Ford recreating Fiesta Movement with Fusion 41 program
2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid – Click above for high-res image gallery
Ford is diving into the burgeoning social media world head first. Based on the success of its Fiesta Movement, the Blue Oval has decided to launch a new program called Fusion 41 – so named because of the Fusion Hybrid's 41 mile-per-gallon EPA estimate in the city and the fact that Ford is looking for 41 participants to take part in its new game.
A total of eight Fusion or Fusion Hybrid owners will be chosen from all applicants received based on their social media presence, and those drivers will each choose four friends or family members to join their team. Ford will then hand out assignments that must be completed with photo and video proof that is to be uploaded to the driver's Facebook profile. Ford is calling the program an "automotive relay race," whatever that means.
So, what's the incentive to participate? For starters, each team will be given a new Fusion for the challenge, and the winning team captain will have their own Fusion or Fusion Hybrid paid off by Ford. Not bad, eh? Plus, participating team members from the winning group will earn free gas for one full year. Want to know more? Click past the break for the press release and visit www.fusion41.com before November 6th to enter the contest.
Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
[Source: Ford]
PRESS RELEASE
FORD LOOKING FOR 2010 FUSION OWNERS FOR UNIQUE CONSUMER PROGRAM
* Ford is seeking 2010 Fusion and Fusion Hybrid owners to participate in Fusion 41, an automotive relay race designed to build awareness and excitement around the all-new Fusion; the Fusion owner of the winning team will have their vehicle paid off, and team members will win free gas for one year
* Interested applicants must be passionate about their Fusion and have a compelling desire and ability to spread the word about it on social media sites; to apply, visit www.fusion41.com
* Fusion 41 is an extension of the Ford Drive One campaign, which focuses on customers sharing all the cool and positive experiences they're having with their new vehicle
DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 21, 2009 – Ford Motor Company is conducting a nationwide search for passionate 2010 Fusion and Fusion Hybrid owners to participate in Fusion 41, a consumer program designed to build awareness and excitement around the all-new 2010 Ford Fusion.
The Fusion 41 program – named for the unsurpassed 41 mpg fuel economy that makes Fusion America's most fuel-efficient midsize sedan, and the 41 participants – builds on the success of the Ford Drive One advertising campaign, which focuses on actual customers experiencing new Ford vehicles and sharing their stories with others. The Fusion 41 consumer story will come to life on the Internet, through social networking sites like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
How Fusion 41 works
Eight 2010 Fusion owners from throughout the country will be selected to participate in the Fusion 41 program. They will be chosen based on their passion for Fusion and their ability to share compelling information about the vehicle on the Internet. Applicants must have a current Facebook profile with a minimum of 100 friends and an active photo collection.
Each of the eight Fusion owners will then choose four friends or family members to join their team, and each team will be given a 2010 Ford Fusion or Fusion Hybrid to drive in an automotive relay race. To complete the relay, each team member must fulfill an assigned task within 41 hours, tracking competitive variables such as miles driven, stops made or the number of passengers picked up.
The winning team will be chosen based on their ability to complete the activities and provide proof by uploading photos and videos to various social media sites, including Facebook.
The Fusion owner of the winning team will have their vehicle paid off, and team members will win free gas for one year.
"Fusion 41 is a fun way to engage customers and get them talking about the all-new 2010 Fusion," said Jeff Eggen, Ford Car Experiential Marketing manager. "There's no better way to spread the word about our new products than by putting them into the hands of prospective customers and enabling them to experience our vehicles firsthand."
2010 Fusion owners interested in competing in Fusion 41 may apply at www.fusion41.com between now and November 6.
Ford fuels social media
Research shows that social media sites are increasingly one of the best ways to reach out to consumers. Prior to the development of the Fusion 41 program, Ford expanded its presence on Facebook with a new application for its "Fusion + Hybrid" profile called "You Speak Green" that enables visitors to share their sustainable lifestyle suggestions. Since its launch in mid-July, more than 104,000 Facebook users have downloaded the application to their profile pages and 15,000 have posted tips.
Another example of Ford's groundbreaking social media outreach is its support of the Fiesta Movement campaign to promote the company's sporty, savvy new small car through social media agents. Agent postings have garnered significant numbers on social media sites, including more than 4.8 million YouTube views (www.fiestamovement.com), more than 600,000 Flickr views and more than 3.2 million Twitter impressions.
Fusion sales momentum
With its unsurpassed quality, best-in-class fuel economy, class-exclusive technologies and significant residual value improvement, the 2010 Ford Fusion is delivering the key attributes that midsize sedan buyers want. Even at a time when industry-wide sales of midsize cars are down 26 percent, sales of the new Fusion continue to grow. Through September, Fusion sales are up 15 percent compared to the same period a year ago, and the Fusion share of the midsize car segment is up 3.8 points versus a year ago.
2010 Fusion Hybrid sales account for almost 20 percent of the total Fusion retail sales. More than 60 percent of those sales have been to non-Ford owners, and more than half have been to customers coming from import brands, mostly Toyota and Honda.
Get a WordPress.com Blog
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
JDM Life 10:18AM (10/22/2009)
With all this Tokyo thing going on....i forgot about American cars for a sec there...
I saw a Fiesta the other day when i was driving to work. Looked okay....forgot what color it was tho and for some reason the driver didn't look happy or looked like he was enjoying the car....he had his had to his head and was leaning on the door....
Reply
airswingman 10:28AM (10/22/2009)
American carS ceoS , ivy gradS, bankruptcyS ,changeS ,lieS ,doesnt works....
C.W. 10:48AM (10/22/2009)
so his girlfriend just broke up with him .. big deal.
the Fiesta is the best looking B-car ... in the world (yes, i can say that). and according to all the reviews drives as good as the best of any smaller car.
i'm sure the dude loves his fiesta way more than anyone loves their toyota yaris or honda fit....
Matt 5:26AM (10/23/2009)
Could've just been unhappy about being stuck in traffic? Maybe he accidentally sharted?
JDM Life 10:47AM (10/23/2009)
c.w
LOL the Yaris and Fit look better and are more known and will always sell more. Sorry.
C.W. 1:54PM (10/28/2009)
".... and are more known"...
wow.
i rest my case.
you realize the Fiesta has a 40% recognition rate here in the U.S. already and it's not even for sale??? you realize it's among the most recognizable nameplates in the world right??? What makes you think the Fit and Yaris "are more known"???
you watch... they wont be able to build these things fast enough... not to mention the fit and finish, material quality and technology in the Fiesta blow the fit and yaris away... i know because i've driven Fit and Yaris, and saw the Fiesta in person at a recruiting event.
Smegley 10:21AM (10/22/2009)
If you have a strong "social media presence" then you are a moronic numbnut.
The Fiesta movement was interesting at first but has since become old. It should have been followed up with a late-summer/2009 introduction of the Fiesta. Since there is another year to go no one will care much when the car is finally release in North America - 2 years after its initial intro elsewhere.
Reply
Greg Aryous 10:39AM (10/22/2009)
So much mis-information its pathetic!
The new Fiesta has been released in Europe for less than 1-year, is just getting into the Asian market and will be revealed to the US market at the LA Auto Show this December and on sale by Q2 next year... just becasue sspy photoss have been out for a year doesn't make it old, unless you look at the Camaro thats been a tease for years!!!
As far as this social media thing being old, it is the latest marketing craze and is really just getting started, I guess you'd say the Internet is obsolete today too... you sound like such an old fart, get back to your readers digest and take another swig of Geratol...
Jim 10:43AM (10/22/2009)
"If you have a strong "social media presence" then you are a moronic numbnut."
no doubt. when they announce these things, they should say "offer is open to all annoying attention whores."
Smegley 1:37PM (10/22/2009)
Oh Greg Aryous is such a cool social media guy. I bet he even tweets! Woooowwww.
BTW, Aryous, Fiesta's out in europe about a year now, and won't be out here for about a year. You're such a cool, modern guy that your math may be different and so you label this misinfo, but most of the rest of the world that isn't so busy tweeting when the last time they took a dump was (as cool guys like you do) can actually add that 1 year plus 1 year equals 2 years.
Now you be a good kid and go back to eating your Barney chewable vitamins and waiting for the lastet Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga news, monkey boy.
Avinash machado 10:23AM (10/22/2009)
I think JDM Life thinks only Toyota\Lexus drivers enjoy their cars.
Reply
JDM Life 10:27AM (10/22/2009)
I never said anything of the sort or for that matter thought it.
Your like a child man...grow up.
Yaroukh 10:35AM (10/22/2009)
@JDM Life: Can you tell us then how can you tell whether one is enjoying his car or not? By a face expression?
Jim 10:44AM (10/22/2009)
"I never said anything of the sort or for that matter thought it.
Your like a child man...grow up."
you're the one who hinted that someone didn't like the Fiesta because of their facial expression. What do you expect?
Mitchell Scott 11:05AM (10/22/2009)
Well it would certainly be odd if someone with JDM in their username didn't like Toyota.
Farmboy 1:22PM (10/22/2009)
JDM Life told somebody to grow up. Maybe he needs to learn to practice what he preaches.
airswingman 10:27AM (10/22/2009)
American carS ceoS , ivy gradS, bankruptcyS ,changeS ,lieS ,doesnt works....
Reply
Avinash machado 10:52AM (10/22/2009)
Just shut up.
Luso 10:38AM (10/22/2009)
Ford bring that social concept to Europe!
Actually even better...
Ford start this social concept in Europe!
LOL
Reply
Luso 10:39AM (10/22/2009)
Ohhps not Ford, but Ferrari.
FERRARI start this social concept in Europe!
http://www.carnorama.com