FORD ANNOUNCED AS 2009 BRAND OF THE YEAR BY SOCIETY FOR NEW COMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH

• Ford awarded honor because of the innovative way the company has been using social media to improve communication with its stakeholders
• SNCR is a global non-profit research and education foundation and think tank that measures online tools’ impact on business, media, culture and society

DEARBORN, Mich., Oct 18, 2009— Ford Motor Company was announced as one of the 2009 Fellows’ Choice Award Winners for Brand of the Year by the Society for New Communications Research (SNCR). The foundation awarded Ford this honor because of the innovative way the company has been using social media to improve communication with its stakeholders.

"We are honored and humbled that SCNR and its fellows have chosen us for this prestigious award. The last year has been a tumultuous one for the global automotive industry, and we've managed to demonstrate how Ford is different in our strong business plan and our great products. We aim to make the world a better place. We are integrating social media into our marketing and communications efforts, and humanizing the company at every turn," said Scott Monty, Global Digital & Multimedia Communications Manager for Ford Motor Company.

"We realize that our success is not only about how and where we tell our story, but how we listen and engage with our communities. Our customers will decide if our efforts and our products resonate with them, and we've already begun to see the forward momentum."

Ford continues to experiment and interact online by engaging with influencers over many popular online platforms, including its social media hub, TheFordStory.com. In addition to having a daily presence on social networks, Ford is noted for the Fiesta Movement, in which 100 digital influencers were loaned European-spec Ford Fiestas in advance of the 2010 launch of the small car in North America. Their videos, photos, tweets and more are captured in real time on FiestaMovement.com, and Ford has collected their feedback to share with engineers before the vehicle goes into production. The Fiesta Movement and test drive program have resulted in more than 50,000 hand-raisers; 97 percent of whom currently do not drive a Ford. And the Fiesta Movement has driven brand awareness for the small car to levels equivalent to models that have been on the market for two to three years.

SNCR is a global non-profit research and education foundation and think tank that focuses on the latest developments in new media and communications. They measure these tools’ impact on business, media, culture and society.

Monty will be on hand at the award ceremony November 5-6th at the Harvard Faculty Club in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

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About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 201,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.

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