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Ford tilts pinball parking to promote Focus, Active Park Assist

By Jeff Sabatini RSS feed

Posted Apr 20th 2012 4:31PM

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We've got to hand it to Ford of Europe – this is one of the most brilliant marketing stunts we've ever seen. Blending the correct amounts of populist outrage, mockery of the common man, hidden cameras, big budget technology, and gritty urban realism into one literal over-the-top promotion that – get this – is actually relevant to the vehicle it is designed to promote? Well, we're impressed, to say the least.

We won't spoil the punchline to the video, created by ad agency Ogilvy of Paris (according to Co.Create), but for anyone who's ever had to suffer through living in a big city and parking on the street, you'll be pleased.

And for those of you who might occasionally do a little park-by-touch yourself? Ford's new Focus with Active Park Assist is just the vehicle for you.

Scroll down to play the whole video.

Related Gallery2011 Ford Focus RS (Europe)



News Source: YouTube, Co.Create

Category: Budget, Hatchback, Car Buying, Europe, Ford, Videos, Technology, Safety, Marketing/Advertising, Humour

Tags: 2012 ford focus, active park assist, focus, ford, ogilvy, park assist, pinball, self parking, self-park, video, viral marketing, viral video

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J-MON

So rewarding BAD driving is a brilliant marketing campaign ?

I formally & respectfully disagree Autoblog.

For the longest time I've toyed with the notion of a "CARMA app" sounds like KARMA. Where if someone lets you in ahead of them (kind gesture) you say "GOOD CARMA" - followed by their license plate out loud and the CARMA app sends this data to the www.carma.com website where positive points are tallied for the drivers license plate. Similarly, when someone cuts you off you say "BAD CARMA" - followed by their license plate and negative points are tallied against the driver in question. The other option you have is "CARMA check" followed by a license plate and your smartphone will audibly read out the tallied points for you - perhaps to decide whether or not to let a particular car in ahead of you or not. As long as people respected the honor system we could even perhaps have sponsors like gas companies, insurance companies, even car companies provide incentives and rewards to the high scoring CARMA crowd.

So who do you think deserves the "THAT'S BRILLIANT" compliment ? My CARMA app or a one-off marketing stunt that rewards bad parking and people that do damage to other people's vehicles ?

April 20 2012 at 4:50 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply