• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, January 30, 2019

Ford isn’t buying any Super Bowl ads this year but it does have a presence at the Super Bowl Live event in Atlanta with its “Built Ford Tough VR Drive-In” activation. Separately it’s celebrating die-hard fandom with its Ford Hall of Fans platform. Ford agency GTB developed both projects. The auto giant’s F-Series line of trucks is the official truck of the NFL and Super Bowl LIII.

The agency created an immersive virtual reality experience for Ford’s activation at Super Bowl Live, the week-long “fan village” leading up to the Big Game. Visitors can experience a virtual reality fan journey to Atlanta. Those attending can hop into a Ford F-150, Super Duty or new Ford Ranger, buckle up, strap on a pair of VR goggles and head for Atlanta from a variety of locations around the country. Fans will also get the opportunity to meet and take photos with NFL players past and present.

The new Ford Hall of Fans platform features six nominees--superfans who live and breathe football and who were picked this year for the chance to be enshrined alongside legendary players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Public voting wrapped up this past weekend with more than 170,000 ballots submitted.

The three finalists announced earlier this week include Chicago Bears fan Dan Wachter, Pittsburg Steelers fan Rick Holman, and Miami Dolphins fan Roger Avila. The winner will be announced this weekend and will be personally notified by Pro Football Hall of Fame CEO David Baker.

“We really wanted to do something different to celebrate the unique contributions that fans bring to sports and also highlight the tradition and prestige associated with the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” said Jim Peters, Ford brand content and alliances marketing manager. “It’s a great opportunity for Ford Motor Company to share these great stories that demonstrate how fans are so dedicated to their teams.”