2010 FORD taurus tackles football season in a full blitz with Television, online, house party bonanza

* Multifaceted 2010 Ford Taurus advertising campaign targets 2009 pro football season, which debuted Sept. 13 with Ford Drive One FOX NFL Sunday Pregame Show; continues with TV ads, online presence and sweepstakes
* Ford Taurus Game Day House Party™ offers an up-close and personal look at the new sedan as 1,000 lucky hosts across the country get a chance to make game day even better
* New 2010 Ford Taurus offers unprecedented levels of technology and innovation for the segment at an entry-level price of $25,995 – same price as the outgoing model

DEARBORN, Mich. ― This fall, pro football fans will be on the edge of their seats, and the all-new 2010 Ford Taurus will be right there in the middle of the action.

The car that’s changing the way America looks at full-size sedans will be spotlighted on the Ford Drive One FOX NFL Sunday Pregame Show this season, kicking off the second phase of a multifaceted Taurus advertising campaign.

“Ford has always had a presence in football, but this season we’re putting the 2010 Taurus in the game,” said Matt VanDyke, marketing director for Ford. “The all-new Taurus is changing the game for full-size sedans; we wanted to bring that excitement to the fans of one of the most passionate sporting events.”

The full-on blitz continues throughout September and October during sponsorship of the pre-game show, paired with television ads highlighting the completely redesigned, technology-packed 2010 Taurus.

The 2010 Ford Taurus, starting at $25,995, the same price as the 2009 model, has been elevated considerably from even its iconic forerunners and includes Ford exclusives such as MyKey™, SYNC®, Multi-Contour Seats with Active Motion™ and Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®).

Going deep to the target market
The Ford Taurus is being marketed toward a very specific customer – a value-oriented “substance seeker” who appreciates a heightened attention to detail and is looking for the latest innovations without having to break his or her bank account, said Lew Echlin, car marketing communications manager for Ford.

Football is the perfect platform for the Ford Taurus story. According to statistics provided by FOX, in 2008 the NFL on FOX averaged more than 17 million viewers per telecast.

“We’re taking a very holistic approach to the football season,” said Echlin. “We’re sponsoring the pre-game show, we’re showing off the Taurus with advertisements during the game, and when fans check in to see how their fantasy teams are doing online, we’re there, too. And if you miss something and want to check in online, you can check out some of our Web clips, too.”

Surprise matchups online
Not all the action is on the TV screen this season. For fans who check out the games or recaps on www.cbssports.com, there’ll be a few other matchups to check out, as well. CBS Sports commentator James Brown will star in a series of short online ads that introduce clips showcasing some of the leading Taurus technologies, including BLIS, SYNC and EcoBoost™.

Brown keeps the spirit of the game intact, using football lingo and gridiron stats to introduce the technology, along with the Web clips that pit the quality of the Taurus against pricey competitors like Lexus and Audi.
“It’s not meant to be intrusive advertising,” said Jonathan Beebe, of the digital online launch team. “Everything relates to football, and online visitors will see Brown’s familiar face. There might just be a new star on the field.”

House party hoopla
Ford will be taking the Taurus to the home field on Oct. 18, with 1,000 simultaneous game day parties hosted across the country, said Jeff Eggen, car experiential marketing manager for Ford.

The Ford Taurus Game Day House Party makes it possible for fans of both football and Taurus to be football viewing party hosts. Fans can apply online at www.houseparty.com/fordtaurus for the opportunity to not only receive a party pack, but perhaps get the chance to test drive an all-new Taurus the day of the party. One lucky host will win a Taurus in a special sweepstakes that’s also part of the event.

“Pairing Taurus with Houseparty.com has given us an interactive way to reach a new audience to introduce our all-new flagship,” Eggen said. “Football fans love a great game-time experience. We’ll give them the tools to have that, and watch them recruit friends and family online to make it even bigger.”
Applications for party hosts will be accepted until Sept. 19; the National Taurus Party Page will go live online Sept. 22, showing locations of all the parties.

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 201,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.