Ford Motor Co. is launching an advertising campaign Saturday designed to raise awareness of the new Bronco Sport crossover and help differentiate it from the larger Bronco SUV.
The first of three commercials will air during the NFL playoff game between the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks. Although Ford will not advertise in this year's Super Bowl, Matt VanDyke, U.S. marketing director, said he challenged the team to create a Super Bowl-worthy commercial to catch viewers' attention.
The result is a 60-second spot called "Raised by Goats" in which an injured colt is rescued and reared by a pack of mountain goats until it becomes confident traveling on snow, up rocks and through water.
The commercial is a nod to the original Bronco's code-name, "G.O.A.T.," which stands for "goes over any terrain." The spot, produced by New York ad agency Wieden+Kennedy, was shot in October on Mount Baker in the Seattle area. It was directed by Stacy Wall, who also shot Ford's recent "Built for America" ad campaign.
"We created a reveal campaign for the Bronco family. ... It was a huge success, and Bronco got big buzz, but there was definitely some concern Bronco Sport wasn't getting the buzz Bronco got," Stuart Jennings, a creative director with Wieden+Kennedy, said on a conference call with reporters. "We wanted to make sure Bronco Sport would step out of the shadow of the big Bronco. We were able to create a personality and showcase its capability."
The two other 30-second spots, called "Go There" and "Find Your Wild," tout the vehicle's off-road prowess and storage options.
The Bronco Sport went on sale in late November. Ford says it sold 5,120 of them through Jan. 4. The Bronco SUV is expected to go on sale this summer.
