Ford puts 500 Mustangs up for grabs during UEFA Champions League final

POSTED BY JESSICA DAVIES

Ford is to open online bookings for its new Mustang model for the first time ahead of its Europe launch, during the UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid and Club Atlético de Madrid.

The move will mean EU customers can pre-order one of 500 of the new Mustang models from kick-off on 24 May, until the final whistle, on the car marque’s website.

The model will launch in Europe next year, and the May booking window during the match will mark the first time in the sports car’s 50-year history that it will be sold across Europe.

Customers can view information, graphics and videos about the new mustang and its heritage on the Ford website.

Ford has been an official UEFA Champions League partner since 1992.

“The arrival of the new Ford Mustang in Europe is an event that deserves the biggest possible stage,” said Roelant de Waard, vice president, marketing, sales & service, Ford of Europe.

“We hope that making the first models available to order at the exact moment the final kicks off will ensure a reach which matches the significance,” he added.

Both fastback and convertible Mustang models will be available to book.

Ford backs European Mustang launch with epic TV spot

Ford is backing the launch of its Mustang car in Europe with a multiplatform campaign that will allow customers to pre-order the vehicle during the Champions League final on Saturday 24 May.

By Maisie McCabe

The ad campaign, created by WPP’s creative agency for Ford, Blue Hive, includes a TV and cinema ad, print ads, a digital experience at Ford.com, social media and a pop-up shop where customers can pre-order one of the new cars.

Filip Tellander directed the TV spot, which features a Ford Mustang driving through empty European roads such as the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Regent Street in London, Piazza del Colosseo in Rome, through B-Reel.

The campaign was written and art directed by the creative director Steve Clarke. The print art director was Vangelis Tolias and the print photographer was Uwe Düttmann.

Karin Onsager-Birch, the executive creative director of Blue Hive, said: "We wanted to signal the arrival of an icon in Europe with something truly epic – the dream of the open road but retooled for a whole new continent."

The full 30-second ad airs for the first time on Thursday (22 May) as part of the campaign, which was planned and bought by WPP's Mindshare.

Ford is an official partner of the Uefa Champions League.

The first Mustang cars will be delivered in 2015.

Nissan expands Digital Marketing Plans with UEFA tie-up

By Gaurav Sharma

Nissan has signed a sponsorship deal with the UEFA Champions League, Europe's top football competition from the 2014-15 season up to the 2017-18 season. 

The move is in line with Nissan's strategy for the expansion of its digital marketing footprint. It would see the Japanese car manufacturer replace American rival Ford, who had been partnering with the UEFA competition for 22 years. 

As part of the tie-up Nissan would get extensive rights and branding around Champtions League matches, including the final, pre-match training sessions, digital media and hospitality benefits. The company's European CIO Stephen Kneebone, who has placed top in the 2014 edition of the CIO 100, recently said that potential buyers' journey often begins at home on the internet. 

'Hence, we have identified that digital excellence as a key priority. In the automotive world Nissan is seen as a challenger brand, in digital we are positioning ourselves as leaders. The pace of digital in automotive is faster than retail. After all we compete in general retail for consumers, so it is to be expected,' he told CIO UK.