Crystal is introducing Ford to customers that didn’t have the brand on their shopping list. Across media, she’s creating and changing the conversation about Ford and maintaining the brand’s place in popular culture.
“It’s incredibly exciting to work on meeting customers’ needs today while thinking about what’s next for the future.”
Crystal recognizes Ford’s challenge to continue innovating in a competitive auto market, and she sees the way Ford’s products have already raised the bar. Competition from other brands makes her even more excited to surprise the market again with Ford’s next generation of products.
To Crystal, one of the company’s most exciting challenges is owner retention. Brands usually spend a lot of effort and budget to bring in new customers, but Crystal sees huge potential in increasing the focus on customers that have already given Ford a chance and even become advocates for the brand. To that end, she’s already done a lot of work to develop new approaches for earning the loyalty of Ford owners.
Crystal has observed a similar sort of loyalty among Ford employees, and she’s noticed that having lifelong friends working at Ford has a positive impact on the way everyone works together. As a lead recruiter at Florida A&M, she also sees the way the Ford family’s connection to the business resonates with students. The company certainly struck a chord with her when she interned in grad school, because 15 years later, Crystal still loves the industry.
On January 1, 2016, Crystal began her new role as Director of Marketing for Middle East and Africa.