Scott Monty - Latest Comments in A Year @Ford - Part 1

Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

Leaflet Distribution — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 16:55:44 -0000

Hi Scott – This is absolutely brilliant post!!!!!!! I really like the way you've boiled down Ford's social media strategy.Thanks for sharing.
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Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

Sally / Sale's Jobs — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:13:16 -0000

Congrats on your anniversery a little late but I have only just recently found this site and so far I really have been learning a lot here, and I am looking forward to learning alot more with time, yours is an easy to read blog especially for a newbie like myself.

Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

johnheilman007 — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 03:58:42 -0000

Now if we can get the banks, credit card companies, and insurance companies to become american we will pull out of this mess. I am now the proud owner of two Ford products to show my support. Congratulations to the Ford Team!

Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

Scott Monty — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 10:42:14 -0000

Thanks, Eric. No one's saying that this is a panacea for all that ails the industry. It's merely another marketing & communications channel. And without the great products, it's just a faster way for people to learn about mediocrity.

The key here is that Ford is turning itself around with it's freshest lineup ever, thanks to leadership and a laser-like focus on key brands, ensuring that the company is best-in-class in fuel economy in every segment it's in and that the company is now ahead of Toyota in initial quality. Coupled with the face that the digital communications space is changing right before our eyes - it's somewhat of a perfect storm.

Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

Eric Rudolf — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 00:30:35 -0000

I understand the need to 'humanize' Ford, and the benefit that Social Networking has had in that regard. But let's not over-estimate Social Networking as it relates to the automaking industry. The bottom line is, Ford must continue to manufacture attractive, high quality and fuel efficient cars, or it will go out of business--no matter how many Twitter and Facebook accounts your staff runs. As marketers, at times I believe we tend to over-estimate our impact on our companys' bottom line. Social Networking seems to be one of those times for many.

Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

Scott Monty — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:16:05 -0000

Hi Nick,

We do have a plan for enthusiasts moving forward, as we recognize it's a very powerful demographic for us. The challenge is how to get our arms around all of them - it's really a matter of scale. So we're working on how to ramp up the process and include these very important members of our family in this new thinking.

I'm not at liberty to discuss publicly what our approach is at this point, but as we roll it out, it'll become clear. Thanks for pushing on this very important issue.

Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

Nick Saporito — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:26:22 -0000

Scott, something that stands out to me about this post (and a few others of yours) is that you appear to have a separate classification for enthusiasts. Although I have not worked with Ford Communications, I have with another automaker that is getting big in the Social Media arena and they really don't seem to know how to handle the enthusiast demographic. While they are becoming more open to it, they seem to view enthusiast groups as a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation. I believe the hang up is that there is a commonality that the enthusiast base is does not need converted as they are already "believers" of the company. Ironically that is usually furthest from the truth. While the enthusiast demographic in the automotive industry is very loyal to the company they follow, they are often times the most critical of said company.

Again, I cannot speak about Ford in particular, but I know in most cases the enthusiast base feels largely left out of the new level of transparency within the industry with social media. The enthusiast is not only critical of the company, but they also end up being advocates for the company amongst the buying public and are often the ones to pioneer a new product in their local communities. Word of mouth advertising is priceless.

I'd be curious to hear more about your strategy with enthusiasts at Ford as I rarely hear of them demographic being singled out.

Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

maxcarter — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 13:34:35 -0000

Thanks so much for this useful experience. In fact, this article worth reading. Very interesting ... I've also got some marketing staff to read

Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

Scott Monty — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:05:48 -0000

So far, it's only me on the social media team - but we have great agency support and many departments that are becoming active in their own areas. That's something I'll talk about in the future posts in this series.

As far as Twitter goes, we've got a few individuals on them who are in Product Communications or out in our regional offices. We're going to be expanding that as well, and continuing to use CoTweet to manage those accounts.

Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

candis11 — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:11:07 -0000

Hi Scott – This is a great post. I was wondering if you have a social media team at Ford and how many people are involved. Or do you manage all the Twitter handles and other social media tools alone?

Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

Scott Monty — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 18:03:11 -0000

You'd rather it started with "Toyota"? ;-)

I double checked, and you're wrong. Every news headline on our Media site does not start with the word Ford.

Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

ssp — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 17:22:58 -0000

About that MEDIA site... it's Ford's website, on the Ford.com domain, with a Ford logo. Do you think every news headline on there needs to start with the word Ford?

Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

Shiva Kumar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:19:43 -0000

Congrats on your Anniversary Scott. you have a long way to go. I really admire and appreciate your efforts in the Social media which leads to Employee empowerment.
Continue the good work.

Shiva
DBA Lead from Ford Technology Services India.

Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

benpitman — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 06:14:39 -0000

Hi Scott, congrats on your anniversary! This is a great post on how companies can develop their social media strategies. Thanks and keep it up

Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

Scott Monty — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:22:33 -0000

Thank you, Barbara. I certainly didn't start that fateful day intending to be the subject of a case study; I merely did my job. I think we're all glad that it turned out so well - including the owner of TheRangerStation.com.

Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

Barbara Kelly — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 20:19:00 -0000

Hi Scott: Today's Wall St. Journal feature describing Ford's reaction and response in a crisis communications situation, resulting in what is now considered a case study for how to use social media, is one more candle on your first birthday cake! Also, I really like the way you've boiled down Ford's social media strategy above: the mixing / connecting of employee and stakeholder communications when appropriate.....and adding value. Great stuff.

Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

John Bell — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 19:26:12 -0000

Thanks for the shoutout Scott. Ford is walking the walk of social media and transforming their business. It's a wild ride and your just the guy to have at the wheel, so-to-speak.

Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

Gary Cohen — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:30:15 -0000

Scott,
Congrats on a great year. As you so clearly articulate, it truly is important to look at where one is going while reflecting on where one has been. Onward and upward!
Best,
Gary

Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

Mark_Attew — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 14:14:59 -0000

Thanks for the insight into how you began to turn Ford (who'd have thunk it) into a social media embracing organization. I look forward to your continuation of this series.

Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

bricin6 — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 21:27:17 -0000

Hi Scott, congrats on your first year. Feel like I know you as I researched Ford for the BzzAgent.com Ford BzzScape to compete for the BzzScape job. Suggested a lot of the social media solutions you have instituted for Ford. Design, good content, transparency, and approachability are key.

Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

maggiefox — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 23:01:32 -0000

Has it been a year already? Hard to believe! And you're right - a lot has been accomplished since Ford started getting serious about social media in 2007. We also have a lot more in front of us - looking forward to continuing the great work with you!

Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

BryanPerson — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 10:11:53 -0000

Scott:

Still remember our chat in Maynard, MA just after you had accepted the position. Amazing to see what has happened in a year's time. And is there a hint at the start of your post that you're liking the city of Detroit, too? :) Looking forward to reading the rest of series, Scott, and thanks for including in your list!

Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

James Bennett — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 05:35:08 -0000

Scott,

This is fascinating reading. Would you be willing to edit this down to a shorter piece for Melcrum members?

Just in case you don't know Melcrum, we are a news, research, reports, training, conference, webcast, online, multimedia membership company for the global internal communications community.

Our members would be very interested in reading about your first year at Ford and how you used social media to communicate internally particularly at a time when the US auto industry is in crisis and the fact that you took this job probably a year to the day when the US first entered the recession. I'd love to know you used social media to increase employee enagament levels as well as to communicate difficult messages and feed that back to the board or senior members at Ford.

I'm on james.bennett@melcrum.com.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Kind regards,

James

Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

vadadean — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:17:24 -0000

I am rooting for you and Ford - the only remaining independent American car company.

Bill Ford did a great job empowering competent and passionate car folks. You and Alan have taken it to the next level by putting some of these people on the front lines of social media. The resulting message has been authentic and human.

I look forward to enjoying a deepening relationship around your products, our personal social media interactions, and my company's social media services.

PS: As someone who innately supports social media, you will enjoy this great post by @steffanantonas: "How To Say Thank You On The Social Web"
http://blog.steffanantonas....

Re: A Year @Ford - Part 1

Albert_Maruggi — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:35:45 -0000

I just posted a Marketing Edge podcast about Fiesta Movement appropriate for your anniversary.

I'll also be going to a Fiesta test ride at Highland Fest this weekend in St. Paul July 17 - 19. nice work.