Ford Truck Man: Auto Sees Success with Toby Keith
Ford Trucks and country singer Toby Keith are building on their 3 year relationship this fall with an integrated sponsorship campaign that is promoting Ford's F series through tie-ins to traditional media, at live event sponsorship and online sweeps.
As Ford Motor Company enters its 61st year of sponsorship of the FFA, Toby Keith will kick off the 82nd National FFA Convention on October 21st in Indianapolis, playing to more than 55,000 young people from FFA chapters across the country.
"Ford recognizes that education in agriculture is as important now as it has ever been and we are proud to continue our partnership with the FFA again in 2009," said Kevin Schebil of Ford Motor Company. "The addition of Toby Keith on behalf of Ford Trucks at this year's national FFA convention is the icing on the cake."
In conjunction with the Toby Keith and Trace Adkins' 60 stop nationwide concert tour, Toby Keith's America's Toughest Tour presented by Ford F-Series, music lovers are invited to enter America's Toughest Sweepstakes at www.americastoughesttour.com by March 31, 2010, to win a 2010 Ford F-150 and a private backyard concert for 100 people next summer.
The relationship between Ford and Toby Keith began back in 2006 when the country music star was tapped to promote the F-150, F-Series Super Duty and Ford Ranger vehicles in an ad campaign that included Keith's song "I Am a Working Man." In support of the F-series, the automaker was presenting sponsor for Keith's "Hookin' Up and Hangin' Out Tour"(2007) and "Biggest and Baddest Tour"(2008).
Approximately 100,000-125,000 people have opted in to Ford and Toby Keith-related promotions, with about 9-10% of those people looking for more information about Ford full-sized pickups.
Keith has sold 25 million albums, grossed $255 million on tour and spent 51 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard charts since 2000. According to Forbes, his highest grossing year was 2003.
Event sponsorships, such as Monster Jam, Pro Bull Riding and Toby Keith's concert tours, have been a key staple to Ford's marketing and communication strategy.
"When we talk to these consumers, we are reaching over 95% of the full-size pickup segment with programs [including those we have around] fishing, camping, hunting, and boating," Schebil recently told MediaPost. "When you look at our metrics, you know 58% of pickup truck owners watch NASCAR; about the same are involved in country music; 46% of full-sized pickup truck owners attend PBR and 34% are Monster Truck fans. So we are touching each lifestyle and involved with core consumers."
