Ford Opens Fourth Pop-Up Store in San Francisco
In a ploy to pick up some popularity in a state where Honda and Toyota are king, Ford is opening temporary storefronts aimed at showcasing the brand’s products.
Rather than setting up a long-term location, Ford is keeping real estate for about a month before picking up shop. Visitors can’t actually buy cars at the locations. Instead, Ford seems to be copying the formula EV maker Tesla is using to educate shoppers without trying to sell cars on location. Each store has a different theme meant to engage its guests and drum up interest in Ford cars.
The latest store is themed after film and offers people passing through the chance to participate in a casting call for the chance to appear in an independent film Ford is sponsoring.
For Tesla, it’s a chance to get in front of large crowds in an effort to promote a brand most people aren’t aware of. Ford has a different problem in the area. People are too familiar with it, and not in a good way.
Recent efforts to change its product line and image might be catching on, but California is a tough market to crack when the Toyota Prius carries its own chic. Ford isn’t alone. Domestic cars in general tend to struggle in California, but it’s in the brand’s best interest to gain market share considering its residents account for 10 percent of U.S. new car purchases.
[Source: Wall Street Journal]
Luke is an energetic automotive journalist who spends his time covering industry news and crawling the internet for the latest breaking story. When he isn't in the office, Luke can be found obsessively browsing used car listings, drinking scotch at his favorite bar and dreaming of what to drive next, though the list grows a lot faster than his bank account. He's always on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> looking for a good car conversation. Find Luke on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> and <A title="Luke on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/112531385961538774338?rel=author">Google+</A>.
More by Luke Vandezande
Comments
Join the conversation