Lincoln Brings Music Icons NEW EDITION "Home Again"

DEARBORN, MI - April 15, 2006: Ford Motor Company’s Lincoln Brand and R&B supergroup New Edition are taking style, soul and sophistication on the road this season with “Lincoln Presents…Spend the Night With New Edition,” a 10-city American tour. Headlined by New Edition and featuring special opening performances by R&B crooners KC and Jojo, the tour will include contests and promotions featuring the 2006 Zephyr, Lincoln’s first entry-level luxury sedan. The tour kicks off April 28 in New York City and runs through May 21.

The “Spend the Night” concert tour and promotions mark the second collaboration between Lincoln and New Edition, building on last year’s 26-city “2005 New Edition Concert Tour,” sponsored by Lincoln.

“Our relationship with New Edition brings together two timeless brands, allowing us to celebrate the rich past and contributions of American icons,” said Lincoln Brand Manager Tom Grill. “It’s part of a broader effort to reposition Lincoln within the urban marketplace and immerse our brand into the lifestyle of our target customers.”

Lincoln's presence on the music scene also has grown to include a 14-city “House of Blues” concert series and drive program, which has sparked Zephyr video appearances for several top recording artists, including Grammy winner Kanye West.

Bringing it “Home Again”

“ Lincoln Presents … Spend the Night With New Edition” brings the Lincoln brand into the forefront of this multi-dimensional concert tour experience. Similar to last year’s collaboration, Lincoln will have a featured role in the opening act of the concert with a two-minute theatrical video, featuring Lincoln vehicles serving as lead-in for New Edition’s onstage performance. The video, “Home Again,” celebrates New Edition history with cuts from news broadcasts, and showcases the five members of New Edition interacting with Lincoln vehicles.

Unique to this year’s program are several promotions and contests, including the “This Could Be Your NitE” sweepstakes that targets the New Edition concertgoer. Promoted entirely at the concert venues with event signage and 30-second spots on stage plasma screens, “This Could Be Your NitE” invites participants to forward a text message for the opportunity to win a two-year lease on a 2006 Lincoln Zephyr. Complementing the sweepstakes is a VIP component in which participants in select markets ( Detroit, Washington D.C., Atlanta) are randomly selected to win exclusive passes to the Lincoln Lounge at the New Edition after-parties. Official rules and regulations will be available on www.lincolnlounge.com.