Ford Set to Announce Winner of All-New Escape During the BET Awards 12 Airing This Sunday, July 1

DEARBORN, Mich., June 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

• Ford will announce the winner of an all-new Ford Escape during the PRE-SHOW broadcast of the BET Awards 12, which airs at 6 p.m. EDT this Sunday, July 1
• Consumers still have time to register to enter the "Brand New Escape Sweepstakes" by visiting www.bet.com/BrandNewEscape now through Saturday, June 30
• The Escape will appear on the red carpet alongside some of today's brightest stars during the Ford-sponsored BET Awards 12 Red Carpet in addition to Ford being official sponsor of the Ford Hot Spot, the exclusive backstage area for top entertainment bloggers and media

Just when viewers thought their anticipation for watching the BET Awards 12 couldn't get any higher, Ford decides to give them the opportunity to enter to win a brand new vehicle – in this case, the all-new Ford Escape and $1,000. Ford is giving viewers of the BET Awards 12 the chance to win the keys to the Escape as part of the "Brand New Escape Sweepstakes." The winner will be announced live during the BET Awards PRE-SHOW: LIVE, RED & READY, which kicks off at 6 p.m. EDT this Sunday, July 1.

"At Ford, we always aim to Go Further, not only when it comes to our products, but also as it relates to our ongoing commitment to the community," said Shawn Lollie, manager, Ford Multicultural Marketing. "This marks our fifth consecutive year of partnering with BET on this awards program and we are thrilled to be able to once again connect with young urban adults during one of the most watched award shows on cable television."

Fans 18 and older can register for the "Brand New Escape Sweepstakes" by visiting www.bet.com/BrandNewEscape through Saturday, June 30 at noon EDT, for the chance to win their very own Escape.

The Ford Hot Spot – where entertainment and the 2013 Ford Fusion intersect

As part of Ford's involvement in this year's award show, the brand will also sponsor the Ford Hot Spot, the exclusive backstage area where top entertainment bloggers and media will gather to blog and tweet about rehearsals and the BET Awards 12. The all-new 2013 Ford Fusion will help set the stage as TV personality/model Toccara Jones and actor Boris Kodjoe serve as exclusive hosts throughout the weekend interacting with all of the talent while securing some of behind-the-scenes buzz for this year's awards show.

As part of the excitement associated with Ford's involvement, Ford recently launched a hashtag #FordHotSpot, which will help drive awareness for the brand's activities throughout the weekend. In addition to the behind-the-scenes action, there will be an in-show Ford Hot Spot moment featuring actress La La Anthony.

"Social media continues to play an increasing role in how Ford goes to market in our efforts to connect with consumers," said Lollie. "Being able to have the Fusion, a vehicle that has a distinctive blend of style and technology, parked inside the Ford Hot Spot, was the perfect opportunity for us. We are extremely excited that the Fusion will share the spotlight with some of the top talent who will be stopping by the Ford Hot Spot throughout the weekend."

BET Awards 12 will be hosted by box office superstar Samuel L. Jackson, and will include exciting performances by Usher, Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj, G.O.O.D. MUSIC, Pusha T, Big Sean and 2 Chainz.

Be sure to join the conversation on Twitter by using hashtag #FordHotSpot

To learn more about the all-new Ford Escape and Ford Fusion, be sure to log on to www.ford.com .

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 166,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford an d Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.

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About BET Networks
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET operates in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

SOURCE Ford Motor Company