Ford: DRIVE ONE 4 UR SCHOOL

Credits & Description:

Category: Cars & Automotive Services

Advertiser: FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Product/Service: FORD VEHICLES

Agency: TEAM DETROIT

Date of First Appearance: Mar 1 2010

Entrant Company: TEAM DETROIT, USA

President/Chief Executive Officer: George Rogers (Team Detroit)

Chief Creative Officer: Toby Barlow (Team Detroit)

Managing Director/Brand Content & Alliances: Curt Jaksen (Team Detroit)

Group Planning Director/Brand Content & Alliances: Kerry Doyle (Team Detroit)

Vice President Planning Director Primary Brand/Brand Content & Alliances: Quan Martin (Team Detroit)

Associate Planning Director/Brand Content & Alliances: Kristyn Sobier (Team Detroit)

Senior Planner: Jessica Thomey (Team Detroit)

Assistant Planner: Rita Tomina (Team Detroit)

Assistant Planner: Alexandra Conwell (Team Detroit)

Assistant Planner: Valerie Fuelling (Team Detroit)

Vice President/Senior Copywriter: Candice Pollock (Team Detroit)

Senior Art Director: Ed Tellefsen (Team Detroit)

Senior Vice President/Agency Group Design Director: Michele Silvestri (Team Detroit)

Vice President/Senior Designer: Ruben Ramen (Team Detroit)

Brand Content Alliances Analytics Director: Pam Jajchrzak (Team Detroit)

Project Manager/Marketing Science Unit: Gary Larson (Team Detroit)

Director/Marketing Communications: Matt VanDyke (Ford Motor Company)

Manager Brand Content & Alliances: Connie Fontaine (Ford Motor Company)

Ford Manager Brand Content & Alliances: Crystal Worthem (Ford Motor Company)

Media placement: Not Applicable - Not Applicable - 1/3/2010



Describe the objective of the promotion.

Drive One 4 UR School set out to get 100,000 incremental “wouldn’t happen any other way” test-drives across America, as well as getting dealerships involved with their communities. By partnering them with local high schools to conduct test-drive events, the program sought to improve perceptions about Ford vehicles by 10 percentage points and ultimately elevate interest while leading to sales by those who participated in the test-drives.



Describe how the promotion developed from concept to implementation.

High school budgets are tight and booster clubs are constantly searching for new ways to fundraise to support school activities. That’s where Ford stepped in.



Program Headquarters was developed to work with dealerships and high schools to assist in the planning, promotion and hosting of their events. Additionally, an event kit was provided to each dealer prior to their event day. These kits contained branded promotional items at no cost to the dealer. Dealers also received comprehensive pre- and post-event support through dedicated email and phone communication, as well as an informational website providing best practices and downloadable creative materials.



Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service.

About 13% of new-vehicle buyers have kids in high school. Parents are often required to pay for their children’s participation in school activities due to budget cuts that affect these programs.



Buyers have overlooked Ford products in favour of imports, despite improvements in quality.



How do you get these buyers to test-drive a Ford if they’re skeptical about your vehicles and won’t visit your dealerships? With Drive One 4 UR School, for everyone who completed a test-drive at the event Ford donated $20 to the school, generating funds for extracurricular activities and getting people behind the wheel of Ford products.



Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results.

From March to November 2010, a total of 463 events were held, raising over $2.7 million to support high school activities.

And the objectives?

1. 100,000 incremental wouldn’t-happen-any-other-way test-drives: 153,474 test-drives by 144,810 participants.

2. Improve perceptions about Ford vehicles (10 point lift): Overall opinion jumped 18 percentage points post test-drive.

3. Elevating interest in and lead to sales of Ford vehicles: 82% of participants requested more information, including specific vehicle brochures or other information about Ford. With 2,069 sales, Drive One 4 UR School has a buy rate of 1.47%, the highest of any Ford test-drive program.