LANE KEEPING BED

TitleLANE KEEPING BED
BrandFORD OF EUROPE
Product/ServiceLANE KEEPING BED
Category A03. Durable Consumer Goods including Automotive
Entrant GTB London, UNITED KINGDOM
Idea Creation GTB London, UNITED KINGDOM
Media Placement GTB London, UNITED KINGDOM
PR FORD OF EUROPE London, UNITED KINGDOM
Production ESPADAYSANTACRUZ STUDIO Madrid, SPAIN
Credits
Name Company Position
Julian Watt GTB Chief Creative Officer
Lazaros Nikiforidis GTB Executive Creative Director
Bryn Attewell GTB Creative Group Head
Alexandru Vasile GTB Associate Creative Director
Marcos Almirante GTB Associate Creative Director
Yan Cucco GTB Art Director
Felipe Faria GTB Senior Art Director

Why is this work relevant for PR?

New car-tech launches rarely make it into the news, because most people are not interested in car technology. To launch Ford’s latest Lane Keeping Aid, we transformed it into an engaging story. Instead of the usual demos, our strategy was to take the technology out of the car to create the Lane Keeping Bed, an everyday object, that solves a problem people really care about. And while the usual tech demos get no earned media, the Lane Keeping Bed became instant news. Launched on Valentine’s Day, it got extensive coverage and sparked conversation on TV shows, newspapers and social media.

Background

Ford is one of the leaders in automotive technology, but it’s not perceived as one. Though it offers cutting-edge systems in all its cars, these technologies rarely make the headlines. In this context, the brief was to come up with a creative idea to launch the latest Lane Keeping Aid Technology the car manufacturer offers throughout its range. But instead of a 3D demo or a product film, we were asked to show the technology in a human, engaging way. The objective was to get both people and the press excited about Ford’s innovative Lane Keeping Aid, showcasing the manufacturer as a tech leader.

Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)

In order to transform Ford’s new Lane-Keeping Aid technology into a story we create a different type of tech demo: we took it out of the car to solve a real-life problem: bed hoggers, the people who take over most the bed’s surface in their sleep. So, Ford created The Lane-Keeping Bed, world’s first smart bed designed to keep each partner on their side. Using a revolving mattress, motion control and pressure sensors, the bed automatically adjusts, keeping everyone in their lane. Just like the system keeps cars. For best impact, Ford Lane-Keeping Bed was launched on Valentine’s Day, sparking a world-wide debate about sharing a bed and the importance of sleep.

Describe the PR strategy (30% of vote)

Car technology doesn’t spark people’s interest, so it rarely makes it into the news. To launch Ford’s new Lane Keeping Aid, we created a different type of demo. We took the tech out of the car to solve an everyday problem people really care about. According to doctor Neil Stanley, sleep expert, we move unconsciously during the night, making 12 to 20 major positional changes, sometimes taking over most of the bed. This can lead to sleep deprivation, a problem for our physical, mental and emotional health. So, Ford created the Lane Keeping Bed, designed to keep each partner on their side, the same way it keeps cars in their lane. The smart bed mirrored the benefits of the car system into an everyday object. Alongside the actual prototype, we’ve also created assets to support the press release, which included a film that featured couples and a sleep expert.

Describe the PR execution (20% of vote)

To launch Ford’s Lane Keeping Aid technology, we’ve created the Lane Keeping Bed. A smart bed designed to keep each partner on their side, just like Ford’s technology keeps cars in their lane. Using pressure sensors, the bed detects if a partner moved into the other’s sleeping space, and the revolving mattress with motion control gently moves them back to their position. A film presented the smart bed, alongside couples and the opinion of doctor Neil Stanley, worldwide renowned sleep expert, who warned that sleep deprivation can have serious health consequences. For big impact, we launched the campaign on Valentine’s Day, one of the most romantic days of the year. Ford’s Lane Keeping Bed started a worldwide conversation, with media outlets from all areas of expertise picking up the story. From UK newspapers to US TV shows and social media, the offline and online coverage was extensive.

List the results (30% of vote)

The launch of the new Lane was very successful, generation over 1000 traditional media stories across the world. From US morning shows or evening news, to UK newspapers or social media, the offline and online coverage was extensive. The videos generated over 7.5 million views on social media, with a huge engagement rate of over 34%. The Lane Keeping Bed gathered over 4.4 billion impressions, so it was a world-wide hit. Ford’s Lane Keeping Aid technology became a story worth telling, and people loved it. The Lane Keeping Bed improved brand awareness and perception, and Ford was rightfully considered as a hi-tech company. This success transformed the way the car manufacturer does technology launches. So, the Lane Keeping Bed was not just a one off, but a successful creative strategy.