Inside Ford's Branded Entertainment Engine

by Karl Greenberg

Oct 16, 2006 - MediaPost

FORD MAY BE SCRAMBLING TO recover its footing in the U.S. car and light truck market, but it's got great traction in Hollywood.

Three brands in Ford's Premier Automotive Group--Jaguar, Aston Martin, and Land Rover--plus many other Ford divisional vehicles, are appearing in a slew of shows this fall. Ford's forthcoming Edge crossover will be the centerpiece of a major studio release in 2007.

The Aston Martin DB 9, Land Rover Range Rover, and a Jaguar S TYPE have roles in NBC's new "Studio 60." This season's "The OC" features Jaguar XK, Range Rover, and the Ford Escape Hybrid.

Ford Global Brand Entertainment is handling the deals. The practice, based in Ford's Dearborn headquarters, with an office in Hollywood, is focused on extending what used to be mere product placement into something more: making Ford vehicles as much a part of the story and limelight as a movie or TV show's flesh-and-blood (or digital) star.

Hank Kim, director of entertainment at Havas-owned media agency MPG, said that branded entertainment has exploded over the past five years because of clutter and media fragmentation. But he warned that the effectiveness of such ventures rests on execution.

"[Branded entertainment] is not just the flavor of the month, and it isn't just media hype; there's real value in it," he said. "But it has to be done in a collaborative manner between advertiser, network, producer and marketing partner--it's a byzantine relationship with lots of moving parts."