• by Karl Greenberg , July 10, 2015

Ford, which has been the exclusive television automotive sponsor of “Box Azteca” since 2010, is reaching out to Latinos via the squared ring to promote the F-150 pickup. The Azteca America platform, “Fuerza Ford,” is a 10-episode, 10-week series in Spanish featuring Mexican boxers Giselle Leal, Edgar Juárez Calzada and Michel de la Vega Esparza Oteo.

The series spotlights the lifestyles of the professional boxers, who also give tips, with the idea that the same grit imbues the character of F-150 owners.

Ford says Azteca will host the videos at a dedicated Fuerza Ford-branded hub, as well as on its Facebook and Twitter social media platforms. The social aspect, per Ford, is designed to connect with a wider audience, including a broader age range. 

The Dearborn, Mich.-based automaker launched its biggest truck campaign ever late last year for the new F-150, focused on the high-strength aluminum body and other tech innovations, like its 360-degree camera and remote tailgate release. The campaign included an Hispanic, bilingual campaign, with buys on Fox Deportes and MundoFox, among other channels.

Separately, Ford is doing a commentary of sorts on how social anthropology has become a component of market research. The digital campaign features actress Kate McKinnon, the protean “SNL” cast member, known for her Justin Bieber and Hillary Clinton impersonations. 

In a campaign touting the 2015 version of the Focus compact car, she exercises her forte, playing a somewhat clueless social anthropologist who makes visits to a  dealership in various disguises to see how different people respond to the car. In each video, s/he experiences different aspects of the Focus. In one, she’s a hedge fund manager who uses the voice activation/hands-free feature to call her mom. In another, she’s an anthropologist cut more from the Indiana Jones cloth, complete with the Ark of the Covenant, which she fits into the cargo space in the Focus.