Juanes with a Ford Edge.
DEARBORN, October 25, 2007 -- Your voice now gives you the power to control your phone and MP3 player inside your car, thanks to SYNC, a Ford-exclusive technology.
But what does the latest in-car communication and entertainment system and a 12-time Latin Grammy award winning artist have in common? They're both about making sure your voice gets heard.
Recognized by Time magazine as one of the "100 Most Influential People In The World" for his belief in the possibility of social change through music, Juanes, the leading all-Spanish language music artist in the world, is lending his voice and his music to Ford to help launch the innovative new way to be in demand while you drive.
"I know that in today’s busy world, one of the few places people have the time to closely listen to music is in their car," said Juanes. "As someone who is deeply interested in both technology and sharing my music in personal environments with fans, teaming up with Ford and SYNC is an ideal partnership. I love the idea of people having the ability of listening to my music and communicating with loved ones by voice command while continuing to drive safely."
Known for the strength of his voice both musically and in speaking out for change, Juanes will help introduce SYNC to the Hispanic market by being the voice and face behind Ford’s cutting edge creative campaign targeting Generation Y and encouraging them to use the power of their voice. Generation Y includes approximately 57 million people born between 1981 and 1995 -- the first group of car buyers that has grown up online.
The campaign is composed of new broadcast, print and online advertisements introducing consumers to the power of SYNC through the slogan "SYNC. At your command" (SYNC. A tus ordenes). To show the "power of voice" Ford is strategically positioning talking billboards in high-traffic areas that, when triggered by a motion detector, will deliver Juanes' voice talking about SYNC. And in an effort to get closer to his fans, Juanes will introduce SYNC at private events in Los Angeles and Houston later in 2007 with the campaign running into 2008.
A top-selling Latin Rock artist, Juanes has become the leading all-Spanish language music artist in the world. Juanes has won 12 Latin Grammy awards and has been declared "the single most important figure of the past decade in Latin pop music" by the Los Angeles Times.
His second album, "Un Dia Normal," became the No. 1 Spanish-language album for all of 2003 in both sales and airplay and still holds the record for the longest Top-10 chart run (92 weeks) of any Latin album in history.
Ford is also sponsoring Juanes' highly anticipated fourth album -- "La Vida ... Es Un Ratico," which is set to be released in 77 countries this week -- making it the largest ever world-wide release for an all-Spanish language artist. Ford is also the exclusive automotive sponsor of Juanes' 2008 tour which will feature organic product integration and innovative fan experiences.
"Ford, SYNC and Juanes are just the perfect fit because we’re all focused on the importance of being able to connect with people," said Dave Rodriguez Multicultural Marketing Communications Manager for Ford Motor Company. "Staying connected to friends and music while on the go is no longer a trend, it's part of everyday life for our Hispanic target and SYNC brings this power exclusively to Ford drivers."
SYNC, a Ford-exclusive technology based on Microsoft Auto software, provides consumers with the convenience of using their voice to command their car to do everything from playing their favorite songs to calling their favorite person. By pushing a button on your vehicles steering wheel and then saying a command, users can access their Bluetooth-activated mobile phone and digital music player -- including genre, album, artist and song title. The idea is focused on extending the digital lifestyle and connecting your experiences to your car.
Available in 12 2008 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models this calendar year and in nearly every Ford, Lincoln and Mercury product within two years, SYNC's voice recognition system has settings for English, Spanish and French. Pending the capability of individual devices, SYNC features include voice-activated hands-free calling; Bluetooth streaming audio; uninterrupted connections; audible text messages; voice-activated music; automatic phonebook transfer and multilingual intelligence. SYNC is compatible with most Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and most digital media players, including the Apple iPod and Microsoft Zune.
The power of SYNC doesn't just stay in the car. Users can stay connected to Juanes and all of their favorite artists through the SYNC online community. Hosted by Cyloop.com, SYNC webisodes created by artists allow users to interact via chats/blogs with various artists and will feature exclusive content including MP3 downloads, SYNC information and integration.
"SYNC fits your lifestyle and introduces you to the technology of the future," said Juanes. "It's all about being SYNC-ronized with your culture, your people, your music and your car."
For more information on SYNC features, promotions and specials and to learn more about Juanes, visit www.syncatusordenes.com.
