NATIONAL worked with Ford Motor Company of Canada Ltd. in May 2016 to help it launch its new 2107 Ford Escape. As one of the top-selling SUVs in Canada, Ford needed to maintain the vehicle’s resonance with its millennial consumers, while overcoming the challenge of limited new vehicle features.
Ask
NATIONAL was asked to generate earned coverage for Ford Escape beyond automotive media and improve purchase consideration and reputation among millennials. The idea was to build an emotional connection with the Ford Escape by having millennial influencers try out the SUV and provide trend-focused lifestyle content that showcased the Ford Escape as a vehicle that can go anywhere.
Execution
NATIONAL engaged 12 GTA-based influencers with national reach to join four Ford community managers to participate in a 48-hour, weekend road trip. Four different routes were identified and the trips were thoughtfully curated, offering cultural and historic touchpoints that were shared on social channels. Post-road trip events were also offered, including a video provided to participants, which generated more content.
Impact
The campaign was a success – 21 million potential social media impressions; 19.3 million potential Twitter impressions; 4,336 tweets; 434 publishers; 2362 retweets and 1.5 million impressions via Instagram. Ford #EscapeandDiscover trended over three days on social media.