- Nielsen research data show social media numbers climbing, with Twitter use growing almost 1,400 percent in one year
- Ford is on the leading edge of the rise in social media with the Fiesta Movement, to build awareness for its newest global vehicle
- Fiesta Movement agents agree that social media is fun and interesting, and it allows them to expand horizons with a click of the mouse
DEARBORN, Mich., July 8, 2009 – Eric Gunnar Rochow started small, making fix-it videos filmed at a house he was renovating in Connecticut. Now he has his own social network, www.green-house.tv, geared toward people just like him interested in living a greener, do-it-yourself lifestyle.
“When I first started doing this I was amazed at the response,” he said. “You realize that people are watching you, reacting to you, and they’re really interested in what you’re doing.”
The numbers prove social media is skyrocketing. Nielsen data show that in the 12-month period from February 2008 to February 2009, Twitter grew a whopping 1,382 percent. In the same time period Facebook grew by 228 percent.
This is the audience Ford is reaching with its groundbreaking Fiesta Movement, a platform that promotes the company’s sporty, savvy new small car through social media “agents.” These agents drive European-specification Fiestas for seven months, take them on company-sanctioned missions and then relate their experiences through a variety of social media sites.
Social media on the rise
Ford’s strategy is betting on the continued rise in social media’s popularity, and its online numbers reflect the buzz. Agent postings have garnered significant numbers on social media sites through the first quarter of the Fiesta Movement – more than 1.8 million YouTube views, more than 270,000 Flickr views and more than 1.8 million Twitter impressions, resulting in more than 13.2 million interactions.
“The Fiesta Movement is an opportunity to do the ultimate seven-month test drive, but amplify that amongst millions of others via social media channels,” said Connie Fontaine, Ford brand and content alliances manager. “We knew we could never physically reach that many people with our test drive events, so the Fiesta Movement is about bringing virtual test drives to millions of others through the eyes of our agents.”
Social networking Web sites allow Ford to meet consumers it normally wouldn’t connect with through traditional media. There are established outlets by which media communicate with consumers – social networking makes it easier to open the dialogue with a whole new set of potential customers.
“We know that people trust people like themselves, and we know that everyone has a car story. When you combine those two facts, it’s clear that online communications are crucial to the success of the company,” said Scott Monty, Ford digital and multimedia communications manager. “Ford’s social media strategy is to humanize the company by connecting consumers with the people of Ford, and to make it easier for consumers to connect with each other, providing value in the process.”
The social media explosion doesn’t surprise Fiesta Movement agents. Social media is fun, they say. It’s interesting. And it allows you to expand horizons with the click of a mouse.
“While growing up, I was always the person who would clip something interesting out of the newspaper and send it to people,” said Rochow, a New York-based Fiesta agent. “I really like to share my interests. Social media is about empowering people to communicate with others with similar interests – whether it’s cooking, gardening or cars.”
Starting the Fiesta Movement was a big step for a traditional company, said Rochow, and he was determined to be a part of it. “I’ve always liked Ford products,” he said. “I like this car, and I thought the whole idea was pretty cool.”
Social media simply takes the pervasiveness of the Internet one step further, said David Meerman Scott, marketing strategist and best-selling author of “The New Rules of Marketing and PR.”
“Virtually everybody is online,” said Scott. “One hundred percent of people I ask use search engines, and if someone searched for the name of a product, they could be driven to a social media site. Everybody has at one time been driven to a blog or saw a YouTube video embedded in a site through a search. People can now interact with others who feel the same or feel different and a debate can ensue, allowing for an emotional bond to be carried forward.”
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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 205,000 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.