Why Ford and I Love NY partnered with 'Escape the Room'
As a major car company, it's not always easy to market a new vehicle launch, especially in a congested city like New York. Since so many New Yorkers commute from a driveable suburb, it's still important to reach them. Going beyond TV, video and even the web altogether is extremely important to create an experience that people will want to share.
Ford's Escape The Room
To show off the new technology and features of the 207 Ford Escape, the Detroit-based car manufacturer partnered with Escape the Room. The popular activity is known as a team building excursion that requires a team of friends or colleagues to use clues to escape an actual room.
The event, which took place last week in partnership with I Love NY was described as follows:
Ford is offering New Yorkers a memorable, once-in-a-lifetime experience that transforms the latest trend in immersive entertainment into a drivable, life-sized game. The experience will showcase the latest technology and features of the 2017 Ford Escape in an integrated New York-themed experience in partnership with the iconic “I Love New York” campaign.
Found Remote interviewed Ford Global Trends and Futuring Executive Ginger Kasanic about the partnership.
Found Remote: Why are you doing this partnership with Escape the Room
Ginger Kasanic: Ford teamed up with visionary puzzle master Victor Blake to design the world’s first Escape the Room drive experience, because we know that millennial consumers want to live through experiences and engage with brands that represent their lifestyle. Escape drivers are active seekers and voracious consumers of life – they’re not spectators, they’re participants - and this gives them the chance to really connect with the vehicle and its available technologies in a new way.
FR: How did it come about?
GK: Ford approached Victor Blake with the idea to integrate with the wildly popular Escape the Room game, leveraging the experience economy to transform the typical test drive. We knew we wanted to create an experience that was unlike anything else to showcase the technology and sense of adventure that only the new Ford Escape could bring to life.
FR: Anything else?
GK: This specially designed experience will immerse players in the hidden treasures of a New York City summer as they navigate the path from trying to break through in the film industry to making it big and celebrating their success. An expansive, five-room play space prompts players to find clues that will guide their journey using the various technological tools available in the new Ford Escape. This experience is one-of-a-kind and the first-ever driveable Escape the Room game play.
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