Mashable - The Social Media Guide - Latest Comments in Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

MJCR — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:21:47 -0000

'Corporate shill'? Jeez, get over it. Stop reading Naomi Klein and grow up.

The whole media relies almost 100% on advertising. No advertising = no favourite tv shows, movies, websites, blah blah blah.

Most people have enough grey matter to understand the concept of a commercial. Its how people sell stuff for goodness sakes. Thankfully sellers can't yet telepathically communicate with potential buyers. So we have advertising.

Its just a car. We need them to get from A to B.

Ford is not the Stasi.

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

ARB4 — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:51:22 -0000

I just want to add that I won a chance to eat dinner with Jake & Amir on their Fiesta Movement road trip!

It was awesome. After watching them for years, they just happen to be driving and having dinner in my city.

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

pekayak — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:34:58 -0000

Go Ford! It's great to see them using new media to reach their audience. Fiesta is a car targeted at a younger audience. I hope the campagin works and shows great results for Ford. And, kudos to them for not needing to accept stimulus funds.

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

adamhirsch — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:21:23 -0000

As a clarification, neither Ford nor the Ford Fiesta Movement nor the Ford Fiesta Agents have ever sponsored anything on Mashable... yet... (I do work in Sales you know ;) ). Our only involvement was working with the Ford Fiesta Agents who donated money directly to the Summer of Social Good Charitable Fund through our partner Global Giving.

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

Agent58 — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:30:09 -0000

My content is all orginal buddy. I can't tell you the amount of facebook and twitter friends and followers I have just because they like the car. I'd like to think it's because of my good looks.
http://fiestamovement.com/a...

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

Name — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:25:30 -0000

There is no way to measure intent to buy in social media so while the "buzz" appears good; though, I've followed this campaign in detail and most of it is a circle jerk of Fiesta Agents commenting and sharing other Fiesta Agent content. Anyway, it's an interesting experiement but no one car has been sold on none of the metrics show intent to buy so your article's title is foolish.

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

defacebook — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:02:05 -0000

"Looks" are too subjective a criteria. I've known people who loved the looks of the Pontiac Aztec and hated the looks of the Chrysler 300 and Crossfire. As for the Fiesta -- I find it neither beautiful or hideous -- merely acceptable for its segment. Better to judge cars based on measurable criteria: Things Gone Wrong, fuel economy, crash test ratings and let looks be the x factor that makes or breaks a purchase decision.

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

Elliott paul — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:36:17 -0000

well im sure anyone will agree that there's lots of cars better than a
fiesta, i'd suggest using one of those. ford doesn't make the best looking
cars, well u may think they do.

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

Kambuib — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:03:26 -0000

97% of which don't own a Ford currently. That's awesome!!
http://fiestamovement.com/a...

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

defacebook — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:01:04 -0000

Well, yeah, the success of the Fiesta in terms of actual sales remains to be seen because it isn't on sale yet (in the U.S.), but the campaign is undoubtedly successful because people have taken notice and are writing about it. It's funny how people criticize a company when it tries to do something new or unique almost more than they criticize a company that does the same old thing or nothing at all. It's tired.

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

defacebook — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:51:19 -0000

arrrghhh, matey. you make a good point, even if it did poke me in my one good eye.

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

defacebook — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:48:52 -0000

better than a fiesta? in whose opinion? based on what criteria?

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

defacebook — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:46:04 -0000

In a consumer society that worships the almighty dollar, a sales campaign and a "movement" are both considered "just causes". Maybe that makes you queasy (it should).

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

defacebook — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:43:08 -0000

As members of a consumer society we all become corporate shills at one point or another. All it takes is one product recommendation in daily conversation and you're a shill.

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

me — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:05:19 -0000

Brilliant, that's using your head (you figure out which one).

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

Tobias Merriman — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:30:57 -0000

Can't watch that video, she's just too fucking annoying. No fords for me.

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

KristenKB — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:30:35 -0000

I think it is pretty exciting for an "old corporate company" to step into a new arena for connecting with customers and building the Fiesta brand.

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

Rajashekhar Sharma — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:00:48 -0000

I think Ford's campaign will succeed very well, although nothing is for sure. I am planning on buying it. I have fallen in love with this very loveable car.

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

Name — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 07:48:11 -0000

Fared the recession, not faired the recession.

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

Kimberly Otsuka — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 06:15:29 -0000

Putting the fiesta through the social media car wash does not make it a winner. While social media may seem like the solution to every great what is the next big thing question, it has limitations. Just because a car company believes it will succeed because they have bridged into this new niche market, it doesn't mean they have consumers willing to buy. Following a Ford Fiesta is completely different than purchasing a Ford Fiesta. It make appear tempting to unleash social media upon perspective Ford customers, but it still is a long way away from proving it can actually sell cars.

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

jonnybgood — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 04:32:58 -0000

I think it was a brave trial campaign given the situation in the auto industry and the fact that the Fiesta has been out of the US market for so long. The only thing is that they could have thught through the timings a bit better - the car won't be available for quite a while so they're going have to work hard to maintain the momentum. Fair play to them, though.

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

Vaibhav Kalamdani — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 03:48:24 -0000

One of the biggest advantages with Ford Fiesta is its brand visibility. Achieving a place in the "top-of-the-mind" recall of consumers is a very challenging task for any brand from any industry.

With such a huge percentage of interested potential customers, it is an achievement for Ford to make an impression on so many people at a cost that is small fraction of traditional advertising. I believe this is a good move by Ford as far as advertising cost-cuts is concerned. However, a competing brand that is able to integrate both offline and online media for promotional purposes could have an edge in the long-run.

Having said that, a lot depends on the quality of the product as well.

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

rajagiri4 — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 02:39:05 -0000

yes i agree this

http://www.seodoom.info/200...

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

Tim Daloisio — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 09:30:17 -0000

This analysis of success is somewhat in a "vacuum" as there is no idea of the "cost" to pull this all together. You mention not a dollar spent on traditional media, but not how many dollars were spent on the movement at large.

I think these campaigns are important...but social media is currently getting a pass on the ROI metrics that traditional and other more standard online campaigns are held to because all parties involved "want" them to work. Not saying that's the case here...but there is an important data point missing on the input side of the equation.

Re: Ford Fiesta Movement: Can Social Media Sell Cars?

Peter Berger — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 05:34:22 -0000

A genius idea. Companies can brand a product with little costs. And they reach the younger audience. Perfect.