Ford's advertising for the Edge was the focus of yesterday's column, but today we'll look at the crotch-shots that Ford's ads will be appearing alongside in the coming months.
Control Room, formerly Network Live, is in charge of producing the upcoming Pink concert to air on MSN Music. The concert will stay on MSN for six months. However, it's the shorter-lived ads that are causing the controversy.
The ads that pitch Pink as a modern-day feminist compared to Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton and other celeb-tarts, will run on PerezHilton.com, TheSuperficial.com and TMZ (AOL's gossip blog). The ads are promoting the concert in addition to Pink's new single, "U and Ur Hand". Look for slogans like, "Don't You And Your Hands Have Better Places To Be" and "See The Real Pink". But it's not the slogans, though tinged with double-entendre, that are causing the ruckus. It's the apparent seeking out of crotch-shot blogs to hype the new vehicle that is causing such a buzz.
Ford is distancing itself:
A Ford spokesman said, "Ford knew nothing about this. We would never be involved in this kind of activity and we are currently investigating the situation thoroughly to determine exactly what the facts are."
However, admirably, Control Room is sticking to it's original marketing plan:
...Control Room will be placing ads next to content on websites showing photos that purportedly show flashes of celebrity genitalia, and any other content "where the message is appropriate," said Jonathan Anastas, Control Room's VP-marketing and creative director.
Can Ford win by taking their 'fuddy-duddy' brand and positioning it as a young, hip, anti-establishment alternative? Or, are they going to lose much by their inattention to what's left of their base?
Whatever the future holds, Ford is indeed taking on some Bold Moves and it will be interesting to watch it pan out.
