Ford to Showcase Ads for All-New Explorer During GRAMMY Awards, Including Unique Spot Featuring Nelly

CHICAGO, Feb. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

• Ford Explorer's heavy presence during this Sunday's 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards® will showcase the SUV's reinvention to millions; the GRAMMY awards air Sunday, Feb. 13, at 8 p.m. EST on CBS

• Ford will air three Explorer ads, including the premiere of a unique 60-second television commercial featuring hip hop recording artist Nelly and the Audio System from Sony in the new Ford Explorer

• All the ads lean heavily on music to tell the Explorer story; they are part of an integrated campaign designed to help people reconnect with Explorer and the shared adventures an SUV can deliver

• Since the July reveal of the reinvented Explorer, Ford has been engaging with consumers in one-on-one conversations on Facebook using text, videos and images; Nelly is one of a number of celebrities – including Bret Michaels, Snoop Dogg and professional pool player Jeanette Lee – who have appeared in Explorer Facebook videos

Ford's hot-selling Ford Explorer will make some waves during the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards this Sunday in a 60-second television spot that will feature hip hop recording artist Nelly and the Explorer's new Audio System from Sony.

"The GRAMMY's provide an opportunity to reach a broad audience with our message, and we want to make sure everyone knows about the new, totally reinvented Explorer," said Matt VanDyke, Ford's director of U.S. Marketing.  

Since the launch of the reinvented 2011 Ford Explorer, Ford has been interacting with consumers on Facebook – more than 138,000 fans to date – posting videos featuring engineers and a variety of celebrities answering questions people have about the popular SUV. 

One of those celebrity videos with Nelly has been modified into a 60-second television spot featuring Nelly interacting with a television director about the "best" way to tell people about the Explorer's cool sound system. The director wants to use a lot of theatrics, and Nelly wants to keep it real. Nelly's new song "Gone" is playing as the two go back and forth about which approach is best.

The unique ad featuring Nelly is one of three commercials that will run during the GRAMMY's. Explorer also will be seen in three other ads that lean heavily on music to tell the Explorer story. 

"We are always looking for relevant opportunities to get our messaging out there, and this really came together in an interesting and timely way for the GRAMMY's," said Eric Peterson, Explorer communications manager. "The GRAMMY's are about music and personalities, and these ads fit in that setting." 

Nelly is one of a number of celebrities who have appeared in videos on Explorer's Facebook page. Others include Bret Michaels, professional pool player Jeanette Lee, Snoop Dogg and reality stars from the History Channel television program Pawn Stars.  

Ever since the new Explorer was revealed on Facebook last summer, Ford has been using Facebook as a forum to engage fans and prospective Explorer customers in one-on-one conversations using text, videos and images. 

"The nature of social media changes so rapidly that you have to reinvent yourself every time you go to market," said Peterson. "If your content is not engaging, informative and authentic, customers will tire of you quickly. They won't wait for you, and they will go somewhere else." 

To learn more about the reinvented Ford Explorer and find out what consumers are saying about it, log on to www.ford.com/explorer or www.facebook.com/fordexplorer.

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 164,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. 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