• by Karl Greenberg , February 12, 2007

Ford will expand its branded entertainment program this year, and is adding TV to the media purview of its in-house product integration group.

Until now, Ford Global Brand Entertainment handled placement for all Ford brands in movies only. Recent examples include the latest James Bond film "Casino Royale," and new release "Norbit," starring Eddie Murphy. This year it begins handling TV media duties, too.

"We are moving from only overseeing feature films to starting to manage media-driven work," said Myles Romero, Ford Global Brand Entertainment manager.

The Group will handle placement in such forthcoming shows as "Extreme Makeover, Home Edition," and "American Idol," as well as placement deals on cable for Ford's Lincoln and Mercury brands.

Television product placement for Ford vehicles on shows like "Idol," and "24," had been handled by JWT.

Ford will also be "heavily involved" with the Warner Bros., Will Smith vehicle "I am Legend," which wraps in March, said Romero. Also, Ford Mustangs will be featured as police cars in the forthcoming "Reno 911: Miami," premiering late this month. The Mustang Seline will be featured in the forthcoming blockbuster-potential film "Transformers," due out this summer.

Pontiac will also have product in that film, and both Ford and GM are likely to market around the movie.

"I have 104 projects in the works right now," Romero said, adding that the Group added two staffers in Detroit, and now has seven in Los Angeles.

In the "Norbit" film, which premiered on Feb. 11, the F-Series truck is used by the burly brothers of the woman (played by Murphy) who falls for Norbit (also played by Murphy).

Ford will also promote the truck at the upcoming Daytona 500 Nascar race, where Ford will host a "Super Duty Saloon" and a "Race and Rock Fest" street festival in downtown Daytona Beach.