Ford bids to boost appeal with women
MWC: Ford is launching a European-wide initiative offering groups of influential women the chance to test drive its cars and trial its technology as it looks to refine its messaging to female consumers.
The car manufacturer’s professional women’s network is inviting bloggers, journalists and other socially influential women to visit one of its 50 participating dealers for dedicated technology days.
It will listen to feedback on its technologies – such as the recently unveiled voice activated in-car Spotify app or parking assist – as it looks to modify the way it communicates to women across public affairs, marketing and within the dealership.
Speaking to Marketing Week at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Ford’s European director of earned and social media communications and public affairs Elena Cortesi said: “In the automotive industry women are often not considered as an interesting and important group but about 60 per cent of purchasing around the world comes is from women and their power and positions in their businesses are increasing.”
Ford is also considering making a financial commitment to a women’s charity as part of its efforts to boost its appeal with females.
The car manufacturer is hoping the launch of new in-car entertainment, safety and location technologies will help it attract consumers who did not have the brand “on their shopping list”.
Cortesi said: “We are giving the message to people who had the perception of Ford in the past that we were very reliable but perhaps not so modern. One of our concepts is to democratise technology: we think we are a pioneer of the car industry and we want to improve our technology to be accessible.”
Globally the company has shifted its marketing approach towards social, which Cortesi says helps the brand tell the many different stories about the experiences and solutions its engineering and connected technologies bring to consumers.
Cortesi added: “Traditional advertising is losing its power because the consumer is overwhelmed by information. With our big media spend there is still a big job to be done and you need deeper analysis around where you spend as the consumer becomes very selective.”
