1851

Another Valentine&#8217;s Day has come and gone, and chances are you stuck with the tried and true. Maybe you bought flowers for your special someone, or took them out to a nice dinner. Heck, perhaps you even went all out and sprung for some expensive jewelry. But spinning donuts at high speed in a brand-new Mustang? Not likely. However, that&#8217;s exactly how<a href="http://www.ford.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=dating-prank-ad-campaign-spotlights-potential-of-creative-marketing-for-franchises-1138" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Ford</a> had a group of prospective Romeos spend their first dates in its new &#8220;Speed Dating&#8221; advertising campaign. The spot&#8217;s simplicity is also its genius. A group of young men show up one by one for a blind date at a local coffee shop. They&#8217;re greeted by a beautiful blonde and awkward first-date chit chat ensues. Soon enough, the woman suggests they get out and about in her car &#8211; the new Ford Mustang. She pretends to be barely competent handling a stick shift before pulling into an abandoned parking lot and letting loose. Cue bug eyes, nervous laughter, excited screams and the guys&#8217; realization that their date is actually a professional stunt driver. Recipe for viral success Every brand, big or small, wants to score a viral video. However, it&#8217;s that same yearning that often counts against companies. After all, a video that feels like it&#8217;s trying too hard is sure to turn off consumers and limit its shareability. What makes Ford&#8217;s new ad so effective is its simplicity. Everyone who&#8217;s ever been on a blind date can instantly relate to the awkward atmosphere that comes with meeting a potential romantic partner for the first time. Meanwhile, the excitement that comes with driving fast is also universal. There&#8217;s a reason movie car chases and NASCAR remain so popular. Put the two together, mix in a little hidden camera hijinks, cook on YouTube at 400 degrees until the edges are browned and voila, you&#8217;ve got yourself a creative marketing hit. Obviously franchises can&#8217;t replicate the exact formula of Ford&#8217;s &#8220;Speed Dating&#8221; campaign, but they should be taking notes. If the ad proves one thing, it&#8217;s that viral success doesn&#8217;t have to be complicated.

1851 Franchise

Ford highlighted its new Mustang with a one-of-a-kind twist on the first date experience.

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