Next Focus gets real

New Focus launch in US to be preceded by real-time interactive rally
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Ford US will display its social media savvy with the launch of the next generation Focus early in 2011.

Hoping to emulate the huge US success of the interactive online pre-launch of the Fiesta model in 2009, the company has teamed up with the Emmy Award-winning creators of The Amazing Race – Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri – to create Focus Rally: America, an event in which six two-person teams swap the driver's seat of a single new Focus charging across the country in five weeks.

While all this is going on, online viewers will be able to not just follow their chosen team, but also help them along the way.

"There are two key elements to this series: first, the interactive element, which is designed to engage viewers throughout the rally and encourage them to participate in the challenges; and second, the real-time twist where consumers have the ability to follow their favourite team in the digital space” says  Elise Doganieri .

Amazing Race co-creator van Munster says "Not only will viewers be able to follow along in real time, but followers will have the ability to impact the outcome of the game."

Followers of the event will be able to keep track in three ways: watching the show as it is streamed on Hulu, becoming fans and followers of the rally teams on Facebook, and actively playing along in challenges to support their favourite team.

Long- and short-form webisodes will stream on Hulu five times a week. Additional content will be generated by participants, giving fans and supporters a glimpse of what is going on behind the scenes in real time across various social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Content also will be posted at www.focusrally.com.

Players will use the car's new technology – such as Ford SYNC®, MyFord Touch™ and the Navigation System – to complete tasks and challenges.

The winning team will walk away with US$100,000 prize money, while 10 new Focuses will go to their supporters.

Naturally, the higher profile of the competitors, the better Ford's chances of maximising exposure. Ford US is in the process of making a nationwide casting call for potential participants.

The base qualifications?

Ford says it is looking for "adventurous, socially connected people - who want to have a once-in-a-lifetime cross-country adventure - people who are highly connected through social media and have a built-in group of fans and supporters. They also need to have a big personality and be entertaining on camera."

Sound like you? Pity it's happening in the USA.

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