Ford awards global ad business to Wieden+Kennedy

Wieden+Kennedy has grown its Ford business, taking over lead global creative and brand strategy work from BBDO as the automaker looks to streamline its advertising across the world.

W+K has steadily expanded its scope with the automaker since it was added to its roster in 2018. That is when Ford hired BBDO as its lead global creative agency and named W+K as “a creative and innovation partner.” But in reality, W+K since the start has handled most high-priority advertising in the U.S.; although BBDO led a significant campaign in 2019 for the Mustang Mach-E electric crossover starring Idris Elba. In 2020, Ford quietly promoted W+K to its lead U.S. agency.

Ford confirmed W+K’s expanded scope in a statement today, saying the “Ford brand is doing this to streamline its global marketing business under one creative agency to drive brand consistency globally and provide greater operational efficiencies.” The automaker added that “BBDO, a valued Ford partner, will handle CRM (Customer Relationship Marketing) in the U.S. while WPP remains a key part of Ford’s multi-agency team, leading activation. All three agencies will continue to play a key role on our multi-agency team and be expected to elevate our creativity.”

WPP, which lost the global creative account in 2018, continues to handle media planning and buying, in addition to multicultural marketing via its agencies Zubi and UniWorld. WPP also has the Ford-owned Lincoln brand via its Hudson Rouge boutique agency.

W+K handles the Ford account from its New York office. BBDO declined to comment.

Ford reported spending $3.1 billion on worldwide advertising in 2021. In 2020, the automaker spent 49.5% of its measured media spending in Europe and 42.8% in the U.S., according to the latest figures from the Ad Age Datacenter.

W+K’s moves on the Ford account have included installing Bryan Cranston as a spokesman beginning in late 2018. The agency has also led marketing for the new F-150 Lightning EV, and helped the automaker shape its corporate voice, including with an ad earlier this year touting its status as a major employer of hourly workers. That spot took a subtle shot at Tesla’s Elon Musk with the line, “right now it could seem like the only people who matter are the loudest—the ones who want to tear things down, and they fly away on their own personal spaceships when things get hard.”

Ford’s U.S. vehicle sales grew 16% in the third quarter, according to Automotive News.

Adweek first reported W+K’s expanded scope.