Auto Expo 2012: Nigel Wark on Ford India’s presence at the Auto Expo

Ford’s zone at the Auto Expo 2012 was one of the biggest talking points and attracted large numbers, as Ford unveiled their new SUV, the EcoSport.

In a bid to make the zone engaging, Ford had an EcoSport game at the zone for visitors. Through the game visitors could control the EcoSport with a motion sensing camera. Visitors were able to control the SUV and unlock information about the car at each bend.

On the initiative, Nigel Wark, executive director, marketing, sales and service, Ford India said, “We wanted to create something engaging with the visitors at the Auto Expo. We did not want to put the car and stop people from touching the car at the zone and so we created an interactive driving game. We wanted to bring together engagement so that there was some memory for people for Ford at the Auto Expo.”

“At the Expo we also showed our four pillars around which our Ford brand runs. We had a ‘quality touch table’ where visitors got a hands-on opportunity to feel the quality of the materials and workmanship which help make Ford vehicles great value for money. Our ‘Green Touch Table’ demonstrates the benefits of the EcoBoost engine for the EcoSport and the long-term value that Ford’s green technology provides vehicle owners. Our ‘Safe Driving Challenge’, we got participants  in an interactive safe driving competition and earn points for following rules, like observing the speed limit and slowing down in school zones. Our Fiesta body shell showed safety features and how Ford’s safety systems protect drivers and passengers in the blink of an eye”, added Wark.

On Ford taking the digital route for the launch of the Fiesta and the Figo, Wark said, “Our study told us clearly, the number one is word of mouth, second is what happens at the dealership and number three is advertising. When we talk in those terms, word of mouth is not talking to your friends and family, it also includes blogging, on social media. That’s such an important part and that’s why we’re doing this. So our digital platform used real people for the launch of the celebratory aspects of the Figo who had a passion for the product. For the Fiesta, we got more people involved through social media as a study told us that our Fiesta buyers spend twice as much of their time on digital compared to TV.”

Ford had launched the first version of the Fiesta in India in 2005 with Abhishek Bachchan as brand ambassador compared to the launch of the revamped version in 2011 through the digital platform with real people. On the two different launches, Wark said, "For the time in 2005 our brand was new and it didn’t have the status we have now, so Abhishek Bachchan’s brand tie up really helped. Also, none of these digital options were available back then. If digital was available back then, we may have used it. but you never know what would have happened."