• by Karl Greenberg , August 6, 2010

Ford has tapped CBS sports announcer James Brown for a new ad push directed at African American consumers. The corporate effort, with an "All-In" theme line, touts quality, technology, the environment and the community. As part of the campaign, via UniWorld Group, Brown appears in a series of web videos touting Ford product quality, technology, the community and the environment.

"Our strategy with the ALL IN campaign was simple – we wanted to share Ford's turnaround story in a way where we could highlight the "All In" approach that had to come into play as it relates to individuals from all areas of the business coming together to reach common goals," said Shawn Lollie, Ford multicultural marketing manager. "Through this campaign, we get the chance to tell some of those stories while also shining a spotlight on key African American executives inside Ford who helped to create the Ford of today." In the web videos at FordUrban.com, Brown conducts in one-on-one interviews with Ford executives who talk about their lives, and the past, present and future of the company. The videos will, per Ford, be shown at major African American-sponsored events throughout the year. The executives in the videos include Ford's Group VP of Global Quality, Bennie Fowler; John Viera, director of sustainable business strategies; Pamela Alexander, director of community development, Ford Motor Company Fund; and Jason Johnson, a product development engineer. There are also print and radio ads.