• by Karl Greenberg , October 18, 2010

Lincoln is going urban in a new ad push promoting the 2011 Lincoln MKX crossover with a new spot about an African-American lawyer who makes partner and celebrates with her MKX. The "Touch Me All Over" campaign, via UniWorld -- Ford's multicultural agency of record for over 25 years -- highlights the vehicle with print and 60- and 30-second spots shot in Los Angeles, and focusing on MyLincoln Touch, onboard telematics.

In the spot, the lawyer learns she is promoted to partner in her African-American-owned law firm. When the president of the firm tells her to take the day to celebrate, she heads out to her MKX, and uses MyLincoln to call a friend awaiting her at a yacht party. She uses different voice-control functions to make calls and play her favorite songs, finally picking up her soccer husband from practice.

Shawn Lollie, Lincoln multicultural marketing manager, tells Marketing Daily that the African-American focus for the MKX is on women and that the ads will run on networks like CNN, TV1, TVS, and Gospel. "We conducted research and found that the vehicle appeals strongly to African-American women," she says, adding that the company will support the MKX with several experiential-marketing programs this year and next.

Also, for the first time, Ford is running a 60-second version of the ad on a roster of films targeted to the urban market through a deal with Screenvision. The :60 will also run in spot buys in the Atlanta region. Print ads focus on MyLincoln Touch driver connect technology and the visual appeal of the vehicle through beauty shots of the MKX. The ads will be in Black Enterprise, Sister 2 Sister, Juicy, Essence, Ebony, Heart & Soul, Upscale and Vibe Magazine.

Lincoln has kept a regular focus on African-American consumers in recent years, with promotional partnerships with hip-hop artist Common, as well as with Magic Johnson, to promote the Lincoln Navigator among other vehicles.

The campaign is part of Lincoln's "Smarter Than Luxury" umbrella theme focusing on technology, design, and intelligence whose general market advertising uses actor John Slattery.

Lincoln has not had Hispanic national advertising since 2008, but will do Hispanic elements regionally in print for this campaign, per a Lincoln spokesperson.