Who says the Internet isn’t a branding medium? Every day, more and more brands are creating compelling, original content, and the medium of choice for these initiatives is Web video.
The latest example is Ford Motor Company’s collaboration with eco-focused media company SHFT.com, “The Big SHFT: 10 Innovators Changing Our World”, a documentary series profiling industry professionals who are trying to transform their industries with eco-friendly sustainability solutions.
The series, which is directed by Gilly Barnes, will run on several platforms -- notably AOL and its Huffington Post property, as well as SHFT.com, Ford’s own media properties, and U.S. Virgin Airlines' in-flight entertainment. It will be comprised of short films profiling 10 innovators whose eco efforts are affecting industries such as food, fashion, urbanization, technology and design.
According to a Ford spokesperson, the future of mobility and transportation will be the topic of one of the films, and hybrid and electric vehicles will play a role in that. However, there will be no advertising to promote the series.
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"Sustainability is the biggest issue facing business in the 21st century, and the problem will not be solved by one person or group," Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford Motor Company, said in a statement. "How we answer the challenge of the future of mobility will have a lasting impact on generations to come.”
Ford developed the series along with SHFT.com co-founders Adrian Grenier and Peter Glatzer; Grenier is an actor and filmmaker who most recently starred in the HBO series “Entourage,” while Glatzer is a Hollywood producer.
The documentary collaboration is part of a broader push into green initiatives by Ford, which is aiming to position itself as a thought leader in sustainability by encouraging consumers to take a more eco-friendly approach to their lives. This includes a nationwide electric vehicle education program in partnership with Green Festival, where the automaker will award $5,000 grants to green initiatives in major U.S. cities. Ford will also donate an electric charging station to more than 25 communities at locations voted on by local residents.