connect thingy from Turkey.
Ford went down this path after the unauthorized SportKa commercials were virally spread. The “Evil Twin” cat ads, if you don’t know about them. The Fiesta PR is less spontaneous, but it seems to be working well enough if you consider the cost. For 100 cars, depreciation, gas and insurance is probably much less than a regular TV ad buy.
I plan on going to the Fiesta test drive in DC during the Memorial Day weekend just for kicks, so I guess they sold me to at least give it a try.
Coming from a Ford salesman, I can tell you that the main objective is to keep our name in front of customers. To be effective Ford needs to accomplish 2 things:
1) Build quality vehicles with features that people want
2) Keep your name in people’s minds as much as you can.
I am trying to do the same thing as a salesman. I have to do a good job for my customers and I have to make sure they remember me (hopefully in a positive fashion) for the next time they are in the market, or someone that they know is. This new type of marketing is just another way to do that.
I also like the idea that I can reach many people regularly via electronic media without resorting to all that paper and postage (and the resulting drain on the environment).
As we are mostly featuring our newer, smaller and more fuel efficient cars through these types of campaigns, I am really hoping that we will see a real shift in the demand for smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles.
Sure, I’ll sell you an Expedition (because if I don’t, the guy down the street will), but I would rather see my customers looking for these fuel efficient vehicles.
I’m glad now that Ford is coming out with these types of products that are well made and a good value rather than manufacturing them as a cafe standard afterthought.
Marketing in this manner is, dare I say it, smart.
Seriously when you think about it, one of the perks of advertsing on the web is that it’s free. Anyone can do it, but so can big companies for little to no money. How many people here record tv shows on PVRs and fast forward through commericals? I know I do. Old fashioned (i.e. TV, Print, billboards, etc) advertising is becoming less and less prevalent, especially with the demographic that is being targeted.
I also think Ford is not going after the middle aged crowd and older folks. They probably see, quite wisely, that generation were the ones who got stuck with the lemons of the past and will be very difficult to change their opinions on Ford products. Go after the kids, the ones buying their first car, many of which don’t have a whole lot of brand loyality.
Some of the Fiesta videos are far superior to others, but I suppose part of the beauty of giving a large number away is that there will be a lot of buzz appealing to a lot of tastes.
I like the internet buzz idea, and a year lead in isn’t a bad idea for something that is as large a purchase as a car is, especially one targeted towards younger or first time buyers, who tend to start looking/anticipating further ahead than older buyers, and who may need the extra lead time to save up for that down payment.
That being said, traditional media shouldn’t be forgotten, and I’d like to see Ford run more ads similar to what Chevy has been doing with the Traverse, comparing it side by side with the competition and showing why it is better. Showing a Lincoln MKZ zooming around coming out of a comet is cool, but I bet it would drive more sales to put it next to a Lexus ES350 and show how it offers more of everything for thousands less, hell, that’s what Lexus did to get their start way back when.
Good for them! It is kind of a neat little car. A neat little American small car – why not?
Michael Karesh :
Done right, new media will be very successful.
Totally off topic, I couldn’t helping clicking on the Google ad for the site seeking to match up successful men with beautiful women. That’s the new media for you–no need to beat around the proverbial bush.
I wish I had that ad!
Seth L :
I hate this stuff. Twitter, Mashups, the 99% of Youtube that’s just awful. And it gets worse when it’s corporate. why doesn’t Ford do an Alternate Reality Game while they’re at it? They would be the favorite car of 12 year olds, WoW players, and shut-ins.
And get off my lawn!
Hahahahaha!
When I was in grade school, there was an old guy who lived in the house right next to the playground. That was his line anytime one of us ran over to get our ball or frisbee back! Whatever would possess somebody who didn’t like kids to move right next to a school?
I found this video to be possibly the most boring thing I’ve seen on YouBoob to date. So boring, I think I need to go take a nap. I hope this is not typical of corporate twit/blogs!
I guess it’s not so bad. Luckily for me it’s after midnight anyhow…
It’s ssdd. Nothing has changed since before the time of “Pig Pen, this here’s Rubber Duck and we’ve got ourselves a convoy.”
That sold a lot of Motorolas.
Then came pages and pages of text on your cable tv. That got hype, lots of messaging, and created nothing.
AOL Chat. “Age/Sex?” Lots of products got hyped on AOL and Prodigy Chat. And it did … uh, oh, the same as having products placed on various SIM environments, which did the same as corporate sponsorship of Second Life.
Does anyone give a crap about Second Life anymore? No. So all the hype about Ford matters little and here’s why.
The only people who have time to “invest” in online marketing efforts as “consumers” obviously place no value on their time. If they did, they’d be doing something productive. If they’re doing something productive, they can’t afford to waste time consuming online marketing efforts.
Brittni Taylor is quite the interesting person, very outgoing.
This goes beyond bad – this is sad
Please file under Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.
I want that entire 4:14 of my life back.
In order to win teh intarnetz, Ford has to capture the hearts and minds of /b/.
Wonder how that’s going?