AllThingsD » Ford Motor Co.

Big Brands Like Facebook, But They Don't Like to Pay

Emily Steel and Geoffrey A. Fowler — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:30:42 +0000

Everybody wants to be liked. The question for Facebook Inc. is how much advertisers are willing to pay for the opportunity.

The centerpiece of Ford Motor Co.’s online campaign for the 2012 Focus was a free Facebook page hosted by an orange-colored puppet that in a few weeks won over a new, younger audience for the once-stodgy compact.

Ford spokespuppet “Doug” drew crowds to online conversations and videos that starred him clowning around the new Focus. Doug inspired more than 43,000 Facebook users to click “Like,” the icon that broadcasts to friends a thumbs-up approval of a brand or product.

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Ford Uses Wi-Fi to Customize Cars

Matthew Dolan — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 18:29:28 +0000

The auto industry is getting fired up about wireless technology in cars and trucks but it’s not just for connecting passengers’ laptops or streaming Internet radio stations. [Note: Check out related video from Ford CEO Alan Mulally's appearance at D8 earlier this year.]

Here at an assembly plant outside Toronto, Ford Motor Co. (F) is using Wi-Fi transmitters to load customized phone and entertainment features into its Edge and Lincoln MKX crossovers as the vehicles chug down the production line.

The Dearborn, Mich., company is beaming software wirelessly to the vehicles to set up their information and entertainment systems for various markets: One Edge bound for the U.S. gets Ford’s 911 emergency assistance package while one to stay in Canada gets the option to speak in French and offers traffic information about Canadian roads.

Ford’s coming Explorer sport-utility vehicle and Focus compact car will have similar technology when they launch later this year.

But transmitting software for radio and phone systems may be just the start of the customization possibilities at car factories and dealerships.

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Ford Motor Company CEO Alan Mulally at D8: The Full, Uncut Video

Beth Callaghan — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:38:29 +0000

As promised, All Things Digital is posting the full videos from our eighth D: All Things Digital conference, held in early June.

Here’s the last interview Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher did at D8, but definitely not the least: Ford Motor Company (F) CEO Alan Mulally.

Here’s the full video of the D8 interview session.

[ See post to watch video ]

Want to see it bigger? Click here.

Google Decides to Find Its Creative Side

Jessica Vascellaro — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:00:10 +0000

Google Inc., a champion of the belief that advertising should be less about art and more about science, is embracing its inner creative side.

As it searches for new growth, the company in recent months has focused more on creating custom ad campaigns spanning multiple Google (GOOG) services for big spenders including Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ) and Ford Motor Co. (F).

Since the summer, Google has helped J.C. Penney Co. (JCP) and PepsiCo Inc.’s (PEP) Quaker Oats unit launch ad campaigns on YouTube and on some of the hundreds of thousands of sites across which Google sells display ads, along with search ads.

As part of the shift, Google is thinking up and tailoring more ad campaigns in close consultation with ad agencies.

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Ford and Microsoft Team Up to Promote the New Taurus

Jeff Bennett — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:15:44 +0000

Ford Motor Co. (F) and Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) are teaming up to market the auto maker’s redesigned Taurus sedan.

Ford and Microsoft first teamed up a few years ago to launch the Sync telematics system, which enables drivers to hook Bluetooth entertainment and communications devices into the car. Now, Ford is using a technology from Microsoft–known as tags–in its print advertising materials in order to give potential car buyers a more interactive introduction to the car.

Looking very much like a bar code found on most consumer products, the black and white tags are integrated into the design of an ad and can be photographed by anyone carrying a camera-equipped smart phone, such as Apple Inc.’s (AAPL) iPhone, or Research In Motion Ltd.’s (RIMM) Blackberry. Once the image has been downloaded, it then links a consumer to a company-designed website.

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For Companies, a Tweet in Time Can Avert PR Mess

Sarah E. Needleman — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:35:43 +0000

A growing number of businesses are tracking social-media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter to gauge consumer sentiment and avert potential public-relations problems.

Ford Motor Co. (F), PepsiCo Inc. (PEP) and Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV), among others, are deploying software and assigning employees to monitor Internet postings and blogs. They’re also assigning senior leaders to craft corporate strategies for social media.

One morning last December, Scott Monty, Ford’s head of social media, saw Twitter messages alerting him to online comments criticizing Ford for allegedly trying to shut a fan Web site, TheRangerStation.com. The dispute prompted about 1,000 email complaints to Ford overnight.

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This Week in Tech: A Dull CES, but (Gasp!) an Even Duller Macworld!

Kara Swisher — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:00:23 +0000

BoomTown is not saying it’s going to be like watching grass grow.

But 2009 is not exactly getting off to a rousing start this week–with a pair of definitely underwhelming blockbuster tech events taking place that already have more of an air of whimper than of bang to them.

That would be the Consumer Electronics Show, the annual egregious gadgetfest in Las Vegas, and the final appearance by Apple (AAPL) at Macworld in San Francisco.

Of course, while CES tries to fend off the spate of no-one-is-going-to-CES stories–well, I am!–the absence of his digital Holiness and Apple CEO Steve Jobs at Macworld has really generated most of the glumness.

[UPDATE: In a public letter, Jobs says he has a "hormone imbalance" and will stay on as CEO as he recovers.]

Still, the keynote cancellation by Jobs–which started off a new round of is-he-sicker? rumors–is profoundly depressing for Macworld.

After all, it was only two years ago that he practically blew out every geek mind with the introduction of the iPhone there. (See a part of that masterful performance in a video below.)

Thus, it falls to Apple’s SVP of Worldwide Product Marketing, Phil Schiller, to be thrilling–with exactly what, it is still unclear. Rumors abound, none of which are very promising (New iLife and iWork! New Mac mini! Zzzzzzzz).

There is, of course, the vain hope that Schiller will end his speech by uttering Jobs’s patented “one more thing” line, wherein Jobs will walk out (without a walker!), wave and create what would be a genuine frenzy, especially since the last sighting of him was at a yogurt store.

As to CES, there is no big or new product trend to point to, except rumor of a possibly exciting intro of a touchscreen smartphone from Palm (PALM) with a slide-down keyboard. Wheeeee!

Some keynote speakers include Sony (SNE) CEO Sir Howard Stringer, Ford Motor Co. (F) CEO Alan Mulally, Intel (INTC) Chairman Craig Barrett and Cisco (CSCO) CEO John Chambers.

Interestingly, the absence of former Microsoft (MSFT) head Bill Gates at CES–long announced, after more than a dozen times there–caused no weeping and rending of garments, as did Jobs’s nonappearance.

In his place, there will be a keynote by the software giant’s CEO, Steve Ballmer, in which no major announcement seems to be coming.

Still, one can dream, and I desperately hope Ballmer will say “one more thing” and out will come Yahoo (YHOO) CEO Jerry Yang to announce a big honking search deal, finally putting to bed one of 2008′s longest-running soap operas.

What can I say? This is tech and, for us (okay, me, at least), that would be exciting.

Speaking of gripping, I dare you to watch this 2007 iPhone intro performance by Apple’s Jobs and not be deeply impressed by his stylings: