This month, they will be sent to do things likely to generate more attention than what they have previously done, including training with U.S. Navy SEALS, learning to cook with insects, and going hiking in the Rockies.

Angie Kozleski, Ford's car communications manager, says the Fiesta Movement has generated more interest than Ford had expected. "I think the interest is being generated by the content -- the videos -- they are posting. And we are seeing them talk about the features and attributes of the car, but they are very genuine and authentic in their posts."

Ford has also launched a Facebook application called "You Speak Green" to promote its Fusion Hybrid sedan. The effort, intended to encourage site visitors to share their sustainable lifestyle suggestions, uses an application at www.apps.facebook.com/ford-fusion. The application shows a growing-vine graphic that is similar to one on the Fusion's instrument panel that grows when one's driving is most efficient. The one on Facebook grows when someone adds a comment.

Kozleski tells Marketing Daily that Ford will keep the application up indefinitely. "I think if you look at our numbers and engagement in terms of length of time consumers are spending on the site, we have no initial plans to pull it down. Social media is generating a lot of awareness and showroom traffic," she says.

Ford says such social-media campaigns to support the Fusion Hybrid and Fiesta cars have been a success this year. The company says the Fusion Hybrid Facebook application -- developed with Wunderman-Team Detroit and social-media company Vitrue as part of Ford's "We Speak Car" campaign -- has garnered more than 104,000 downloads to consumer profile pages, and 15,000 people have posted tips, per the company.

The company says its Fiesta Movement social-media campaign to promote the company's European car, which goes on sale next year, has garnered over 3.5 million YouTube views on FiestaMovement.com, more than 440,000 views on photo-sharing site Flickr, and more than 2.7 million reads on Twitter.

Per Ford, Ford Fusion has seen a 65% improvement in favorability. The Dearborn automaker says more than half of the Fusion and Fusion Hybrid's buyers are leaving competitive brands, with 60% of Fusion Hybrid customers having previously owned an import. Ford says about half of Toyota Camry shoppers put the Fusion and Fusion Hybrid on their shopping lists.

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