2011 Ford Fiesta Mixing It Up at Two of This Summer's Hottest Music Festivals

DEARBORN, Mich., May 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --  

• Music lovers and 2011 Ford Fiesta customers share a common passion for self-expression, and Ford's new small car will be an integral part of two of this year's hottest music festivals

• Fiesta is the title sponsor of the 10th annual Movement: Detroit's Electronic Music Festival, to be held May 29-31 at Hart Plaza in Detroit, and the exclusive automotive partner of the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, to be held June 10-13 in Manchester, Tenn.

• Fiesta will be involved with the music festivals in an organic way that enables people to learn about Ford's new small car in a fun and meaningful atmosphere

Music lovers and Ford Fiesta customers share a common bond – both are passionate about expressing their individuality. So it's no coincidence that fans who flock to two of this year's hottest music festivals will see a lot of the 2011 Ford Fiesta, but Ford's new small car will be more than just eye candy. It will be an integral part of the experience.

Fiesta is the title sponsor of the 10th annual Movement: Detroit's Electronic Music Festival, to be held May 29-31 at Hart Plaza in Detroit, and the exclusive automotive partner of the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, to be held June 10-13 in Manchester, Tenn. But as Ford's Car Experiential Marketing Manager Jeff Eggen points out, Fiesta's involvement with both events goes well beyond traditional signage and vehicle displays.

"The target consumers for Fiesta are huge music fans, and our goal is to connect with that community in a fun and meaningful way," he said. "We want Fiesta to be a natural part of the scene so that it can be understood and championed by the people who are experiencing it."  

Empowering people to tell the Fiesta story is what led to the success of the groundbreaking Fiesta Movement, an initiative that introduced the new small car to consumers in a big way through socially vibrant agents who have been driving Fiestas in monthly themed missions and relating their experiences through social media sites.

"The Fiesta Movement enabled people to discover the car in a natural way while having fun with their friends," said Eggen. "We will do the same thing at these music festivals – give people an opportunity to interact with the new Fiesta and let them spread the word to their family and friends."  

Movement: Detroit's Electronic Music Festival Powered by the Ford Fiesta

At the Detroit event – regarded as one of the world's premier electronic music festivals – Ford will have a cool Fiesta lounge area with live techno music piped in from the main stage.

Three local Detroit artists will be on-site creating Fiesta-inspired art that they will paint onto Fiestas during the course of the three-day festival. One is a graffiti artist, one works with textiles and the other is a tattoo artist.

"We wanted artists who came from different genres so that we could see what three people who work on different types of canvases would come up with using the Fiesta as their canvas," said Eggen.

Ford also will be printing and giving away custom-screened T-shirts that feature original designs by the three artists. Outside the tent, 3D-chalk and duct-tape artists will create surprising Fiesta-inspired street art.

"The whole experience is designed to give people an opportunity to enjoy the concert and have fun with us," said Eggen. "At the same time, they can learn about Fiesta and the innovative things that Ford is doing."

Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival

At the Bonnaroo event, considered the "granddaddy" of all music festivals in the U.S., Ford will present the Fiesta Garage – a comfortable gathering place decorated in late-'70s chic style – where people can enjoy live musical performances, hear from Bonnaroo artists on how to write music, watch entertaining Fiesta videos and design custom T-shirts.

As part of the Fiesta Movement Chapter 2 missions, agents selected one musician, DJ and/or band to host concerts in their local community. The winning team – Team Houston – and their band Tyagaraja will be featured at the Fiesta Garage at Bonnaroo.

"The Fiesta Garage experience is a perfect fit for Bonnaroo because a garage is not only a place where a car lives, it's a place where young band members and their friends practice and hang out," said Eggen. "Our Fiesta Garage at Bonnaroo will be a cool place for concert-goers to relax, hang out with friends, listen to music, and enjoy other fun activities in a space that communicates all things Fiesta."  

In addition, a fleet of Fiestas will be seen everywhere on-site at Bonnaroo transporting staff, VIPs and artists around the festival.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 176,000 employees and about 80 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and, until its sale, Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.

SOURCE Ford Motor Company