• by Karl Greenberg , February 12, 2007

Ford just tuned TV into its in-house product-integration group. Previously, Ford Global Brand Entertainment handled placement for all Ford brands in movies only, such as the James Bond film "Casino Royale" and new release "Norbit," starring Eddie Murphy. This year, it's adding TV to the mix.

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

Before, television product placement for Ford vehicles on "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. Plus, Ford Mustangs will be featured as police cars in the forthcoming "Reno 911: Miami," premiering later this month. The Mustang Seline will be featured in the expected blockbuster "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.