Cover Issue 4 2 June V4 new size

Issue 4
Connecting Asia Pacific and Africa
Ain’t no mountain
high enough
DSFL: one year on Bringing the Blue Oval to life For the love of IT
Transforming our business
O
ur investment and expansion strategy in India
is moving full-speed ahead, and the drive to
3
market next year – and truly transform our
certainly raising the level of both excitement and expectation
4
One year on
launch our new compact car in this dynamic
business in India – continues to gain momentum. It’s
DSFL
4
Media
Bringing the
Blue Oval to life
of everyone across Ford Motor Company…and
deservedly so.
This compact car programme is the latest defining
example of the APA region’s move towards full integration
and collaboration within Ford Motor
Company. Every function, right across
the Company, is actively contributing
to the ongoing product development
and launch strategy for this vehicle:
one that will undoubtedly be a gamechanger for our India operations.
7
6
The Philippines
7
New Everest
8
Cover Story
Ain’t no mountain
high enough
When the vehicle assembly buildout is complete, we’ll have an annual
production capacity of 200,000 units at
our Chennai facility – or double what it is
11
today. In other words, our India business will be reshaped
as a volume manufacturing hub, and will be fully integrated
into our regional and global production and export strategy.
12
Ford has done very well in the segments that we
Safety first
12
currently compete in India. The SUV leadership of the
Ford Endeavour (Everest) is clear proof. But this new compact
vehicle in a segment where we know robust demand will
continue to grow – both in India and across the potential
export markets that we’re currently assessing.
We’re also making sure that this compact car is what
consumers really want and value. Our regional product
development, design and engineering teams have
collaborated throughout its development to ensure
maximum value at a highly competitive price point. And
Voice of the Customer
A very digital engagement
car will give us real competitive muscle in the heart of the
India market. It will also give us another world-class
14
Philippines DSFL 14
15
CSR
16
Global Watch
Fiesta movement
agents hit the road
our marketing teams have conducted extensive consumer
focus groups to gain direct and insightful feedback into
what Indian consumers, in particular, really want.
When we go-to-market with this new vehicle – we’re
going to have a real winner. And I’m confident that our
India operations will never look back.
Technology
17
18
News Roundup
A look at what’s
going on in APA
John Parker
Executive Vice President, Asia Pacific and Africa
18
Ford Faces
For the love of IT
is published for the people of Asia Pacific and Africa, Ford Motor Company, by Ford Communications - 19th Floor, Lake Rajada Office Complex,
193/82-86 Ratchadapisek Road, Klongtoey, Bangkok, 10110, Thailand. Director/Publisher: Whitney Foard Small; Managing Editor: Mia Barrett;
Regional Content Team: PRISM; Design/Production: Oakins and Stone Limited. A publication of Ford Communications Network. July 2009.
Please send questions and comments on this issue to [email protected]
DSFL
DSFL: one year on
S
ome had no idea they could adjust the
height of a seat belt, while others never
knew that letting an engine idle for three
minutes used the same amount of fuel as
driving one kilometre at 50 km/h. Until they attended
the Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) programme.
More than 5,500 drivers attended the programme
last year, following its launch in the Philippines,
Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia. China, Taiwan
and India are now on board, and this year’s target
number of participants is 7,500 across the seven
APA markets.
Using classroom sessions and practical driver
training, the regional DSFL programme is helping
raise awareness of safe driving practices, as well
as techniques to achieve better fuel efficiency.
For example, Irwantari Diah Parnitasari from
Indonesia found that DSFL has helped him to
improve his driving after just one day of training.
“The lessons are very useful and easy to apply
to daily driving. This is a unique and different
corporate social responsibility programme by an
automaker, and it should be introduced to as many
people as possible.”
In this issue, we catch up with other DSFL
participants who have changed their driving habits
after going through the safe- and eco-driving
training sessions.
The Philippines
“I’ve been driving for more than 10 years, but
attending DSFL made me realise I had a lot to
learn about driving properly. I used to just get
into my car and go. Now I’m fully aware of road
safety and courtesy, as well as how my vehicle
functions. I’m so impressed that I’m going
to make my children go through DSFL once
they get their driver’s licence. No way are they
getting on the road without DSFL!”
Lindy Pellicer-Magnaye
Co-host of Turbo Time, Wave 89.1
Thailand
Vietnam
“The DSFL tips
are simple driving
techniques that we
are already aware
of, but honestly
speaking, don’t
really practice.
What was new for
me was the proper
sitting position. Now I know why I used to have headaches,
shoulder pain or backaches after a long drive. It’s only through
this training that I realised it’s because I usually don’t sit correctly.
I’ll certainly do it properly from now.”
“Before attending
DSFL, I always
wondered why my
car consumed so
much fuel. I now
know a lot more
about fuel economy.
For example, I
learnt how to use
the vehicle’s momentum and built-up energy by taking my foot
off the accelerator pedal early and rolling with the traffic when
approaching red traffic lights. My driving has really changed.”
ML Suksri Suksawat Sirayakorn
Pham Quoc Huy
Office executive
Issue 4
/3
media
Bringing the Blue Oval to life
N
THAILAND
ot every car buyer is a vehicle buff who can reel off torque figures
and gets ecstatic over the latest motoring magazines. That’s why
Ford teams across the Asia Pacific and Africa region have come
up with a gamut of creative ideas to connect with lifestyle media
and get Ford vehicles as commonly featured on TV travelogues and women’s
magazines as auto blogs.
To develop stronger relationships, the teams have been inviting more
lifestyle media to ‘themed’ product launches, giving them exclusive interviews
with celebrity endorsers, organising special drive events, and even having
regular chats over instant messaging.
Experiencing a lifestyle
Special drive events are also sometimes organised to show
lifestyle media how a Ford vehicle is essential to their
CHINA
way of life.
Ford Thailand took a group of journalists on a twoday trip in the new Focus to Chokchai Farm – a tourist
attraction that’s wildly popular among Thais. They did
wine-tasting, made ice-cream, enjoyed a BBQ dinner
and spent the night in air-conditioned, boutique tents. A
connection was made with Chic Channel fashion TV
during the trip, which subsequently used the Focus in
some broadcast road trips. Its journalists also took part
in DSFL sessions, giving coverage to both the car and the
driving
drivving programme.
VIETNAM
The perfect fashion companion
Forget diamond earrings and branded bags,
In China, a public affairs team member
the latest fixture in a magazine’s fashion
happened to chat on Windows Live
spread is a Ford.
Messenger with a journalist from Hers
In Vietnam, Ford’s relationship with the
country’s leading women’s magazine, Dep,
began with a column on safe driving techniques
that ran for six months in 2007. It was so
well-received and the feedback so positive,
that the magazine worked with Ford Vietnam
to have its Women and Car Club members
take part in the Driving Skills for Life (DSFL)
training sessions last November.
Building on that, Ford and Dep, along
magazine, which targets high-income
Chinese urbanites.
JAPAN
PA: Say, what are you busy with
these days?
Journalist: We’re just preparing
for the Spring Collection.
PA: Sounds great! We can provide
some colourful cars for the spread.
Interested?
And that’s where an idea began that
In Japan, Ford arranged for a journalist from Daytona, a
magazine that features American lifestyle and culture, to go on
a road-trip-cum-treasure-hunt in the U.S. Driving an Explorer,
Explorer Sport Trac and Mustang in turns, the journalist had to
hunt down three items – a Fire King cup with Ford logo, a Fender
with two other lifestyle magazines that
ended up with the new Focus featured
Competition Mustang and a specially tuned ’65 Mustang – in the
target high-earning women and style-
in an eight-page fashion spread in the
states of Ohio and California. The
conscious men respectively, cooperated on
magazine’s April issue – a product of an
outcome: an eight-page spread.
a photo shoot for the new Mondeo which
effort to build rapport with lifestyle media
resulted in a six-page fashion spread
over the Internet.
in each publication last month. Additionally,
“It’s like a relationship with your friends,”
In Taiwan, Ford put together a twoday trip to picturesque Sun Moon Lake
for entertainment magazine, TVBS
the Mondeo was the vehicle of choice for
said communications specialist Jess
Weekly, to try out the new Focus TDCi
a two-day leisure trip organised by Dep’s
Zhang. “When we see a status update or
PowerShift. The journalists took in the
Women and Car Club a few weeks ago,
a new picture on their MSN, we use that
sights, tried the local delicacies, and
which was subsequently covered by other
to start off a conversation and then bring
then produced a four-pager!
lifestyle and online media.
in the Ford message in a casual way.”
4/
@Ford
TAIWAN
INDIA
Editorial collaborations
INDONESIA
M
Magazines
need content and
we need coverage, a perfect
w
fit once you get the right hook.
In India, Bollywood action star
Suneil Shetty – celebrity endorser
Su
for the Endeavour and star of the
SUV’s new advertising campaign –
SUV
iss Ford’s heavyweight hook. Ford
took
to
oo the opportunity to partner with
People
P
e
magazine and gave the
journalists
jo
o
exclusive behind-thesscenes access during the photo
sshoot of the advertising campaign,
rresulting in coverage in the
ccelebrity publication.
In Indonesia, Ford worked
with Rolling Stone magazine
to feature the new Focus Sport
alongside popular Indonesian
singer and songwriter Glenn
Fredly on the Car Culture
page of its April issue.
A
SOUTH AFRIC
PHILIPPINES
AUSTRALIA
Going digital
Launches with a twist
NEW ZEAL
AND
With the Fiesta target customer being young and trendy, Ford has been using
non-traditional media Down Under to appeal to the funky crowd. In Australia, it levied
lifestyle channels such as Moonlight Cinema to attract younger and more diverse
customers who are both technologically savvy and digitally connected.
In New Zealand, Ford worked with Bebo, the largest social networking site in the
country, to create a Fiesta-branded portal for an integrated campaign across national
television, digital and print media.
The main draw of the website (www.bebo.com/newfiesta) is video interviews with
popular Kiwi rock bands conducted by well-known local actress Madeline Sami as she
drives a Hot Magenta Fiesta – showcasing the car, and its technology features, in
action. The videos were then edited to one-minute vignettes that have aired on national
TV during key target audience shows. The full interviews are posted on the Bebo site,
which has drawn at least 20,000 unique views and more than 600 fans to the page.
Increasingly, markets are adding a lifestyle twist to previously
show-and-tell vehicle launches, and are seeing higher
participation from lifestyle media as a result.
In South Africa, the media got up close and personal with
elephants during the new Bantam launch. The journalists
picked up bales of hay on the ‘bakkie’ enroute to the
elephant sanctuary, and then watched as six-tonne Thembo
lifted the food off the Bantam and shared it among the herd.
The journalists also enjoyed sundowners from the deck
while watching the elephants play in the rivers below.
And in the Philippines, Ford turned the new Ranger
launch into the ultimate “tough style” challenge, where
journalists had to negotiate the urban jungle in the pickup
and complete missions ranging from the tough, such as
rock-climbing, to the stylish, such as shopping.
In the evening, the media proceeded to a studio with the
goods they were tasked to purchase earlier, only to realise
that they would be the stars in Ranger’s tough-style
advertising campaign for the evening launch party. The
journalists were photographed in assorted scenes – at
the beach, country western, urban nightlife, and even a
wedding – all with the Ranger as their trusty sidekick.
With the dizzying array of such imaginative campaigns,
even the most naïve about motoring will want a car, not
just as a mode of transport, but as an indispensable part
of their lifestyle.
Issue 4
/5
The Phillippines
An exciting time for
Ford in the Philippines
M
oving into the third quarter of
2009, Ford Group Philippines
(FGP) has a lot of reasons to
be excited and optimistic for
the future. In the first six months of this year
alone, FGP has continued to refresh its
product line-up, been recognised for its
commitment to the Philippines, re-launched
its road safety initiatives under the global
Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) programme,
and – most importantly – sold a lot of vehicles!
Refreshed line-up
“In less than a year, Ford Group Philippines
has refreshed its entire nameplate portfolio,
ensuring that Filipino customers are provided
with vehicles that offer them premium
quality, safety, fuel efficiency and comfort,”
said FGP President Richard Baker.
This transformation began in September
2008 with the launch of the new Escape,
followed shortly by the introduction of the
new Ford Focus. Other new products
include the 2009 Expedition EL, the 2009
E-150 Club Wagon, the tough yet stylish
new Ranger, the 2009 Explorer Eddie Bauer
edition and most recently, the new Ford
Everest which made its way into dealer
showrooms on June 5.
“Globally and in the Philippines, we
have a very strong product line-up, and we
are confident that we will continue to make
progress in our business by offering our
consumers products that they want and
value,” said Baker.
“I am proud of what
we, as One Team, have
accomplished so far
in 2009, and we’re
committed to continually
improving our business
and customer experience
for the rest of the year.’’
recently inducted Ford Motor Company
Philippines to the “Hall of Fame” during the
recent Philippine Economic Zone Authority
(PEZA) Recognition Day for Locators. For
the third consecutive year, FGP won for
Top Environmental Performer and received
awards in the Community Projects category.
Steady exports
Ford has demonstrated its commitment to
the Philippines by remaining steadfast to its
CBU export programme that has to date
exported more than 60,800 vehicles to
neighbouring markets such as Malaysia,
Thailand and Indonesia.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Safe driving
FGP has reaffirmed its commitment to
promote safe driving. In April, it re-launched
its successful and award-winning flagship
campaign under the global DSFL programme.
“Road safety is a very serious issue
in the Philippines, and we remain highly
committed to helping improve driver safety
through DSFL. The programme is an ideal
way for Ford to leverage its global expertise
to help make a difference in the Philippines,”
said Baker.
Healthy sales
Ford Group Philippines President Richard Baker
6/
@Ford
FGP’s refreshed product line-up is garnering
a lot of interest from consumers. From
January to May 2009, retail sales figures
across all nameplates totaled 1,904 units,
with strong performances by the North
American Built-Up units, new Escape, new
Ranger, and new Everest.
“I am proud of what we, as One Team,
have accomplished so far in 2009, and
we’re committed to continually improving
our business and customer experience for
the rest of the year,” Baker said. “I look
forward to the excitement the second half
of the year will bring us.”
new Everest
Ready for action and adventure.
New Everest is ready for action
D
eliver an all-action experience
that mirrors the vehicle’s spirit.
This was the goal of Ford Group
Philippines’ (FGP) new Everest
launch last month.
“The Everest has consistently been a
top seller, and remains the vehicle of choice
for families who seek adventure even in their
day-to-day driving,” said FGP President,
Rick Baker. “Because of its past success,
we wanted to ensure that the way the new
Everest was introduced to the market would
speak of its heritage as the best family SUV
for Filipinos today.”
FGP kicked off a pre-launch print, radio,
and online campaign in the first week of
June. A high point of the campaign was
when new Everest appeared on the cover
of the country’s number one selling car
magazine, Top Gear, in May.
This got the auto community buzzing –
and blogging – and excitement was high
when the time came for FGP to present the
vehicle to motoring media.
FGP hosted a regional media ride from
May 25 to June 4 where 40 journalists from
India, Indonesia and the Philippines got a
chance to test drive new Everest on rugged
roads in the Pampanga countryside and up
the exhilarating climb to Baguio City. Ford
Hiroshima’s Programme Director Hiroaki
Hashimoto, Project Leader Hiroya Fujimoto,
and Ford Australia Design Manager Scott
Ferrier introduced the media to the vehicle’s
new engineering and design features.
The two-day, 300-km drive programme
was specifically designed to show the new
Everest’s inherent toughness, durability
and versatility. Each journalist took a turn
behind the wheel to see how well the
vehicle handled the different terrains, while
select Philippine journalists were invited
to take the vehicles home with them for an
extended test drive at the end of the trip.
Rick Baker (centre) together with the FGP team and journalists ahead of the drive.
Lahar fields are no obstacle for Everest.
“We experienced the worst driving
conditions with flooded roads, torrential
rains and an off-road drive in lahar dikes and
the test drive made a startling revelation – the
4x2 2.5L Everest exceeded my expectations
in its off-road capability, its superb handling,
the great ABS system and powerful engine.
Kudos also to the superb test drive that made
us explore the best qualities of the car!”
said Mike Potenciano, Turbo Time/Speed.
Following the regional media drive was
a huge public debut of the new Everest in
eleven cities throughout the Philippines.
From Luzon to Mindanao, the new Ford
Everest mall displays gave consumers a
chance to experience the vehicle’s new
style and action-laden capability. Five of
Metro Manila’s most popular radio stations
carried live coverage of the launches,
resulting in a constant flow of potential
Everest owners to the displays.
The launch of the new all-action Ford
Everest made its own way to the Philippine
market in true Ford style – showing it really
is the vehicle of choice for action-ready
families.
Issue 4
/7
cover story
Ain’t no mountain high enough
T
he Everest – a nifty package that
combines the best of all worlds –
has just got a makeover.
Already a most capable SUV on the
road, boasting active versatility, superior
off-road capability and Built Ford Tough
strength with high levels of comfort and
refinement, the 2009 Ford Everest now
sports a revamped front featuring a classy
multi-bar chrome grille and sleek, wraparound headlamps to create a distinctive
signature style.
“More than ever, Ford Everest is the SUV
that brings everything together in one
great package,” said Masaki Makihara,
Everest chief platform engineer.
“It’s powerful, with the best torque in
its segment. It’s smooth, with its great
five-speed automatic transmission. It’s
versatile, with outstanding space for people
and cargo. And it’s safe – the only SUV in
8/
@Ford
its class offering both dual front and side
air bags.
“With its contemporary new design
look, the dominant toughness of Ford
Everest has never been more appealing.”
Designed in Australia and built in
Thailand, the Everest – also known as
With the best torque in its
class, the Everest provides
plenty of low-end grunt that
makes it ideal for overtaking
on a highway or tackling
the tough off-road terrain.
the Endeavour in India – was launched
in Manila, the Philippines last month and
will be marketed in 75 countries.
The new face of style
The centrepiece is a chrome three-bar
grille – a key element of Ford design
DNA – to convey the elegance found in
luxury goods packaging. The finely
detailed bars visually communicate
width and confidence, representing
the SUV’s go-anywhere spirit while
the Everest’s name is debossed
boldly onto the wide header bar of
the grille, reflecting its pride and
capability.
The headlamps are each shaped and
detailed with a brow reminiscent of
luxurious cut crystal glassware while
chrome bezels link the grille, hood
and the muscular “chamfered” fender
shapes seamlessly together.
“Our design objective was to complement
the robustness and inherent strengths
of Everest,” said Scott Ferrier, design
While the new Everest is
a true-blue seven-seat
SUV, it also pampers its
occupants with car-like
comfort and luxury.
manager, Asia Pacific and Africa. “We
believe that these details really fit well
with the strength and solidity of the
bodywork and give the new Everest
an even stronger aspirational appeal.”
The perfect work-play companion
The bold, 18-inch, diamond-cut polished
wheels that are optional on high-series
models keep Everest standing tall while
a newly designed low-profile roof rack
provides additional visual contrast. Shaped
in matte silver and accented by black
upright supports, it extends from the front
seat all the way to the tailgate, providing
both style and functionality.
With the Everest very much a part
of the lives of its owners, be it work or
play, the designers wanted to strengthen
that integration further by using rich body
sculpting with touches of chrome, brushed
aluminium materials and premium details
to create an appealing SUV character.
“Our objective in shaping 2009 Everest
was to build on this emotional connection
to make that vehicle-owner bond even
stronger,” said Ferrier.
Feel the power
With the best torque in its class, the
Everest provides plenty of low-end grunt
that makes it ideal for overtaking on a
highway or tackling the tough off-road
terrain. For example, the 3.0-litre Duratorq
TDCi engine peaks at 380 Nm of torque
at 1,800 rpm and is capable of zero-to-100
kph acceleration in 14.3 seconds.
The Duratorq technology also contributes
to a much more refined, quiet operation
and reduced emissions output while
delivering excellent fuel economy. A
2.5-litre TDCi Everest sips just 8.8 litres
per 100 km and has an effective tankful
range of 678 km.
Available in 4x2 and 4x4 versions
and in five-speed manual or automatic
transmissions, the sure-footed Everest
is well-known for its superior ground
How the Everest
is better than
its competitors
• At least 10 percent more torque with
the 3.0L TDCi engine, a significant
advantage in terms of responsiveness
and driving quality.
• At 71 litres, the fuel capacity is about
six litres larger.
• At 1,433 litres, rear storage area is
nearly 10 percent bigger when the
third-row seats are flipped forward.
• Third-row passengers have more
generous knee clearance at 120 mm.
“ With its contemporary
new design look, the
dominant toughness of
Ford Everest has never
been more appealing.”
Masaki Makihara
Everest chief platform engineer
Issue 4
/9
clearance and river-fording capability,
making light work of negotiating light
flooding during rainstorms. Its vehicle
approach and departure angles, 32 and
26 degrees respectively, are designed
for optimal off-road clearance.
Just like a car
Volcanic ash?
Bring it on!
Nothing could daunt the new Everest. Not
even flat beds of volcanic ash.
At the 300-km regional media drive in
the Philippines last month, the SUV
sailed through the lahar beds, navigated
the gridlock of urban Manila, coasted along
unpaved countryside roads, cruised on
the country’s newest expressway and
effortlessly glided up to Baguio City at
1,500 m above sea level.
More than 40 journalists from the Philippines,
India and Indonesia got to test out the
new Everest which received praise for
its car-like handling and ride despite the
sometime bumpy roads. Ferrier and Hiroya
Fujimoto, Ford Hiroshima’s programs
management specialist, were also on hand
to take the media through the design and
engineering of the SUV.
“It is a very impressive vehicle that we
took through very extreme weather and
road conditions,” said a journalist from the
Philippines. “It handles extremely well
and it was very stable on slick and wet
roads at very high speeds. The engine’s
power clearly showed on the test drive
to Baguio. This is truly a vehicle built
Ford tough.”
While the new Everest is a true-blue
seven-seat SUV, it also pampers its
occupants with car-like comfort and luxury,
starting from the ergonomically crafted
seats and generous legroom for all three
rows. The second-row seats feature Ford’s
Synchronic one-touch flip-fold system,
which allows the seat back to fold forward
and lie flat, making it easy to configure the
interior space for all kinds of uses. The
third-row seats can be flipped forward or
removed to provide even more load length.
Unlike other vehicles in its segment, the
Everest has a tiered floor plan that not only
gives occupants in all three rows excellent
visibility but also lets them get in or out of
the SUV easily. It also provides dedicated
air conditioning vents to both the second
and third rows of seats – another Ford
competitive advantage in comfort.
Safe and sound
Other than the air bags, the SUV’s
protective body structure features door
intrusion beams and reinforced A, B and
C-pillars to manage crash forces away
from the driver and passengers. Active
safety features include anti-locking braking,
electronic brake force distribution and a
load-sensing proportioning valve to tailor
stopping capabilities for optimal control.
The new Everest also incorporates
Ford’s unique Passive Anti-Theft System
where a uniquely coded computer chip is
included on the ignition key to ensure the
vehicle will not start without the correct key.
And owners would do well to keep an
eye on the new Everest, which is now
oozing sophistication from the facelift.
“The new design for 2009 is a more
premium look that builds on the capability
and robust feel that are Ford Everest
hallmarks,” said Ferrier. “The result is a
truly signature look for Ford Everest.”
A tough act to follow
The Everest now boasts a distinctive new rear.
New design changes include:
• An eye-catching new cover
for the spare wheel mounted
on the tailgate, featuring a
unique moulded shape with
an appealing mountain motif
in relief.
• The tailgate features a chrome
handle incorporating a Ford
oval badge and concealed
lighting for the vehicle
number plate.
• A new three-piece rear bumper
unit – finished in body colour –
incorporates rear reflectors and
reversing lamps. Body-colour
cladding on the lower sill of the
tailgate gives it a matching
contour with the bumper for
appealing design coherence.
Check out the Everest ad on the back cover!
10 /
@Ford
technology
An toàn là trên hết τ಍ׂ၉
Veiligheid eerste Kaligtasan muna
⸘⏷咂ₙ š¤¬“Ÿ°¡Ã¦h€g¬˜
Utamakan keselamatan Suraksha Pehle
セーフティーが一番
Safety first
T
estimonials abound of drivers who
apply these dynamic stabilising countermeasures
such as airbags, seat belt pretensioners, rigid
remained relatively unscathed despite
without involving the driver.
passenger cell with front and rear crumple zones
crashing into stray animals or trucks
and load-limiting steering column.
Ford’s position as a leader in developing safety
Electric Power Assist Steering
(EPAS)
which takes into account the seating position of
technologies has been validated by crash test
The system automatically maintains safety and
the driver, seat belt utilisation and the severity of
agencies around the world.
accuracy by compensating for normal service wear
the accident before deploying appropriate safety
in the tyres and suspension. Without EPAS to
technologies during frontal collisions.
in their Ford vehicle. Anecdotes aside,
Here are some of the award-winning technologies
that keep Ford passengers safe.
Sensors constantly feed data to the system
intervene, the minor imbalances would require
slight steering correction by the driver. The pull-drift
BeltMinder™
Electronic Stability Programme
compensation feature uses computer software
This safety belt reminder technology for the front
Also known as Dynamic Stability Control, the
to identify when this is happening, and applies
occupants takes over after the initial safety belt
system helps the driver to maintain control of the
imperceptible steering adjustment to eliminate the
reminder stops chiming. If the driver remains
vehicle when encountering unexpected driving
effect before the driver is even aware.
unbuckled, the system chimes and flashes a
conditions such as slippery road surfaces or
Unlike the traditional hydraulic power-assisted
warning lamp for six seconds every 30 seconds
system, EPAS has been fine-tuned for reduced effort
for five minutes or until the driver buckles up,
It uses a powerful combination of sensors to
while parking but gives reassuringly firmer steering, with
whichever comes first.
detect the initial onset of possible loss of vehicle
accurate and involving feedback, at higher speeds.
emergency manoeuvres to avoid obstacles.
stability then rapidly and accurately manipulates
The Driving Skills for Life programme has always
emphasised that it is never too late for safety belts
the vehicle’s anti-lock braking system and engine
Intelligent Protection System
and research conducted by the U.S. Insurance
management controls to apply braking power and
This fully-integrated computer-driven system ‘thinks’
Institute for Highway Safety showed that safety
reduce engine power so that the vehicle continues
about, and responds to, different accident conditions
belt use was five percentage points higher in
to follow the driver’s chosen path. The system can
while maximising occupant protection using features
vehicles with BeltMinder™.
Issue 4
/ 11
voice of the customer
A very digital engagement
How do you capture a customer who’s
urban, trendy and technologically savvy?
To engage with the target customer for
the new Fiesta – who lives and breathes
the Internet – the marketing team in China
created a viral campaign
that would live,
breathe and
amplify itself
based on social
networks online.
The Born to
Wow campaign
is based on a clear
message: “Bold.
Stylish. This is the
new Fiesta’s DNA.
And because you
12 /
@Ford
are bold and stylish, you too share
in its DNA.”
Building on this, the team began by
creating awareness about Ford’s global
small car using eye-catching multimedia
banner ads on portals, verticals and
lifestyle sites to prep the audience for
the entrée.
Are you born to wow?
Utilising a series of challenges to find the
perfect match for Fiesta’s bold and stylish
DNA, the Born to Wow campaign relied on
the masses to pick out the winner, who then
drove away with a brand new Fiesta.
The first phase of the campaign began
on March 7 with four tasks being issued
from the Born to Wow website hosted on
the hugely popular QQ social media site
(http://fordfiesta.qzone.qq.com). Participants
had to upload a stylish picture of themselves,
a photo with the Fiesta at a dealership, a
“Wow” phrase about the car, and music
that would go well with the Fiesta.
The campaign drew more than 26,000
participants with the website clocking about
five million visits from the Internet community
who commented and voted on the ones
with the highest wow factor. In the end, the
eight most popular entries made it to the
next phase which began on May 1.
Let me wow you
Young, daring and outspoken, the eight
finalists were taken on a month-long
Fiesta road show which spanned nine
Tier II and III cities. At each stop, the
finalists had to complete certain missions
that were filmed reality-TV style and posted
on video-sharing website Youku.com
for Netizens to vote.
The contestants directed and starred
in their own music video revolving around
the Fiesta, gave makeovers to passers-by
on the road by taking them shopping and
dressing them up into the epitome of style
and even had to invite as many members
of the public as possible to dance along
with them on the street.
The less popular finalists were weeded
out until only one who truly shared Fiesta’s
DNA was left standing – Xiaodan Chen – in
Kunming on May 30.
Go wow at the numbers
The campaign has been turning in some
impressive figures, with the videos on Youku
drawing over eight million views while
more than 300,000 people have visited
the Ford dealerships in the three months.
And the biggest nod of all? The new
Fiesta has been consistently over-achieving
its sales target in China month after month.
Charles Frump, Fiesta brand manager,
believes it boils down to a successful
campaign that nailed the target customer’s
psyche down to a T:
“We knew the Internet was their
natural environment so we engaged
them there. We spoke their language,
got them interested and it all paid off.”
Tadah! Shuai Pang shows off his creation.
Latin dancing by Yuxun Zhao and Xiaodan Chen.
‘Ugly duckling’ gets the worm
K
nown as the “big-eyed girl” or Smoochum, a Japanese
cartoon character, to her Internet fans, 22-year-old
Xiaodan Chen pulled in 319,850 online votes to win
a 1.5L Trend AT in the Born to Wow campaign.
The final-year student at the Guangdong ATV Professional
Academy for Performing Arts won the community over with her
sassy dancing and singing, especially with her self-directed music
video (http://snipurl.com/j9d9s).
The segment opens with a frumpy version of Chen clutching
roses and grovelling on the floor, begging her supposed
boyfriend not to leave her for another girl. He rejects her and she
walks off in a huff. Chen then gets into a blue Fiesta parked nearby,
only to emerge as a stylish girl swarmed by admirers, completing
the transformation from ugly duckling to beautiful swan.
@Ford managed to catch up with the 1.66-m Guangdong native
immediately after her win.
What did you find most
difficult from start to finish?
To be able to perform naturally on
the stage. I’m quite shy and timid by
nature, so this was a tough psychological
hurdle. Also, I don’t have very strong
willpower so I seldom complete
anything that I begin.
So how did you overcome
it this time?
Ting Cao (left), CFMA’s marketing director,
presents Chen with her hard-won prize.
I kept telling myself to persevere and persevere! Plus the support
from my parents and friends was my greatest strength.
What was your favourite challenge in the campaign?
The one where we had to give a passer-by a stylish makeover.
I love shopping!
Other than home, where is the first place you’ll
drive your new Fiesta to?
To the most crowded street in my city. The new Fiesta is not so
common there now, so I can’t wait to show it off.
How has your life changed after taking part
in this campaign?
In her Fiesta music video, Chen was swarmed
by admirers after her transformation.
I’ll be graduating in six months, so the win is a good omen. This is
the first time I have my own car, life is going to be so much more
convenient, I can go wherever I want to go.
Issue 4
/ 13
Philippines DSFL
On the road to safe driving
A
day of exciting activities and rock
music by popular Filipino bands
marked Ford Group Philippines’
(FGP) re-launch of its road
safety initiatives under the company’s global
Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) programme.
DSFL now incorporates FGP’s awardwinning road safety initiatives that have
run since 2005, including the Responsibility
In Driver Education (R.I.D.E.) programme;
educational seminars for students, Ford and
Mazda customers, car clubs and the general
public; workshops to educate students on
proper driving habits; Eco-Driving; and the
Road Safety Youth Council.
“Road safety is a very serious issue in
the Philippines, and Ford Philippines remains
highly committed to helping improve driver
safety through this free driver education
programme,” said Anika Salceda, AVP for
corporate communications of FGP. “The
DSFL programme is an ideal way for Ford
to leverage our global expertise to help
make a difference here in the Philippines.”
From left: AIPF Executive Director Mirjam Sidik, Ford APA Corporate Communications Director
Neal McCarthy, DSFL Youth Council Chairperson for 2009 Kaye Sibbaluca, FGP President Rick
Baker, former DSFL Youth Council Chairman Vic Rosales, DOTC Assistant Secretary Dante
Lantin, and FGP Corporate Communications AVP Anika Salceda unveil the DSFL logo to media.
the language youth warm up to – music – to
advocate road safety in the Philippines. Top
Filipino bands such as Shift, Oven Toaster,
Hansom, Rivermaya and Chicosci jammed
with more than 500 students, showing their
support for the cause against driving under
the influence of alcohol.
and practical training to help increase
awareness of safe driving techniques that
also help improve fuel efficiency. The
training has been customised for the
Philippines to reflect the local driving
environment and road conditions, and
will be offered through a series of events
open to the public.
Saving lives
Popular Filipino band Chicosci takes a stand
against drunk driving.
DSFL launch day
The re-launch kicked off at the Fort Bonifacio
Open Grounds in April, where the campaign
logo was unveiled to media. A DSFL Drive
Camp followed, in which Ford Road Safety
Youth Council member volunteers and
media professionals were taught handy
skills on proper parking, braking and fuel
efficient driving.
A DSFL Inter-School Quiz Bee was held
later in the day, where top schools from
all over the metro area showed off their
knowledge on road safety and competed to
be the smartest on the road.
The second annual I Don’t Drink and
Drive Youth Summit concert capped off the
days’ events, where FGP once again used
14 /
@Ford
Reducing the toll of road traffic accidents
across the region is a key objective of DSFL.
The World Health Organisation estimates
that road traffic accidents will become the
third-leading cause of premature death for
all ages by 2020, accounting for a staggering
1.3 million deaths every year.
According to Mirjam Sidik, Executive
Director of the Vietnam-based Asia Injury
Prevention Foundation (AIPF), programmes
like DSFL are critical to address growing
concerns about road safety in the emerging
markets of Asia and Africa.
“It’s great to see Ford, a leader in safety,
doing something about this critical issue,”
Sidik said. “DSFL is a public-private
partnership that effectively involves
government and non-government
organisations. We believe it will be the
catalyst for further action to improve road
safety as nations across this region –
including here in the Philippines – deal with
rapid development to their infrastructure
and subsequent changes on their roads.”
DSFL is offered free to programme
trainees, and mixes classroom learning
DSFL Drive Camp sessions, facilitated by
the Tuason Racing School, teach Youth
Council members the basics of proper
parking, braking, and fuel-efficient driving.
Students test their road safety knowledge
in the DSFL Inter-School Quiz Bee.
Good corporate citizens
CSR
Ford Group Philippines (FGP) embraces its role as a corporate leader in the
community, and is dedicated to building a better world. Here’s a look at
some of the Corporate Social Responsibility and Partner Pillar activities
that have taken place recently.
Trash Can Donation
and Tree Planting
Ford in the Philippines (FIP) partners joined hands to maintain the beauty and cleanliness
of Mt. Manabu, Batangas. Participants donated trash cans and planted trees to ensure
that the lush greenery of Mt. Manabu is preserved for many years to come.
Making it happen:
Communications Pillar Champions
The Communications and Welfare Services Partners’ Pillar aims to enhance communication,
creativity, and general welfare amongst FIP partners by holding numerous Corporate Social
Responsibility activities and services throughout the year.
Mother’s Day
Celebration
The Partners’ Pillar on Diversity and
Worklife served a special Mother’s
Day lunch to FGP moms on May
13. Moms were also given a gift
from the Partner’s Pillar to mark
the special day.
Running
for safety
Run or walk, and teach people about
safe driving. That was FGP’s agenda
at the 3rd annual Auto Review Run for
Road Safety and Courtesy on May 24
at McKinley Hill in Taguig. Employees
from FGP’s marketing and sales
department, along with members of
the Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) Youth
Council participated in the 5- and 10-km
races, while Driver Education Seminars,
an Eco-Driving Camp and Eco-Driving
Challenges were offered at Ford’s booth.
FGP also handed out DSFL booklets,
t-shirts and notebooks to visitors.
Throughout the day, Ford’s DSFL
“Top 10 tips for safe-and eco-driving”
were promoted on the stage.
Issue 4
/ 15
global watch
Fiesta Movement agents hit the road
F
rom ice-cream truck to party
venue, the new Ford Fiesta is
more than just a car – at least
through the eyes of the witty,
irreverent and adventurous agents tasked
with introducing the new vehicle to North
America as well as the digital world.
Chosen from more than 4,000 applicants
to be part of the Fiesta Movement, a
social media initiative designed to generate
excitement about the car’s arrival in the
U.S. next year, the 100 young trendsetters
are now relating their experiences of living
with and going on special ‘missions’ with
their European-spec Fiesta.
Mission possible
Last month, they took on technology-themed
missions which ranged from learning how
Internet radio Pandora recorded an
in-house concert live to stream it online to
discovering new Twitter tricks at the 140
Character Conference.
One agent even came up with a product
that had not been featured on the humorous
Internet series “Will It Blend?” which
examines what can and cannot be grounded
up in a kitchen blender and delivered it to
the Blendtec headquarters in Utah.
16 /
@Ford
In May, under the theme of travel and
adventure, some agents recreated historic
journeys across the U.S., held a party in
their Fiesta, went on road trips with friends
to national monuments and volunteered to
deliver packages.
“We work inside a dark theatre all year
long, so it’s nice to do an adventure that
will get us out doing things and documenting
those adventures,” said agent #16 Brad.
“We get a new car that no one else has
and we can go out, explore, and show off
that car in all these different areas.”
Making waves online
The Fiesta Movement campaign is aimed
squarely at Millenials, the next-generation
consumer group born between 1979 and
1995. These consumers, which will total
70 million drivers by 2010, use social
media daily and offer a prime opportunity
for Ford to tap into a group that has yet
to establish brand loyalty.
There are some serial heavy hitters in
social media among the 100 agents: two
have more than 30,000 MySpace friends,
six are YouTube personalities with more than
20,000 subscribers, while seven are bloggers
with more than 100,000 views per month.
The agents are already creating a big
impression in cyberspace after the May
kickoff. In the first month alone, they
garnered about 1 million video views
on YouTube, more than 180,000 photo
views on Flickr and more than 1,500
mini-messages or “tweets” on Twitter.
“Our agents are clearly demonstrating
how powerful they are at delivering unique
content to their friends and followers in
the social arena,” said Sam De La Garza,
Ford’s small car marketing manager. “It’s
even more powerful when the Ford Fiesta
can enable our agents to grow the
Ford Fiesta following!”
Follow the agents on
www.fiestamovement.com
news roundup
A hip drive for summer
Simply irresistible
Ford Japan’s tailor-made AQUAFEEL SUVs are the
most stylish item on this summer’s must-have list.
Limited AQUAFEEL editions of the Escape XLT,
Explorer XLT and Explorer Sport Trac XLT went
on sale in May. Each boasts a navigation system as
a standard feature while a step bar is standard for
the Explorer AQUAFEEL and power sliding sunroof
is standard for the Explorer Sport Trac AQUAFEEL.
The new Ford Focus is turning out
to be the Indonesian media’s darling.
At the annual awards ceremony
organised by the Otomotif tabloid
in May, the Focus drove off with the
Best Medium Hatchback award for
the five-door and the Most Innovative
Car Special Award for the 2.0 TDCi.
The Focus was also recently named
The Best Medium Hatchback by
TopGear Indonesia magazine.
“This is fantastic news and these
awards fill us with pride. The car has
touched a sweet spot with the public
and the specialist media,” said Will
Angove, president director of
Ford Indonesia.
Switching on
productivity
Taking it to the MAX
‘‘A smart choice for RV players to have more fun’’ is
how Ford Lio Ho described the new 2009 Ford i-MAX
at its launch last month. The vehicle boasts improved
features including an electronic climate control system,
a USB port that allows drivers to connect to external
music sources, a blackout meter and a trip computer.
Yes,
Vietnam rocks!
Ford India celebrated another
significant milestone in April as
part of its ongoing investment and
expansion strategy – the opening of
its second stamping press line.
The new fully automatic press
line will double productivity while
saving manpower, improving the
quality of panels, and reducing the
die changeover time.
Ford Vietnam’s March sales rose an
impressive 73 percent from February,
to 856 vehicles. The March performance
helped Ford Vietnam increase its market
share to about 7 percent, up 2 percent
from the same period a year ago.
Hot rods and hot dogs
Not even the looming storm clouds kept the crowds away from Ford Australia’s annual Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) event
in April, where an exhibition of 40 hot rods drew over 300 visitors. The day’s events – along with the sale of a lot of hot dogs – raised
AUD6,000 for the JDRF cause. “It’s fantastic, tremendous, to see this sort of commitment,” said Marin Burela, CEO, Ford Australia. “Diabetes
impacts people from all walks of life, including many within Ford’s extended family, so it’s important that we keep this sort of commitment
and charity going.”
Issue 4
/ 17
Ford faces
For the love of IT
These are the whizzes in the Information Technology department who make sure our
computers and the office networks run smoothly 365 days a year. More than just a
helpline number, they talk about their jobs, favourite Ford technology and pet peeves.
do you
1 How
achieve ONE
Yoga Istanto
Ken Sato
Andrew Sharp
Jarung Saengthong
Indonesia IT manager
Japan IT manager
New Zealand IT analyst
Thailand IT PTG manager
5 years with Ford
15 years with Ford
9 years with Ford
6 years with Ford
Work as a team to support
local business operations.
Maximise effective use of
solutions available across
the region.
Play our part well, no matter
how small, and work as a
team to accomplish the task.
I guide individuals to
effectively utilise the Career
Development Framework
to develop and strengthen
their capabilities.
Some users don’t know how
to create a new password
to replace the old one for
applications.
Nothing is silly. I always learn
a lot from each problem or
request.
When experiencing a problem
on their PC, most users don’t
at least try re-booting it before
contacting IT.
Normal users requesting
for system administrator
privileges.
Good listening skills and
understanding people.
Patience, persistence and
forethought.
My Kiwi can-do attitude.
Persevere until I get a result
even if it means thinking
through the night!
Positive thinking, clear and
honest communication.
I like trying new things with
a challenge, be it caving,
diving or exploring a new
IT technology.
I love propeller airplanes and
I collect miniature planes.
My snow-skiing hobby – I’ve
made it my goal to ski in a
different place every year.
I’m the proud owner of a
1966 Ford Anglia, two-door
sports coupe.
PowerShift – it makes driving
very smooth and has good
fuel efficiency.
Vehicle stability in my C-MAX
at high speed on the freeway
– keeps me feeling confident
and comfortable.
Dynamic Stability Control –
because I love driving fast and
this may make the difference
whether I still see my family
and friends tomorrow.
SYNC – it represents
advanced technology that
Ford can be proud of.
Dual-Core Pentium processor
– serve and process all
requests as quickly as
possible.
Applications instead of
hardware – because these
are much closer to users and
communicate with them.
Memory – to remember which
projects were implemented
successfully or unsuccessfully
so we can improve and not
make the same mistakes in
the future.
The on-off button – so that
I’m the first one to greet the
user in the morning and the
last one to say bye at the
end of the day.
Ford in your
job?
the
2 What’s
silliest IT request
or problem you’ve
encountered?
personal
3 What
attributes do
you depend on
for work?
us
4 Tell
something few
people know
about you.
is your
5 Which
favourite
technology in a
Ford vehicle?
Ford Motor
6 IfCompany
were
a computer,
which part
would you be?
Social butterfly
y
Ford APA has profiles and actively shares content on the following:
18 /
@Ford
http://twitter.fordapa.com
http://flickr.fordapa.com
http://ford.digitalsnippets.com
http://youtube.fordapa.com
http://facebook.fordapa.com
http://thefordstory.com
If you’d like to contribute to these websites, do drop [email protected] a note!
Indonesia
China
Australia
s 100 Ford
Team deliver
Engineering sed by employees to
ha
rc
fire victims
caps pu
Army for bush
the Salvation
Japan
Employees and the
ir families
participate in local fun
run
India
Volunteers raise road safety
awareness
Winning de
Delivery C alers from the Vehi
ontest
cle
South Africa
Australia
Philippines
entation
awards pres
Long service
in May
Striking a pose at Ford and Harle
y
Davidson’s joint ride in April
Morning Tea event to support
the Cancer Council
Taiwan
Engine Plan
Work Life Pat and the Diversity &
departmenta rtners Pillar host inte
rl basketball
tournament
Japan
India
Thailand
Big smiles at Ford and Harley
Davidson’s joint ride event in April
Taiwan
The Welfare Comm
carnations for em ittee prepares
ployees on
Mother’s Day
re-launch
er for DSFL
Media gath
l
g Environmenta
Volunteers durinS.P. Koil Village
at
y
Da
p
nu
Clea
Indonesia
China
Philippines
Employees head home with their
Mother’s Day carnations
Vietnam
es get to know
Graduate traine g outbound
each other durintivity
teambuilding ac
Employees compete in a 50 m
‘Enggrang’ race
Going green at the
Clean-up Drive in Tree Planting &
Mt. Manabu
South Africa
Thailand
Annual football tournament
Vietnam
Long service award
s presentation
in May
i dealership
Ford execs visit Tha
h
Keep the
ions
ribut
cont
ing!
com
Email your happy snaps to
[email protected]
ormance
Ford Club gala dinner perf
Issue 4
/ 19