Ford Motor Co. has rolled out a print, television and digital advertising campaign showcasing the Ford Edge?s MyFord Touch driver connect technology.

The interactive mobile-optimized Web site accessible at http://m.fordvehicles.com/edge offers consumers an opportunity to explore MyFord Touch in an informative and engaging way. Print ads also include information that will enable consumers to access the MyFord Touch mobile site on their smartphones.

?What we noticed is that the Ford Edge customer over-indexes in terms of being tech-savvy,? said Eric Peterson, communications manager for Edge at Ford, Dearborn, MI.  ?The MyFord Touch technology is a first of its kind and we are pushing this at the forefront of the campaign to set ourselves apart from the competition and stand apart in the market.?

Ford Edge has been the leader in the mid-size crossover segment since its launch in late 2006, with year-to-date sales exceeding 400,000.

MyFord Touch combines a variety of technologies into a connected driver experience that replaces many of the traditional vehicle buttons, knobs and gauges.

With more voice commands, customizable LCD screens and five-way buttons like those found on mobile phones and MP3 players, drivers can choose which information is front and center through a button click, voice command or touch-screen tap.

Cutting-edge campaign
In keeping with the Edge consumer, print ads that push the mobile site will be featured in a variety of specialty publications including Forbes, Traditional Home, Sports Illustrated, InStyle, Men's Health, Automobile, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

The Edge also will have a strong presence on national television in commercials airing during popular programming, including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, ESPN's SportsCenter, 20/20 and House.

In addition, the Edge will be integrated into programs such as The Fashion Show 2 on Bravo, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, The Biggest Loser, NFL on Fox Pregame Show and the Fox science fiction series Fringe.

?One of the things we want to do is get our content out to consumers wherever they are,? Mr. Peterson said. ?We know people will visit the Ford Edge site via their mobile phones so we optimized it for mobile to provide a better experience.

?The marketplace is evolving and so are consumers? media consumption habits,? he said. ?We evolve along with them in order to be relevant.

?As I said before, the Ford Edge consumer is tech-savvy so we expect they are using the latest smartphones are using them as part of the car shopping process ? from exploration to purchase.?

Final take
Giselle Tsirulnik is senior editor of Mobile Marketer and Mobile Commerce Daily

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