Keith will again headline national and regional Ford Truck ads that will bow this fall. And Ford is also working with the singer-songwriter, actor and entertainer on his newest venture co-starring with Kelly Preston in the Paramount Classics and CMT Films release, Broken Bridges, that hits theaters Sept. 8.
“We're very excited to be working with Toby again this year. There's no better partner for America's Best Selling Trucks than country music's best selling artist," says Todd Eckert Ford Truck Marketing Manager. "Toby Keith definitely personifies Built Ford Tough and, working with him, we capture that in concert videos, ads and music that deeply connect with our customers. This is a great relationship and example of how we plan to reach our customers through our Bold Moves marketing efforts.”
This customer focus results from internal company research that indicates country music is one of the top three activities that Ford Truck customers participate in during their free time. These customers also are very highly involved in racing and outdoors activities such as hunting and fishing.
Ford Truck also launched today the new “Hang With Toby” website promotion at www.HangWithToby.com that will combine these customers’ shared passion for trucks and Toby Keith. One lucky entrant will win a 2007 Ford F-150 FX4 pickup and the opportunity to meet Toby Keith and appear in an upcoming video. In the Ford Truck tradition of offering once-in-a-lifetime experiences, the winner also will earn a spot in the actual video.
“Ford Truck promotions such as ‘Hang With Toby’ go beyond parking a truck in front of a concert venue,” says Eckert. “Only Ford and Toby Keith could offer customers the chance to win the country’s number one truck and a spot in a video by country music’s most popular performer.”
Ford trucks power Keith family
Toby Keith is a third-generation Ford truck owner following in his dad and grandpa’s footsteps. Ford Truck enters its fourth straight year sponsoring Keith in his wildly successful concerts, including the 2003 “Shock N’Y’All Tour” as well as the “Big Throwdown Tours” in 2004 and 2005. Ford’s tour sponsorship integration – including dramatic entrances and on-stage appearances that kick off each performance – is the product of creative collaboration between Keith and Ford.
“Ford has helped us take our concert experience to a whole new level. Each year we do something bigger than the year before, my fans eat it up and go nuts over what me and my F-Series accomplish. It's challenging to keep out-doing ourselves each year but I think we've done it again and I can't wait for everyone to see what we have in store this year; I'll give you a hint...audience participation,” Keith added
On the Big Stage and Big Screen
Toby Keith will cross entertainment mediums yet again when his new feature film, Broken Bridges co-starring Kelly Preston, makes its theatrical release on Sept. 8. Ford trucks will again be paired with Keith, including truck product placements in the movie and the lead sponsorship of movie trailers in theaters now, in this Paramount Classics and CMT Films release.
“We expect Toby to do very well on the big screen based on his great performances in recent Ford ads,” says Eckert. “It was very natural for us to place Ford trucks in the movie, in very exciting ways, based on our great relationship with Toby.”
Toby Keith’s April 2006 release of his new album White Trash with Money, the debut release on his own record label - Show Dog Nashville, selling more than one million copies since its release, which places it among the fastest-selling of Keith’s career and has propelled the superstar to new music-industry heights with 25 million CD’s sold this century (30 million in career sales). Overall, his singles have spent an entire year at No. 1 on the charts since 2000. He has won more Country Music Television awards than any other artist and has won the Academy of Country Music “Entertainer of the Year” trophy twice consecutively. He's been Billboard's “Top Country Artist, Male” and had the Top Country album twice.
Ford began its relationship with Keith in August 2002 with the “Ford Truck Man” national advertising campaign. Keith continues to appear in the company’s F-Series advertising in a series of humorous commercials that help ‘educate’ naysayers on ‘The Truth About Trucks’ by pointing out Ford’s class-leading advantages over the competition.