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Hidden in Plain Sight

Ford

Issue 54 | March 2020

Agency

BBDO New York

Creative Team

Chief Creative Officer, BBDO Worldwide: David Lubars Creative Vice Chairman, BBDO Worldwide: Greg Hahn Global Executive Creative Director: Lauren Connolly Group Creative Director: Rob Kurfehs Senior Creative Director: Damjan Pita Creative Director: Roberto Danino Senior Art Director: Martin Staaf Associate Creative Director: Freddy Orlando Associate Creative Director, Art: Jesse Rea Associate Creative Director, Copy: Bryan Lark Motion Designer: Bryan Sarmiento Designer: Jay Roeder

Production Team

Agency Producers Executive Producer, Experiential: Adrienne Katz Content Producer: Jay Chen Art Producer: Erin Breen Production: Unit 9 Creative Director: James Medcraft Head of Production: Mindy Lubert

Other Credits

Agency Account Team: Dena Walker, Julie Naidu, Cara Duffy

Date

November 2019

Background

The task was to create a campaign that revealed Ford’s new all-electric vehicle, the Mustang Mach-E. But there were challenges. People expect innovation for Silicon Valley, not a 117-year old car company. Also, the car was still in development and under wraps, and wasn’t available at the beginning of the campaign.

Idea

The strategy was to make their weaknesses their strengths by positioning the vehicle as something amazingly unexpected. This informed the big idea, “the one you didn’t see coming” which was their core narrative leading up to the introduction of the vehicle. All of their campaign’s behaviours and communications were shrouded in mystery and intrigue to create elements of surprise. This also enabled them to create a sense of excitement in the early stages when they had no vehicle to show. The idea was to root the multi-channel campaign rollout in mystery to build anticipation for the arrival of the vehicle. They knew that if they can’t show the vehicle, there are other ways to create a sense of awe. It started in October with a secret influencer event held deep inside a Ford landmark building in downtown Detroit. The influencers could see an early prototype of the Mustang Mach-E, but could only release glimpses of the stunning event experience and teases of the vehicle–which sparked rumors and conversation among their legions of fans. The event also featured light painting artist SOLA, who created dynamic light painting portraits that influencers snapped themselves in front of. The result was a puzzle of light the Internet was challenged to decode, with publications like Cool Hunting and CNET picking up on the solution: the first glimpse of the vehicle shape. As the Mustang Mach-E neared completion, the idea was to work with some of the most influential tastemakers on the Internet to post images of themselves with a teasing glimpse of the vehicle, before anyone was supposed to see it. The covert positioning of the vehicle turned out to be a thumb-stopping moment that raised speculation to a fever pitch. Finally, influencers revealed the vehicle on 11/17, helping drive 5 million people to the live premiere.

Results

5 million viewed the livestream premiere. 54+ million influencer impressions. More than 40 million video views. The Mustang Mach-E First Edition sold out in a week. Nearly 2 billion total impressions globally.