Ford Edge Garnering Strong Interest Leading Up To Launch

[Edge Guide]

FORD EDGE GARNERING STRONG INTEREST LEADING UP TO LAUNCH

 

By Michael J. Ureel, FCN

 

 

Just weeks before its launch, the new 2007 Ford Edge is creating buzz among potential customers.

 

"It was very nimble, tight, and it hugged the ground, but still had a high-seated SUV feel to it," said Pasquale Bruno, 39, of Dearborn, who got a chance to drive the Edge during a recent marketing event at Ford Field. "The interior looked gorgeous -- I loved it!"

 

Since Edge's unveiling at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit last January, Ford has used cutting-edge tools, such as an interactive Web site that allows 360-degree views, to inform and pique people's interest in the bold-looking crossover.

 

"The Edge has generated a lot of interest, and we've received a lot of great reaction from the press, consumers and Ford dealers," said Jeri Ward, Edge marketing manager, Ford Division. "And the Edge Web site has had a ton of traffic on fordvehicles.com ever since the reveal last January, and what's great is that momentum has continued through the year."

 

More than 750,000 consumers have visited the Edge Web site since its debut at the auto show -- 40 percent more than Ford experienced with Fusion over the same timeframe. In addition, more than 45,000 consumers have requested information about the vehicle.

 

"The Web site allows us to have a two-way dialogue with consumers. The site provides an opportunity for consumers to express an interest in learning more about our products and in-turn Ford can provide the information they specifically desire," said Ward.

 

"We are working to a cadence where we are ramping up with more and more information to keep potential consumers engaged and interested in the Edge, ultimately building up to the vehicle arrival this November."

 

The Ford Edge reveal Web site also provides a fun experience for consumers to "play" with the Edge online. The site was developed using CGI technology offering visitors the ability to check out features in a 360-degree virtual environment.

 

"We've made it very interactive and engaging, and we've used a lot of new technology," said Ward. "It's not about listing specifications and every feature in black and white print. We've tried to deliver information in a way that is not only informative, but also entertaining -- it's Edge-utainment. And this is just the beginning; we have many more exciting Web plans still to come."

 

Besides the Web, Ford interacts with potential customers through auto shows, customer mailings, and ride-and-drive events such as the one Bruno attended.

 

"The Edge is where I'm trying to go, downsizing a little bit from my Expedition to something that's not a car," said Bruno, who is looking to buy one. "The Edge seems like it'd be a perfect fit."

 

Ford marketers have taken product mailings to a whole new level, creating an innovative mailer sent out to customers who signed up for updates via the Edge Web site. The unique tabloid-size product brochure highlights the Edge in very interesting ways.

 

"The tabloids are big, you notice them and they break through in the mail," said Ward. "We've thought about distributing them in coffeehouses and people will read them in their leisure time in places where they hang out."

 

When you are launching a new car, and a new name in the marketplace, it's all about building brand awareness, she said.

 

"That's our No. 1 objective -- to build awareness, opinion and consideration for the 2007 Ford Edge," said Ward. "It's all about establishing that Ford has this hot, all-new crossover called Edge, and it's cool, and it's another bold move from Ford."

 

The Ford Edge will be in dealer showrooms by the end of the year.