Second Bold Move: Online Community

June 5, 2007 on 10:12 pm | In When I'm The CMO |

Talk to Steve, the man who literally built your engine.

The team at Ford’s marketing department isn’t just failing at communicating internally, they’re failing to have conversations with their customers. Even more importantly, their supercustomers — the enthusiasts — have to form their own groups and online communities because they want things that Ford simply won’t provide.

When I become the CMO of Ford, I’m going to set up the biggest, baddest, most amazing online community car owners — nay, anybody — has ever seen! I’ll set up an area where owners can speak directly with people working on the production line!

Imagine you’re a Ford owner tweaking out your engine with some after-market stuff, and instead of figuring it out on your own, you can actually chat with the guy who put your engine together — now THAT’S bold.

I would work with many of the existing online groups out there, such as the Ford Owners Association, the United Ford Owners, and all the clubs we could find to design and implement a place they can all go and connect with their favorite brand. I’d offer them the complete resource for everything Ford, and invite them to help the company provide everything they want, and more.