It's not often a big brand will spend time and money on a big ad that doesn't mention their name or show their logo. But that's exactly what Ford did in this spot designed to intrigue you and send you to a micro-site. Granted, they do show the product and if you read the disclaimer type, you'll see Ford's name in it. However, they shoot the cars beautifully without ever revealing the Ford jewelry.
The :60 second spot opens up with a car covered in a form-fitting sheet being revealed from the shadows as an announcer tells us that "Right now, there are over 20 brands of cars being sold in America." As they unveil the cars, the announcer asks if we were starting now, what you have to do to create cars that stand out. He then goes through a list of things like advanced technology features and the creation of electric and hybrid models. The basic premise is that you would have to "go further" than the current crop of vehicles available do. It's beautifully shot, nicely written and the cars look great.
Ford – "Go Further"
At the end of the spot, they simply invite you to go to GoFurther.com. The opening frame on the site shows the front end of a Ford with the logo and the words "Surprised? Ford vehicles go further so you can" and then you scroll down to see all the various feature. The site is done very nicely. It's not a straight scroll, but different visuals move in unexpected ways and other moves and changes are incorporated as you scroll down. All in all, it's as beautifully done as the spot was. It's uniquely put together in a simple, non-flashy way. And it tells a good story. Nice job, Ford.
What other campaigns have you seen that draw you in without revealing who they're for? And do those campaigns work for you? How about the web integration, have you seen good examples of that – ones done as well or better? I'd be interested to check them out, so please share in the comment section below. And if you have any suggestions for a future Ad of The Week, let me know that too.
Mike McClure, Exec Creative Director
I really have to say I really love your blog, the way you write is wonderful!
Appreciate this post. Let me try it out.