Ford must really think the public is concerned with how they're turning the company around because Ford's hitting the "big (little) screen" like a star — like a not-so-bright, not-so-shining star — in a 50-part documentary series highlighting the "Bold Moves" FoMoCo is taking. In an e-mail today to all Ford staff, Mark Fields, President of Ford North America, outlined exactly what the documentary would accomplish:
Most people outside of the company never will have seen such an insider's view of the designing, engineering, manufacturing and selling of cars and trucks. We believe the public will be fascinated - and, at times, shocked by our candor. That's because this is not typical marketing or PR. It's not scripted or pre-planned. The documentary chronicles actual events as they happen.
Right — and we totally believe it'll be "not scripted or pre-planned" as well chock full of "candor" and we're sure the public will be "fascinated" as well. Will they be "shocked?" Well...maybe Wall Street will be when they find out about this cockamamie idea. It sounds like Fields has everything under control over there...but...just in case they're looking for some wacky n' bold ideas, we think we've come up with some titles for a few of their webisodes — check them out, along with the full e-mail from Marky-Mark, after the jump — and then provide us with some of your own:
Webisode Titles:
1.) Ford: The Battle for Dearborn
2.) Episode II: Use The Fords, Fields
3.) Mark Fields: Demolition Man
4.) William Ford Sr: The Ford-father
5.) Mark Fields' List
6.) Ford Of The Rings
Marky-Mark's E-mail
This week, we mark the next phase in our Bold Moves marketing communications platform. Tomorrow at noon Eastern time, we will introduce the world to a rare behind-the-scenes look at our Way Forward turnaround through an online documentary series we call
"BOLDMOVES: The Future of Ford."
Hosted at www.fordboldmoves.com, the weekly documentary tells our story in a direct, open and honest manner. Many of you and your colleagues will "star" in the episodes, as we work to show the world that we have the passion and the plan to win.
Over time, the documentary will present a picture of a company that is committed to revitalization through our people, products, improved quality and costs, and a laser-sharp focus on the customer. Each episode will provide evidence that it's not business as usual at the Ford Motor Company and that our "change or die" Way Forward attitude is not a sound bite. It's the way we're approaching our future.
The documentary is one of a series of Bold Moves initiatives. As we previously have pointed out, Bold Moves is far more than an advertising campaign or new tag line. It reflects who we are, where we're going and what's important to our customers. Bold Moves reflects not just how we communicate with our customers, but also how we operate internally as a nimbler, faster and less bureaucratic organization.
The documentary is being taped during the course of the year and will include up to 50 episodes that are approximately 3 - 5 minutes in length. The storyline will vary from the making of the Ford Shelby GT500 to our decision-making on future products and work to assemble them with improved quality and costs.
In the first episode, we set the stage for the business realities we face. In an upcoming episode, North America design chief Peter Horbury explains our Way Forward vision of bold, American design. In another episode, we visit an assembly plant to show the world the complexity of vehicle manufacturing.
Most people outside of the company never will have seen such an insider's view of the designing, engineering, manufacturing and selling of cars and trucks. We believe the public will be fascinated - and, at times, shocked by our candor. That's because this is not typical marketing or PR. It's not scripted or pre-planned. The documentary chronicles actual events as they happen.
I invite you and all employees to become regular viewers of the documentary and to encourage your family and friends to do the same. I am convinced that, once more people see how we are changing and how passionate we are about winning, the public increasingly will cheer us on and help lead us to success.
- Mark Fields
xxxxxxxx@ford.com
Bold Moves: Documentaring the future of Ford [fordboldmoves.com]
Related:
Ad Watch: Run Ford Your Life — It's Taylor Hicks! [internal]