Signal Blog

Ford definitely get's it! They're firing on all social media cylinders. They've made a huge commitment to social media, and it looks like it is really paying off. Ford is seriously 'listening' to customers. As a result sales are going great, they're profitable, and they are the only American car company that did not require a government bail out. Is it any wonder that they are able to make cars that people actually want to buy? CEO Alan Mulally even has his own Twitter account!

Ford Motor Co. this year will spend 25% of its marketing dollars on digital media, more than twice the amount spent by the industry.

According to J.D. Power, about 9% of spending this year by automakers will be digital, but that will rise to about 12% by 2012 as more companies embrace social networking, online gaming and rich media ads in place of traditional TV and print.

Speaking at J.D. Power's Internet Marketing Roundtable in Las Vegas today, Ford's chief marketing executive James Farley says the company has made a bigger digital and social media bet than rivals because, "If you are trying to communicate, as we are, that you have been reinventing the company , you can't just say it. You have to get the people to say it to each other."

Ford is also adding tweets to its Sync in-car technology

Ford Motor Co. is adding Twitter messages andInternet radio to its in-car entertainment and communication service, known as Sync, and suggests that the voice-activated system is safer for drivers than trying to manipulate applications on their cell phones.