Skiing Champion Jonny Moseley to Host Focus Rally: America Interactive Reality Show

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 17, 2010 /PRNewswire/ --  

• World Cup and Olympic gold medal winner Jonny Moseley will serve as the host of Focus Rally: America, a real-time interactive reality show starring the new 2012 Ford Focus  

• Focus Rally: America will take audience interactivity to a new level; interactive elements will engage viewers to not only follow along in real time but to participate virtually in challenges during the rally and even impact how the game plays out; eight audience members will be awarded a new 2012 Ford Focus

• Focus Rally: America will start Feb. 1, 2011, and run for five weeks, with long- and short-form webisodes streaming on Hulu™; additional content will be shared in real time on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter

Ford announced today that World Cup and Olympic gold medal winner Jonny Moseley will host Focus Rally: America, a five-week interactive reality show featuring the 2012 Ford Focus that will be produced by Ford and multiple Emmy Award-winning reality producer Elise Doganieri.

Even though viewers at home will watch Moseley help bring the adventure to life, they can still get in on the fun by playing along at home. They can become a dedicated supporter of a rally team, experiencing the new Focus just as the team members are and even impacting how quickly the teams move ahead.

According to Jeff Eggen, Ford Car Experiential Marketing manager, the 35-year-old skiing champion will bring his adventurous attitude and social vibrancy to the show, which will air on Hulu starting Feb. 1, 2011, with additional content shared in real time on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.

"Jonny Moseley is the perfect choice to host Focus Rally: America. He is our Focus target customer," said Eggen. "Jonny embodies the adventurous and plugged-in lifestyle of our consumers while being down to earth and easy to relate to."  

In addition to his remarkable athletic career, Moseley has made a name for himself in entertainment media. He has been a commentator for X Games on ESPN, a judge for ABC's Master of Champions, host of Battle of the Sexes on MTV and host of NBC's Saturday Night Live. Just recently, he was named a celebrity participant in the prime-time show Skating with the Stars, which will air later this year on ABC.

Moseley also is very active in social media. More than 950 people have "liked" him on Facebook. He has more than 3,400 followers on Twitter and is the author of his own blog.

"We selected Jonny because he will be able to connect with our Focus Rally audience. He is a natural in this space of adventure and social connectivity," said Doganieri, partner, Profiles Television. "Based on all of his accomplishments, he's proven to be able to channel adrenaline in a fast-paced environment – which is the exact attitude of Focus Rally: America – and he will be able to narrate that story in the digital and mobile space where the show will live."  

Moseley says he's looking forward to the challenge and excitement of hosting Focus Rally: America.

"I'm very excited to be involved in something as breakthrough as Focus Rally. The audience interactivity in this program takes reality television and online gaming to a level that has never been done before," he said. "I am going to be able to bring adventures and once-in-a-lifetime experiences to the teams and reward the larger online audience."

Focus Rally: America takes audience interactivity to new level

In Focus Rally: America, six teams of two people will be selected to compete against one another to complete tasks in an exciting cross-country road rally. They will rely on friends, fans and followers to help complete challenges along the way. The winning team will receive the title of Focus Rally: America champion, a grand prize of $100,000, and both team members will receive a new 2012 Ford Focus. Eight additional Ford Focuses will be awarded to fans and followers of Focus Rally: America.  

"Interactive elements will engage viewers to not only follow along in real time but to participate in challenges during the rally," said Eggen. "Viewers can follow along and root for their favorite teams on a daily basis in the digital and mobile world, resulting in a very engaging program."  

Viewers of Focus Rally: America will be able to play from home in several different ways, including pledging their support to a specific team by becoming a registered member of that team. They will aid them in completing their challenges, being available for assistance and using social media tools to interact with them during the rally.

By visiting the team's website, followers also will be able to see what photos, videos and tweets the teams have been uploading.

Followers also will experience the car similar to how the rally team members are. They will get to see the car in action through webisodes, and also hear feedback from team members about the car's performance and design. Supporters even will get the chance to check out the Focus in person if they go to the location where the rally is passing through, and have the chance to see the teams compete in live challenges.

As the vehicle the competitors drive in the rally, the 2012 Ford Focus will be featured prominently throughout the program. Players will use the vehicle's class-leading new technology – such as Ford SYNC®, MyFord Touch™ and the Navigation System – to complete tasks and challenges.

Casting calls continue for Focus Rally: America

The search continues for adventurous, socially vibrant people to participate in the interactive road rally. Due to high demand, the deadline for online applications has been extended to Monday, Nov. 22. To apply, please visit www.focusrally.com.

The final open casting call for Focus Rally: America will be held Nov. 20 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

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 163,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln and Mercury, production of which has been announced by the company to be ending in the fourth quarter of 2010. 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