Can Social Media Start a Car?

Social media is the darling of marketers and the talk of news channels. It's heralded as starting a new age in marketing, but can it start a car? In Ford Motor's case, I truly hope so.

Ford has improved their product quality eight years in a row, and the 10.27.09  Consumer Reports article gives them more props: http://tiny.cc/4RvnK.

They're beating out Acura, they're beating out Lexus (That's not a typo). J.D. Power rave ratings abound. And yet the perception that Japanese cars are better than American cars - better quality, better mileage - sticks around like a head cold that nobody can get rid of. No matter how hard you blow, there's more to blow.

And consumers need to blow this archaic perception the hell out. Social media may be the cold remedy.

GM is going big mass media spend with tons of prime-time TV commercials and a celebrity spokesperson (former football player) telling some oily actor Buick is better than people think. Ok.

But what we haven't had in the past is social media to spread the word to target audiences. Get people telling people that Ford kicks quality butt,

Have people on the Ford site, talking about their real-world experiences driving a Ford. Have me on there. I own a Mercury Mariner and I love it. Want to know why I love it, or do you want to hear a Ford (commissioned) salesperson try and sell you a car?

Less shiny happy slick web site and carefully crafted releases and more honest-to-goodness praise about an honest-to-goodness American turnaround story.
 

And Ford is doing a pretty good job doing just that, with Scott Monty watching over their social media efforts, listing them on all the social media sites, CEO Alan Mulally opening himself up to customers, and a top-notch blog with the tagline "Ford is Different – Join the Conversation" -  http://www.thefordstory.com/.

Let's see if social media can get the conversation updated faster than a :30 spot during a football game.

Go, Ford, go. Sell those quality cars.

How do you feel Ford is doing in getting the word out? Better? About the same? What do you feel they could do to jumpstart their story?

Comments

[Gene Brady]

Great point. They're still using 'Think Ford First'. I wonder if Ford has thought of bringing back their old slogan and making the connection like you did.

[Greg]

Ford got it right. Quality is job one. Getting the word out is job two.