ford canada | amotherworld

The folks over at Ford Canada invited me and 149 other bloggers to attend the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) and Ford Fantasy Camp in Detroit. It was the largest sponsored press event which included new media that I’ve ever heard of and experienced first-hand.

At NAIAS, Ford unveiled the smart, sleek and sexy 2013 Fusion which earned AutoWeek’s Best in Show. I was honoured to be a part of the two-day whirlwind that undoubtedly inspired all of the bloggers who came from all around the world.

There is so much to say about this trip that I have to write several posts to cover all of it. But I do have to begin by saying that Ford really thinks outside the box, especially when it comes to their new media/social media campaigns. They really see the value of online media as influencers and as such, included bloggers in their press event, covering their entire trips to attend.

It makes sense because Ford sees itself as a technology company, not just an auto company.

Ford is also proud of “being different.” And that, they definitely are. Ford is forward thinking in social media, and it paid off.

Scott Monty, head of Ford’s Social Media, shared some mind-blowing statistics at the end of Day One; about 70 per cent of the information shared on social media about NAIAS, came from us, the 150 bloggers that first day. We collectively reached 5 million people. Amazing.

Global Design and Chief Creative Officer J Mays said it best. At the end of our stay, he thanked us all, acknowledging that we had asked more thought-provoking questions than traditional auto media.

So there you go – social media works.

We stayed at The Henry hotel in Dearborn, Michigan, a gorgeous hotel close to the Henry Ford Museum and Ford Motor Company offices.

Our first evening, we visited the Henry Ford Museum, the ultimate place to explore what Americans past and present have imagined and invented, where ideas and innovations come to life. Walking the almost-empty museum and parts of the museum not yet open to the public, I was in awe. You can’t help but think on a different scale and the feeling of surrealism is overwhelming when you’re entrenched in history. With 40-foot ceilings and nine acres, as you walk through the museum, you almost feel like you are reliving history through the remarkable collection.

Seeing John F. Kennedy’s car before your eyes, seeing the chair in which Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on display, stepping into the bus that Rosa Parks rode in, you couldn’t help but feel emotional as witness to major world changing events in American history.

henry ford museum, — The Henry Ford Museum

Stay Tuned for my next posts on the Ford NAIAS press conference and the Ford Fantasy Camp!

Ford Motor Company paid for my travel and accommodations during the press event. I was not compensated in any other manner for my time or posts. Opinions posted are completely my own.

The 2013 Ford Fusion made a grand splash this week at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Ford unveiled the smart, sleek and sexy new Fusion that will definitely change the midsize sedan.

From its innovation design to its enhanced craftsmanship, the all new Ford Fusion seems to offer the best fuel economy and smart technology for the right price.

The new Fusion will go four-cylinder instead of V-6 engines, and is adding a plugin hybrid version, gas-electric regular hybrid and EcoBoost versions.

“In the near term the biggest impact we can have is in improving the fuel economy of the biggest volume of our vehicles. That’s why we have Eco Boost,” said John Viera, Ford’s global director of sustainability.

Ford seems to be making leaps in terms of contributing to reducing global CO2 emissions. The company is already using renewable and recycled materials in place of petroleum based materials to improve sustainability of vehicles. By using greener materials, the company is also taking into consideration the carbon footprint of whole cycle of product creation.

The new Fusion is equipped with an array of technologies, such as Active park assist which helps identify and steer you into a suitable parking space; SYNC® system which allows for voice-activated calling; Blind Spot Information System and Lane Keeping Assist provide for greater confidence behind the wheel.

“It will be our most aggressive year for global product introductions in our history,” Alan Mulally, chief executive of Ford Motor Co., said of his company during the press conference at Detroit’s Joe Louis arena on Monday.