Lincoln Forges Dynamic New Path with the Introduction of "The
Lincoln Motor Company" and All-New MKZ Luxury Vehicle
NEW YORK, Dec. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
- 90-year-old brand poised to reinvent and capture premium
automotive market
- New creative strategy features brand's first-ever Super Bowl
ad
The Lincoln brand of the Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) today
announced its intent to once again be a major competitor in the
premium automotive marketplace. The company, introduced as The
Lincoln Motor Company, unveiled its all-new MKZ midsize luxury
sedan and a strategic plan to reinvent the premium automotive
marketplace during a dazzling event at New York City's iconic Lincoln Center
Plaza.
"Today we are announcing a new beginning for a brand that has
been part of our company and the American fabric more than 90
years," said Ford Motor Company CEO Alan
Mulally. "The new Lincoln brand will be defined by great new
luxury vehicles, such as the new MKZ, that feature quality, unique
style with substance and innovative technology. These elements,
coupled with a new level of warm, personal and surprising
experiences, will enable Lincoln
to appeal to today's new luxury customer."
The Origins of the New Lincoln Motor Company
Mulally
said the seeds of this announcement were planted several years ago
when the company divested itself of other luxury brands and made
the decision to continue to develop the Ford and Lincoln brands.
Since then, a major rejuvenation of Ford occurred and now the time
is right for Lincoln to stand on
its own and move in the same direction.
The Lincoln Motor Company signifies the new future being built
on the foundation that originally made Lincoln an inspiration for premium brands and
a source of growth and value to its corporate parent. With its
focus on attracting a new market of individual-minded luxury
consumers, Lincoln will deliver a
range of vehicles that combine stunning elegant design with
technical innovation.
A New and Powerful Consumer for the New MKZ
"The time
is now for Lincoln," said
Jim Farley, executive vice president
of Global Marketing, Sales and Service and Lincoln. "The 'Great Recession' changed people
and their view of luxury. Today, luxury consumers make decisions
based on what appeals most to their passions and not what they
believe will impress others. We know we need to continually
surprise and delight these new clients."
The all-new MKZ will be the first of four new Lincoln vehicles in the next four years
created to appeal to these new luxury consumers who are emerging as
a powerful economic force. Called progressive luxury consumers,
they are responsible for nearly 25 percent of all luxury vehicle
sales in America. They are affluent individuals who no longer
purchase to maintain an image for others, but instead seek fresh
new alternatives that appeal to them because they found a truly
unique choice.
The quality and design of the product is paramount, but so, too,
is the opportunity for discovery and the reward of great service
and continual surprising experiences throughout the entire
ownership cycle. To this end, Farley said the company is
introducing two innovative new experiences.
The first is The Lincoln Host and 24/7 Concierge Service, now
available at Lincoln.com. This delightful brand experience and
discovery, not available from other competitors, provides the
opportunity to speak with, and have assigned, a personal concierge
to guide an interested client through the entire shopping process.
The personal concierge stays with the client through ownership,
creating a customized relationship. The second is Lincoln Date
Night, a celebration offered to those down the path to ownership of
a new Lincoln. It will provide the
opportunity to spend a weekend with a new vehicle and take that
special someone for a night on the town courtesy of the brand.
Going to the Big Game in a Big Way
In one example of
how the brand intends to break through, Farley announced that for
the first time in the brand's history, Lincoln will advertise during the broadcast of
the upcoming Super Bowl, and will do it in an unprecedented way.
Lincoln has asked comedian
Jimmy Fallon to lead the first-ever
Super Bowl commercial written entirely by social media, with
consumers participating through Twitter. Consumers will provide
their best 140 character thoughts to a script, and Fallon will then
lead the curation of the best contributions that will create the ad
to run during the broadcast of the big game.
As another highlight, all-time NFL rushing leader and three-time
Super Bowl champion Emmitt Smith
joined Farley for the MKZ launch and has signed on as a brand
ambassador to help Lincoln
continue to put MKZ in the spotlight at the game in New Orleans.
"It's an honor to join Lincoln Motor Company on its comeback
journey and I'm excited that the MKZ will star in Lincoln's first-ever Super Bowl commercial,"
said Smith. "Enlisting the help of consumers to develop the spot is
extremely clever. Throughout my career, I've been driven by the
support of the fans and now they'll have the chance to do the same
for Lincoln."
In celebration of the introduction of the Lincoln Motor Company
and the new MKZ, a collection of new Lincoln vehicles was on display at Lincoln
Center Plaza ending with a stunning sound and light projection show
onto Avery Fisher Hall in the
evening.
About Lincoln
Lincoln is the
luxury automotive brand of Ford Motor Company, committed to
creating compelling vehicles with an exceptional ownership
experience to match. Lincoln will
introduce four all-new vehicles in the next four years. For more
information about Lincoln, please
visit media.lincoln.com or www.lincoln.com. Follow us on Facebook
at facebook.com/lincoln.
SOURCE Ford Motor Company