Ford’s commercial vehicles division, Ford Pro, is kicking off a major pan-European marketing campaign to launch Europe’s first hybrid pickup, the Ford Ranger Plug-in Hybrid.
“More Power. Just in Case” has been devised by Wieden+Kennedy London and aims to replicate the success of the diesel version of the model, which has been the best-selling pick-up vehicle across Europe for nine consecutive years since 2015
The campaign is spearheaded by an AV film, directed by Tim Godsall and with cinematography by award-winning Nicolas Karakatsanis, that celebrates the joy of being over-prepared.
The narration gets carried away with scenarios that swing from the epic to the absurd, while the visuals show the Ranger taking on everything from brutal terrain to larger-than-life challenges –from towing hay bales and powering plug-in saws to towing UFOs in an Area 51-esque hangar and powering plug-in laser cannons.
The campaign aims to shatter preconceptions about the power capabilities of hybrid vehicles by highlighting how the hybrid vehicle has more torque than any other Ranger model, including the diesel V6, and the ability to export electricity to almost any power tool imaginable.
Launching first in the UK on VOD, digital, and DOOH, the activity will roll out across Europe in the coming weeks.
Ford Pro marketing and communications manager Richard Beard said: “Bringing Europe’s first hybrid pick-up to market is a big moment, and it had to feel worthy of the Ranger name. ‘More Power, Just in Case’ shows exactly what the Ranger PHEV stands for: all the capability you expect, with more power and no compromise.”
Wieden+Kennedy London group creative director David Colman and creative director Alex Sattlecker added: “The Ranger PHEV is Europe’s first hybrid pickup, with more power than you’ll probably ever need. We had fun with that idea – the VO gets carried away reeling off what the truck could do, before catching himself.
“It felt like the perfect way to capture the joy of being over-prepared. Huge thanks to the Ford Pro team for backing such a playful approach, and to Tim Godsall for bringing it all to life with so much character and craft.”
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