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Innovative Social Media Campaign Helps New England Lincoln Mercury Dealers Showcase Fuel Efficient Milan Hybrid

BOSTON--Demonstrating an innovative way to reach a broader audience and engage with customers in a new way through social media, the New England Lincoln Mercury Dealers’ “Fenway Park Flower Fling” Follow Me to Bliss Webisode premiered today. Rolled out as part of an Internet “reality mini-series” to illustrate the green technology of the 2010 Lincoln Mercury Milan Hybrid, the seven-Webisode campaign features “Deal or No Deal” models Lindsay Clubine and Katie Cleary as they partake in a series of unconventional wedding planning events to prepare for Clubine’s November nuptials to Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholtz. The series also features the fuel efficient 2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid – dubbed “Millie” by their celebrity drivers – and follows them all as they take a road trip across all six New England states on just one tank of gas.

Although the campaign is still being rolled out, its success is already evident.

  • In August – the month the road trip itself was being promoted online – the New England Lincoln Mercury dealerships generated more Web-based sales leads than any other region nationwide
  • Additionally, the New England Lincoln Mercury dealers’ Web site, www.BUYLM.com, broke a new record for site visits in August
  • In August and September, the Follow Me to Bliss campaign became the second most popular click-through among 16 sources on the New England Lincoln Mercury homepage

“We believe that the innovative Follow Me to Bliss social media-focused campaign has enabled us to reach a broader audience, and more importantly foster new and improved relationships with local businesses within the New England region,” said Coleman Hoyt of Acton Lincoln Mercury Dealers.

Testament to the power of social media for businesses, all of the challenges and bridal surprises like tea, chocolates and customized garter belts, were provided by partners that learned about the Follow Me to Bliss campaign and got involved through social networks including Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and blogs. In record time, over 20 local small and midsize businesses including two of the most photographed institutions in Boston, Fenway Park and the Boston Harbor Hotel, were engaged in the Follow Me to Bliss campaign.

Research indicates that Twitter users are twice as likely to interact with brands and click on a sponsored link or advertisement.[1] An indication that the proof is in the pudding, one local noted how this unique campaign influenced him.

“Because of this campaign, I went to the Foxborough Lincoln Mercury Dealers to test drive the Milan Hybrid,” said Wil Porter, avid Twitterer responsible for coordinating the participation of several local businesses to participate in the campaign. “I loved the vehicle, and have actually developed a marketing strategy around Twitter for my own business (Ansaphone Service, Inc., Twitter: @ansaphone) because of Follow Me to Bliss.”

Over the next six weeks, be sure to catch “Millie’s” journey to bring Lindsay and Katie’s Follow Me to Bliss road trip challenge a close. The challenges ranged from dance lessons, a practice bouquet toss over Fenway Park’s Green Monster, to competing in a wiffle ball homerun derby at Weirs Beach and stomping grapes in Newport, Rhode Island. All seven challenges are featured as individual Webisode on the New England Lincoln Mercury YouTube Channel, which viewers can check out at: www.followmetobliss.com.

Additional Resources

  • 6 New England States, 2 Days, 1 Tank of Gas
  • Follow Me to Bliss Home Page
  • Follow Me to Bliss on Twitter
  • New England Lincoln Mercury YouTube Channel
  • Millie Milan’s Facebook page
  • Lindsay Clubine on Twitter
  • Katie Cleary on Twitter
  • BUYLM.com

[1] In a study conducted in August 2009, tech and media research firm Interpret surveyed over 9,200 internet users in August, finding that roughly 24 % of the respondents that used Twitter, reviewed or rated products online; just 12 % of people that used other social nets—but not Twitter—said the same. Twitter users were also more likely to visit company profiles (20 %) than non-Twitter users (11 %), and twice as likely to click on ads or sponsored links (20 % vs. 9 %).

New England Lincoln Mercury Dealer Association

The New England Mercury Deal Association is a Dealer governed board, representing 63 Lincoln Mercury dealerships. The dealer association covers a geographic area that includes Maine, Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts. To find a New England Lincoln Mercury dealer near you, go for the virtual experience at: http://www.BUYLM.com/

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6083728&lang=en