Ford turns test drives into online video games

Ford have launched an innovative way to test drive the 2012 Ford Focus in order to boost their social media presence.

A couple of months ago we saw Renault converting their offline popularity into online recognition at an international motor show with RFID micro-chip embedded cards that fans swiped at Facebook share pillars. This month Ford in the US have come up with an innovative way of boosting their social media presence with an alternative way to test drive the 2012 Ford Focus. Unlike the conventional test drive which usually involves a quick lap around the block, Ford have set up an obstacle course to demonstrate the handling ability of the new Focus with drivers. What’s more, the test cars are equipped with telemetry technology, turning the data from the test drive in to a real-life computer game. Drivers score points by the way they navigate the course, accompanied by video-game sound effects. The experience is captured in personalized drive videos, 86 percent of which have been shared online, with an average of 18 views per video. The video below shows the test drive in action: Creating a fun experience around your product gets customers talking, and when given the tools to take their offline experience online, their voice can spread even further. One to be inspired by! Spotted by: Judy McRae