FORD Escapes To Hollywood To Unveil Their Campaign Voiced By Angela Bassett

Source: Nigel Degraff / Nigel Degraff

Ford Hosts Oscar Week Events In Celebration Of New Escape Campaign

Oscars week wasn’t just for Hollywood’s stars! Last week our Senior Director of Content Janeé Bolden was a special guest of Ford Motor Company as they unveiled their incredible new Ford Escape #BuiltPhenomenally campaign at a special luncheon for the media. Guests of honor included Dr. Knatokie Ford, STEM/Entertainment Engagement Advisor for the Association of National Advertisers’ #SeeHer Initiative, Malakai Johnson, Founder of the Made in Her Image organization, Kanyessa McMahon, director of Ford’s ‘Built Phenomenally’ campaign commercials, Tiffany Miranda, Founder of Girls Make Beats and Charia Rose, director/screenwriter and representative of FREE THE WORK as well as costume designer Marci Rodgers, who made sure the women of the #BuiltPhenomenally campaign were also dressed phenomenally.

Source: Nigel Degraff / Nigel Degraff

Held at the West Hollywood Edition, the luncheon was hosted by Dibrie Guerrero: Multicultural Marketing Communications Manager, Ford Motor Company and Raj Register, Head of Brand Strategy and Growth Audience Marketing, Ford Motor Company who explained how their latest ad campaign “Built Phenomenally,” came to be. Narrated by award-winning actress Angela Bassett, the campaign shines a spotlight on the all-new 2020 Escape – the company’s best-selling SUV. The new African American-focused campaign celebrates the defiance, transformation and versatility of black women as creators, marketers and performers who own their uniqueness and live phenomenally.

Check out the new ad below:

As a founding partner of FREE THE WORK, a groundbreaking nonprofit initiative advocating for companies to provide more opportunities for underrepresented creators, Ford worked with agency partner UWG – the longest-standing multicultural marketing agency in the United States – to conduct a fair and open bidding process to find the best production talent. To ensure the campaign accurately portrays women and girls, the team followed insights provided by the Association of National Advertisers’ #SeeHer movement, of which Ford is a board member. The result is a campaign created by and for black women that affirms Ford’s commitment to supporting the advancement of positive representations of them in media and advertising.

“A main goal of our ‘Built Phenomenally’ campaign is to honestly represent African American females,” said Raj Register, head of brand strategy and growth audience marketing, Ford Motor Company. “By following guidelines set by the FREE THE WORK and #SeeHer initiatives, Ford is confident the campaign is a true celebration of black women.”

A series of commercials salute the production process to create a campaign within a campaign. “Built Phenomenally” goes behind the scenes to focus on powerful women of color all working to bring the Ford spot to life, including Kanyessa McMahon, director; Marci Rodgers, stylist; Lola Okanlawon, makeup artist; and N’Jeri Nicholson, copywriter. Ford’s own Register as well as Dibrie Guerrero, multicultural marketing manager, are contributing their marketing expertise.

Over a vegetable forward lunch from Ardor, Guerrero and Register laid out every aspect of the campaign, from start to finish and introduced the guests of honor and their roles in the campaign. The afternoon was truly one of celebration, allowing media guests to get to know the founders and executives involved in the campaign and see the visuals that came as a result of the original vision.

Source: Nigel Degraff / Nigel Degraff

Hit the flip to see more of the commercial spots.

Source: Nigel Degraff / Nigel Degraff

The bright, bold final spot, “Own It,” showcases confident black women – each with her own unique style. The soundtrack for this celebration of black girl magic is “Bawdy” by Dillion Francis & TV Noise, with Big Freedia, bounce music queen of New Orleans.

“As black women continue to grow and influence culture, Ford is committed to supporting their empowered future with products and services that meet and anticipate their needs,” said Guerrero. “The all-new Ford Escape – completely redesigned, engineered and transformed for 2020 – features the resources and attributes to be a partner that confidently drives you to seize your moment and enables you to choose what to do next.”

Source: Nigel Degraff / Nigel Degraff

Angela Bassett and these young ladies are definitely #BuiltPhenomenally