Social media has played a major role in Ford’s amazing turnaround story, with the automaker appealing to the young, hip, and connected to shape new products and marketing campaigns. Whether it be Ken Block’s Gymkhana series or the Fiesta movement, Ford has relied heavily on consumers to spread the word about its products and efforts.
Now Ford is literally handing over the keys to its ad campaign, calling upon consumers to design artwork for digital billboards that will go up in major cities all over the country. It’s just the latest effort on Ford’s part to build a closer relationship with its customers.
“We wanted consumers to experience and be a part of our brand in a unique way,” said Lisa Schoder, Ford digital marketing manager. “By showcasing what our consumers’ vehicles mean to them, we have made their individual expressions the driving message of our campaign.”
You don’t have to be design-inclined either, as a website set up by the Blue Oval, FordByDesign.com, comes pre-loaded with cars, colors, and effects needed to make your ad. Just choose the city you want the ad to appear in, pick your options, and cross your fingers. The billboards will be in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Washington DC, San Francisco, and Chicago.
The digital ad will be displayed in the city of the user’s choice, and webcams across from each billboard will send the user a “billboard selfie” of their ad on the big screen, letting uses see their design being shared with the world.
“The By Design campaign goes far beyond how our cars look. It’s about how our cars make you feel,” said Schoder. “We are turning the lens on to the consumer, allowing users to create our ads and really letting them feel connected ‘by design.’”
Feeling creative? Click the link, make your design, and then show us what you got.