Social Media Campaign Review : Ford India Garnered Pledges for Safe Driving with its Ipledge Campaign

Ford is a reputed name in the automobile market with a classy set of customers as its target group. While ideas like ‘Don’t drink and drive’ are time and again emphasized, the Ford IPledge campaign tries to reinstate the keys of safe driving.

Objective

The Ford IPledge application on Facebook aimed to engage users in an activity and get them to pledge for safer driving and commit to Ford's Driving Skills program.

Execution

The application asks you to sign up for the program where you you’re required to provide your contact details. This is done so as to keep you notified about the upcoming Driving Skills program programs by the company.

The innovative campaign focuses on the various safety measures to be considered while driving For eg: Seat belt precautions, Mirror check, temperament check, focus and fuel saving by explaining the importance and safety provided by the same. There are 12 such pledges. And while each pledge is chosen, its advantages are explained in brief. Each participant is given these choices to pledge for while driving and promote the initiative amongst their friends by inviting them to pledge for the same. Each of the pledges and response to invites fetches the participant points. At the end of it, 10 participants will be chosen to be a part of Ford’s Global Driving Skills for Life program.

While the campaign was scheduled from 15th January to 23rd January, it still remains available past it’s date for the Ford Facebook Fans with over 146 pledges taken.

Positives

Ford has placed a priority on educating their prospects with the IPledge campaign through the creation of remarkable content. The brand has wisely chosen the educational angle, even though it is a road less traveled. If you offer something useful to your potential customers once in a while, they’ll remember you when it comes time to make a purchase decision.

Reminding people of safe driving and encouraging them to pledge for it makes them consciously a part of the initiative. You can share your pledge with your friends, this could have helped in spreading a word about the campaign.

The campaign is also subtly promoting 'The safe driving skills for life' program by Ford India, through this application.

Scope for Improvement

The video has received about 3,000 video views during the campaign period, which I feel is a little less as compared to Ford India's Fan base. They could have marketed the campaign a little more, but it seems Ford India focused more on promoting their session at the Jaipur Literature Festival during the course of this campaign.

The campaign could also integrate a gaming application like the tutorial lessons at driving schools to make the purpose more relevant and applicable to both drivers and non-driving participants.

Conclusion

To conclude, the Ford IPledge application on Facebook is a well intentioned CSR campaign to garner public attention towards principles of safe driving. Also attracting attention to Ford’s Global Driving Skills for Life program.

However, they could have paid a little more attention in promoting the campaign . Nevertheless, the application well does the job of reemphasizing the key steps to safe driving and spread the message to the rest.

Education is a powerful content marketing strategy. Have you come across other examples of businesses using education to engage? Let us know in the comments below.