Ford to offer 100,000 test drives as part of Fiesta Movement
Euro spec Ford Fiesta – Click above for high-res image gallery
Ford is pulling out all of the marketing stops with its Ford Fiesta. The Blue Oval has already given 100 lucky Fiesta Movement contest winners a free six month lease of a Euro spec Fiesta, including free gas and some interesting Ford-sponsored excursions. That's not nearly enough customer interaction for the Dearborn automaker, however, as evidenced by its desire to log 100,000 test drives before the North American spec Fiesta hits the market.
Ford is traveling to 100 cities in total, with five teams of five Euro spec Fiestas permeating all parts of the USA. Ford will also offer free wireless Internet at the drive sites, giving test drivers the ability to blog about their Fiesta experience in real-time. And Ford won't simply show up in big cities like LA and Chicago, as some rural locations are being planned. Ford also plans to show up unannounced at high traffic areas like amusement parks and college campuses.
Hit the jump to read the official Ford press release.
Gallery: Ford Fiesta in NYC
[Source: Ford]
PRESS RELEASE:
DEARBORN, Mich., May 11, 2009 – Ford is launching an aggressive eight-month consumer grassroots test drive tour as part of the Fiesta Movement, the company's social media campaign to build awareness for the new Fiesta launching next year.
"The Fiesta Movement is about bringing a fuel-efficient, fun new car to the people to experience," Connie Fontaine, Ford Brand Content and Alliance Manager. "Our goal is to conduct 100,000 consumer test drives by the time that we reveal the North American production version later this year."
From May to December, five regional test drive teams representing the Fiesta Movement will travel across the country to engage consumers with the opportunity to test drive a European-specification Fiesta. The teams will visit at least 100 cities over the eight months, with a goal of 100,000 test drives overall. Stops will be in small towns and big cities, as well as at major and regional events and festivals.
Along with the vehicle drives, each test drive location will be a free wireless internet hotspot for visitors. This will allow visitors to share their Fiesta experiences immediately following the drive, providing the online community real-time updates about the test-drive events.
"Providing digital capabilities at each test drive location is symbolic of the way that the Fiesta Movement connects consumers to each other and facilitates two-way communication between Ford and potential customers," Fontaine explained. "This campaign is about providing honest reviews and accessible outlets to promote and learn about the Fiesta."
Five teams comprised of five Ford Fiestas that will criss-crossing the country from event to event. For the larger major events, multiple test drive teams will pair up in order to meet higher consumer traffic and demand. Other stops will be set up by individual teams working to "intercept" consumers at locations such as amusement parks, shopping centers, college campuses and other high-traffic areas.
Those who complete a test drive will receive a downloadable music playlist that was compiled with the Fiesta and its audience in mind. Test drivers also will be eligible to win the grand prize – two all-expense paid trips for two to attend top music festivals in Chicago, New Orleans and Indio, Calif. Trips also include VIP/backstage passes and VIP access to Spin magazine's after party for the events selected.
Information about drive stops, including monthly calendars, is available on www.fiestamovement.com under the "Ride & Drive" section. Visitors to the site can also sign up to receive test drive updates, as they become available.
The Fiesta Movement
These drives are just one element of the Fiesta Movement. In April, Ford selected 100 trendsetters who will test drive and "live" with a European version of the Ford Fiesta for six months, traveling as an "agent" on special "missions" and relating their experiences through a variety of social media platforms.
More than 4,100 people applied for the chance to be part of the Movement and a large majority created videos for YouTube, which have already garnered an excess of one million total views.
The chosen agents are socially vibrant, unique and able to tell a good story. They come from all across the country and work in a variety of occupations. But most importantly, they have established social networks with a strong Web presence. Most have hundreds, if not thousands, of Facebook friends. There also are thousands of people following them on Twitter, YouTube, MySpace and other social networking sites. Overall, the agents have a combined reach of over four million people.
This month, each Fiesta Movement agent chose their first monthly mission. Based on the theme of travel, all of the missions are designed to engage with people in their Ford Fiesta. The adventures include recreating travel scenes from famous movies, taking friends on road trips, turning the Fiesta into an ice cream truck or hosting a "fiesta" inside the Fiesta. Agents will then generate content based on their mission to share with their social networks. Future themes include technology, social activism, adventure, style & design and entertainment.
About Fiesta
In Europe, the Fiesta name has long been synonymous with outstanding driving dynamics, design and value. The all-new Ford Fiesta is taking that three-decade heritage to U.S. consumers for the first time.
The Fiesta already is a hit in Europe and Asia, where it went on sale last year and earlier this year, respectively. With this year's European sales now totaling over 108,000, the Fiesta is the best-selling Ford model in Europe so far in 2009. Since it made its debut in August 2008, sales of the new Fiesta have totaled almost 170,000 and the car already is making a significant contribution to Ford of Europe's market share improvement. Early response from buyers in China and other Asia-Pacific markets also is outstripping company expectations.
In March, the Fiesta overtook the Volkswagen Golf as Europe's most popular model, outselling the Golf by more than 6,000 units. The Fiesta is now the company's fastest-selling model ever, with the 250,000th vehicle coming off the Cologne, Germany assembly line just nine months after the car went on sale.
In 2010, the Fiesta will be produced at plants in North America, Europe and Asia for sale in markets around the world. The Fiesta for the North American market will be built at Ford's assembly plant in Cuautitlan, Mexico.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Kumail 7:34PM (5/14/2009)
Definitely going.
Reply
Leo M. 8:21PM (5/14/2009)
damn, I really like this car
seriously!
I grew up in Europe (now live in the US) and this car is a beacon of hope for Ford USA. Let's hope they don't screw this up! This is a Ford here in the U.S. that I wouldn't mind driving every day if it truly performs as it should.
adrian 7:02AM (5/15/2009)
GM could learn from this and do the same for the Opel range of cars.
sparrk 9:31AM (5/15/2009)
Opel already has Astra and Corsa
StanleyVanBuren 7:49PM (5/14/2009)
This is all great up until the point where they ruin the US-market version.
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Brian 7:52PM (5/14/2009)
like they did with the Focus?
C.W. 8:19AM (5/15/2009)
doesnt it get annoying regurgitating the same response for anything related to new product from Ford?
it gets annoying reading them for sure.
our version here will be almost exactly like this one. accept it. go with it. test drive it. love it.
BIlly Elliot 9:52AM (5/15/2009)
We'll see how it turns out. They're changing the front end of the car to meet US crash standards and regulations. I've heard it's getting the "mach 3" treatment as well. But if it doesn't pick up the new grill, it's still getting new headlights/bumper. How much it changes from the euro spec time will tell.
But I hope they keep the same close ratio 5 speed.
mightyzeus73 7:55PM (5/14/2009)
What Is The Purpose Of Marketing A Car To The People Here In The States That We Will Never Get To Own? Everyone Knows The Fiesta That Will Be Sold Here Wont Be This One
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Sean 8:16PM (5/14/2009)
Where are they going!?
mdmadph 11:05AM (5/15/2009)
What Is The Point Of Capitalizing Each Word You Type?
IreneRojas 8:01PM (5/14/2009)
They were here in Columbia, MO a few days ago. It's a cute car.
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DJ_Swammi 8:01PM (5/14/2009)
Fiesta Movement? Isn't that what happens after you eat Mexican food?
/is that an old joke around here yet?
//should be
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Reimer 8:03PM (5/14/2009)
This fiesta movement is great and all,but why is nothing happening in Canada?Seeing as I'm not going to go to the states to test drive a car I guess I'll have to wait till they hit the market :(
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Silly Pickle 7:42AM (5/15/2009)
My guess is because we already buy small cars enmasse (sic?) they don't need to do any advert or special promotions here. It'll sell on its own. I wish they'd do something too, seeing as small cars outsell big ones here by a significant margin. Isn't the Corolla or Mazda 3 or Civic usually the top 3 selling vehicles in Canada? I hope for Ford's sake they kick a$$ with this one. Even if it is in a smaller category to those others.
I actually quite like the looks of the car in pics, so hopefully that translates better in reality. Some cars (Fusion) don't look great in photos but in reality they are much nicer. I could definitely use one (Fiesta) for daily work and back driving. So long as they actually get more than 40 mpg avg.
Farmboy 8:04PM (5/14/2009)
Dear Ford,
Please don't F*** this up!
Dear God,
Please don't let Ford F*** this up!!!
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jinsei888 8:05PM (5/14/2009)
there was one here in San Francsico last week. cool here, and yes it WILL be sold here in that chassis and external body. deal with it noobs
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compy386 8:49PM (5/14/2009)
As far as I've been told by people internal to Ford, the only things that will change other than regulatory requirements are the nav responses going from boot and bonnet to trunk and hood.
amg 8:15PM (5/14/2009)
Seems kinda nice. Does it share the same chassis as the Mazda 3?
I wish the damn Euros would install some traffic lights in their cities and get rid of the stupid pedestrian impact regulations that are making all the new cars so damn tall and goofy looking.
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EU_reader 9:02PM (5/14/2009)
Are you retarded or something?
Tall in what way? Every hatchback looks like this. You don't need a 6" hood for an all-in-one FWD setup. Oh, and I suppose your trucks aren't tall then?
Besides, this does wonders for practicallity. I'm 6"+ myself, and I don't want to be folding myself away in a 'low' car, whatever that may be (lotus elise?)
And we do have traffic lights, genius. Take a look at whatever photograph from any city here. But we only drive around in cities, right? No one ever goes into a residential area, small town, or accidentaliy swirves of the road into a pedestrian crossing while on the phone or playing with the gps.
Also, Aston Martin, bmw Z4, they all comply with the same pedestrian standards, so what's the big deal.
ONTOPIC: they're already plenty of those driving around here in my area, can't wait to get my hands on one. Funky little cars. Fiat 500 and the likes are all nice and such, but at the end of the day you get more car for the same price with these Fiestas.