Shanghai, China – Marking its 120-year anniversary as a global automotive manufacturer, Ford, in partnership with advertising company Wieden+Kennedy Shanghai, launched the ‘Wild At Heart’ campaign, featuring its iconic vehicles such as the Ford Mustang, Ford Bronco, and the Ford Explorer Timberline.

In showcasing how Ford adds adrenaline to everyone’s wild side, Wieden+Kennedy Shanghai created a film centred around a human’s desire to move through the personal life stories of 3 characters who fall in love with movement – and everything that comes with it.

The film showcases a coming-of-age story told from the 1990s to the present day, following the characters who meet their match with a Ford vehicle, specifically highlighting each character’s desire to go wild, be free, and feel the thrill.

Zhong How, creative director at Wieden+Kennedy Shanghai, said, “We all grew up with the desire to move. From your first step to your first bike to your first car. These are moments filled with excitement and thrill. Ford really understands that and wants you to feel and embrace it.”

Meanwhile, Aier Xu, creative director at Wieden+Kennedy Shanghai, also mentioned,  “We have so many up and coming local vehicle brands in China nowadays, it’s crucial for Ford as a foreign brand to show its strong relevance with this market, that’s why we chose to go for an emotional approach as opposed to talking about functions and features.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Sime Darby Auto Connexion (SDAC), the sole distributor of Ford in Malaysia, has launched its latest campaign to commemorate the Raya celebrations. The campaign was done in collaboration with Initiative, the media agency within the IPG Mediabrands network.

With the theme ‘More than you expect’, SDAC and Initiative worked with key opinion leader (KOL) Chubb-E. The release intends to send Raya wishes to consumers as they make their way back to their hometowns (balik kampung) while sharing key safety and product features of the Next-Generation Ford Ranger.

The lyrics were written and composed by Chubb-E, who also performed and produced the video. The 23-year-old digital artist is well-known in the Malaysian media scene and as a digital influencer, singer, and composer.

“Amidst the Raya videos that fall on comedy, and the majority that pull on your heartstrings, we’re excited to be a part of something that cuts through the noise and is culturally current and relevant,” said Darren Yuen, chief executive officer of Initiative.

He added, “The team has pulled together a dual language music video that speaks to the younger generation with its street-cred lyrics – think fleek and lit – and leverages on the popularity of Chubb-E who has a strong following with Malay grassroots.” 

Meanwhile, Queenie Tham, head of marketing communications at Sime Darby Auto Connexion-Ford said that they wanted to show the Next-Generation Ranger in a new light this Raya, how it can play a part in many aspects of life, being truly ‘more than you expect’ in a pickup truck. 

“Next-Gen Ford Ranger and Raptor have many first-in-class and best-in-class technologies and features suited for the dynamic lifestyle of society today. The Initiative team and Chubb-E have really done a wonderful job to translate our key messages into a catchy, trendy song that is more than just a jingle,” Tham added.

Complementing the music video, a week-long radio campaign has launched on ERA FM and with Astro Lifebytes to promote Raya safety messages during the festive period and educate listeners on the Next-Generation Ranger features.

SDAC Ford’s new music video can be viewed via Ford Malaysia’s social media channels.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Behind the threat to humanity that began upon the entry of 2020, the ‘silver lining’ that this generation has always had, if it may be pointed out, is the power of the digital world, and how digital content has ‘saved’ all by providing a semblance of the old normal such as experiencing the ‘outdoors’ even if it’s just through our screens. 

The pandemic has turned to be a time to innovate the internet and deliver content that would help people cope with the current times, and automotive brand Ford in Malaysia has just done its share, launching a new film that aims to transport viewers and help them touch base with the ‘outdoors’. 

Ford Malaysia
From Ford Malaysia’s new ad ‘Hello Outdoors’

Ford, which has been known to channel passion, energy, and ‘adrenaline rush’ in its campaigns for its car models, has once again hinted at the great outdoors, but this time, more of a ‘hi’ and a gentle reminder that soon, we are all going to come back and be one with nature again. 

In collaboration with Reprise Digital, the full-service integrated communications agency within the IPG Mediabrands network, the film ‘Hello Outdoors’ features scenic spots in Malaysia with a subtle but hopeful greeting on each feature. 

“Hello, Mist,” ‘Hello, open road,” and “Hello, bridge” are some of the greetings the film would say. 

In amplifying the sentiment of the film and to move emotions, Reprise zeroed in on the ‘little things’ and the normal places and structures everyone tends to overlook, reminding the audience how the renewed novelty of the life we got so used to has now made us view it with so much gratitude and beauty. 

Mandar Wairkar, one of Reprise Digital’s creative directors, shared that the idea behind the film stems from something we are all asking right now, “When can we travel again?”

“We know the Ford Ranger audience loves the outdoors, so the intended impact is to evoke that serenity and connection with the outdoors. That spirit of adventure and discovery. It isn’t dead, it is just grounded temporarily,” said Wairkar

Meanwhile, Queenie Tham, the marketing communications head of Sime Darby Auto Connexion-Ford, the sole distributor of Ford in Malaysia, said that the intention of the film is to touch base with Ford Ranger enthusiasts and the people who aspire towards the Ford Ranger brand and lifestyle. 

“Malaysians have been eager for our borders to open, eager to travel, explore and discover the outdoors again. The team at Reprise [has] managed to bring that message of hope, that we will soon have our time outdoors again to live our best lives,” commented Tham. 

In the end, it leaves a very hopeful note with a hint of emotion – “Let’s catch up when all is well again.”

The digital-only campaign was officially launched on 26 July and can be viewed on Ford Malaysia’s Facebook and YouTube. The campaign has also been developed to retain the Ford brand as top-of-mind where viewers are invited to book a live 1-on-1 session with a Ford Ranger Specialist to answer all their questions about the Ford Ranger, while they wait for the roads to open back up.