Blue Hive Steers Ford Mustang to Europe

The Ford Mustang is to arrive in Europe for the first time in its 50-year history and WPP agency Blue Hive has launched a caign to aid consumers in pre-ordering the vehicle with a lead commercial (bottom) that will air during this month’s UEFA Chions League Final in Lisbon.

To celebrate Mustang’s arrival in Europe, the car manufacturer has launched a digital consumer experience that features a pop-up shop – uniquely open during the UEFA Chions League Final, taking place in Lisbon on Saturday 24 May, where consumers will be able to pre-order one of the first 500 Mustangs to arrive on the Continent.

“We wanted to signal the arrival of an icon in Europe with something truly epic; the dream of the open road but retooled for a whole new continent,” says Blue Hive executive creative director, Karin Onsager-Birch.

The road to release

The historic pre-order event will be backed by a full-360 caign including digital, social media, print, cinema and TV. The epic TV spot was an ambitious undertaking involving the closing down of iconic roads across Europe – including the Coliseum in Rome, Regent Street in London and the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. A print element was shot by Uwe Düttmann.

“We really enjoyed working with the team at Blue Hive on this project," adds Trine Pillay, MD for production company B-Reel London. "Our brief was to find and shut down some of the most beautiful and iconic streets in Europe, as they wait in anticipation for the Ford Mustang to arrive in Europe for the very first time. Because it was such a mammoth task, the collaboration between Blue Hive and Filip Tellander was critical and that spirit of teamwork has really made the film.”

Ford is an official sponsor of the UEFA Chions League, however, yesterday shots announced that the company would be ending its 21-year relationship with the tournament culminating on 24 May. The first new Ford Mustangs will be delivered in 2015.