FordVehicles.com

Much like a Michael Bay film, FordVehicles.com is all flash and zero substance.  An encyclopedia of information on each car, truck and SUV is easily accessible and superbly organized.  The vehicle pages offer a 360 degree view of each product inside and out as well as detailed information on technology, design specs, safety features and environmental benefits.  However, wading through this information is about as much fun as reading a stock prospectus under a magnifying glass.  It’s almost as if each piece of information was designated a binary value of positive or negative - and any real world interaction between drivers and vehicles was completely omitted. You can certainly make the argument that some consumers will want the straight information at their fingertips and couldn’t care less to have it illustrated for them in an entertaining fashion.

Only the colors and minimalist language of FordVehicles.com indicate that any attempt at branding was made. The new tag line, “Drive One,” is omnipresent at the top of every page.  But for all the genuine pathos it inspires, the line may as well be a copyright mark in the footer.  Besides the fact that the tag line could easily belong to any other car company, the generic, impersonal directive doesn’t motivate or provide a foundation for the online brand.  In many places, the photography is obviously not photography at all, but plastic CG vehicle renderings. The vehicle line-ups in the foreground of cityscape photos feel contrived and cold. I’ll be the first to admit online branding can be painfully difficult when you’re trying to integrate such an enormous quantity of products, each with their own unique brand and target demo.  A hint of warmth, some semblance of emotion that might persuade a consumer that this Ford would fit his go-go lifestyle would go a long way.  The graphics on each page could have easily been as cold and technical, yet…they’re not. Beneath the global navigation, Ford provides a unique search mechanism that resembles the audio controls of a high-end stereo system. Moving the toggle up and down the continuum narrows the field of potential vehicles through the consumers’ choice of price, fuel efficiency, seating capacity and towing capability.  I completely lost track of time toying with them to see what results would appear next.        Beyond the flashy graphics, there is only the appearance of functionality.  Consumers can obtain an “internet price” on a vehicle, but every savvy consumer knows dealers never live up to web quotes. Year after year, polls have proven that people would rather spend an afternoon under the drill of a shaky dentist than enter a high-pressure car dealership.  So why not give consumers what they want?  Allow them to pick a vehicle, select their specifications and click a giant, flashing “Buy Now!” button.  Let them apply for and be approved or denied financing from the comfort of their home laptop!  From financing, title paper work and the license plate swap - the rigmarole of the dealership experience could vanish with a mouse click.  But, alas, consumers cannot purchase vehicles on this site.  Nor can they apply for financing.  They can select the options they want and the site directs them to the nearest dealership with a vehicle meeting those particular specifications.  Apparently, the days of purchasing a car like George Jetson are still far in the future for Ford country.

FordVehicles.com offers very little in the way of compelling content. The copy delivers numerous reasons why every Ford vehicle is a great vehicle, but omits any reference to why it would be the right vehicle for the consumer.  The video content highlighting everything from the LA Beach Patrol using Escape Hybrid’s to animated illustrations of AdvanceTrac suspension are cold and impersonal - offering little in the way of real world evidence.  You won’t find an interactive garden from which a community of Ford enthusiasts might sprout. No opportunities for first-person vehicle ranking and reviews.  No entertaining or even informational podcasts or branded downloads like wallpaper, screen savers, widgets, games or tools.  No cultural elements for consumers to recognize and make their own.  In fact, there is nothing on this site that demonstrates how driving a Ford vehicle will paint fresh, vibrant colors onto the canvas of your life.

Beyond the basics for a car company website, the minimal content offered illustrates Ford’s lack of clear direction present and future tense.  The positioning of “Ford Now” on the global navigation makes Ford’s commitment to the present crystal clear.  Here, consumers can view the four hooks on which the company attempts to hang its diminishing hat collection: Drive Quality, Drive Green, Drive Safety and Drive Smart.  The supporting text within each Ajax accordion window represents another missed opportunity to connect with consumers and, in one case, may even be harmful to the website’s cause. “Drive Quality” asserts that “Ford and Toyota are in a dead heat when it comes to quality.” True or not, this copy just opened the door for Toyota in the consumers’ consideration process.  “Drive Green” hails Ford’s commitment to lowering everyone’s carbon footprint. “Drive Safety” links to self-congratulatory videos lauding the company’s penchant for safety.  To be sure, safety isn’t sexy…but a dash of personality would go a long way.  “Drive Smart” offers a laundry list of Ford’s “industry firsts,” all of which beg the questions: why should a consumer care?

When I clicked on “Future Vehicles,” I expected to be transported years ahead to peruse the concept vehicles of the future. Maybe even see a jet pack or two on sale. Instead, all I found was the 2009 Ford F-150.  To be sure, the company has done an amazing job of painting the picture of their juggernaut truck, the bread and butter of their bottom line.  From technical specs to capability to safety, there are plenty of images and just enough text to tease consumers into requesting more information.

The most disconcerting aspect of Fordvehicles.com is the lack of any attempt to maintain consumer interest - let alone convert consumers to permanent fans of the brand.  Of course, Ford cannot omit basics like vehicle price, fuel efficiency, seating ca-pacity and towing capability.  But where can consumers go to chat about their experiences?  Where can they find other like-minded people?  Where are the opportunities for consumers to become involved in the brand?

Ironically, a website for a company owned and operated by Ford does an infinitely better job of delivering compelling content, creating networking opportunities, community building and involving consumers in their brand – while still selling vehicles.  Read about this site and more on Friday in the final installment of this edition of Winner’s Circle: Ford Motor Company.

Drew Bufalini is a regular contributor to SEOShootout and the Senior Writer at Fathead.   To have your company website included in one of these analysis posts, contact Drew at me@drewbufalini.com.  You can check out Drew’s creative and editorial portfolio at (you guessed it!) www.drewbufalini.com.  Thanks for playing.

Article Tags: applying for financing online | blogs | car dealership experience | community building | entertaining content | Ford Motor Company | Fordvehicles.com | networking opportunities | online branding | online ranking | online reviews | photography | search mechanisms | selling online | video content | web copy | Website Analysis | website design

Filed under: Best Practices, Brand Experience, Web Writing, online marketing