Ford's Marla Skiko on Inclusion, Diversity, Gaming and More

Bill Duggan ANA Given the inventory shortage of cars how has Ford39s marketingmedia pivotedMarla Skiko Ford The effects of the supply chain challenges have certainly had us carefully monitoring the need to spur consumer demand We adjusted our level of spend as made sense given the situation but beyond conserving budget in a supply constrained environment we also adjusted our approach to ensure we are as targeted as possible with our messaging It has never been more important to have that right message right audience right channel fit as it is right now It39s also given us a chance to step back and focus even more on building relationships with our current owners to foster love for our brand among those who have already chosen FordDuggan ANA named quotInclusionquot as our 2022 Marketing Word of the Year What39s your perspective on that either overall or for your business specificallySkiko Inclusion is such an important word It has wide and varied meaning such that it needs to be specifically defined within any individual business quotWhat does inclusion look likequot is the right question everyone in a company should be able to answer in the same way Beyond listing inclusion as a priority companies have to create a specific action plan to achieve it That plan should span constituencies from consumers to employees The more inclusion is part of a company culture the more authentically it will draw those it wishes to bring closer to the brandDuggan Are you currently investing with diverse media suppliers If so please provide a perspectiveSkiko Yes we are investing as we believe it39s critically important to invest with diverse owned media suppliers Helping diverse suppliers grow is good for their business and for ours We have to be engaged with diverse communities to bring them into the Ford family Our growth depends on it as they are the fastest growing audiences in the US Supporting diverse owned businesses spurs their growth and helps ensure we authentically connect to the audiences which they serve In order to ensure we give more companies access and opportunity we host quarterly sessions to meet with newly diverse owned suppliers and learn about their capabilities This has given us the opportunity to meet more businesses and also learn about content that can appeal to different diverse communities in the processDuggan Pick one amp8211 audio CTV gaming retail media networks direct mail What excites you and whySkiko Gaming really excites me Its growth has been tremendous and it attracts so many wide and varied audiences depending on the type of game and mode in which it39s played We39ve been actively involved in gaming for years and realize there is tremendous upside to connecting in relevant ways that are authentic and welcome It39s a precarious space because if you get it wrong you can definitely do more harm than good When you hit it right as many brands have been able to do you find another level of connection to many audiences that are really difficult to reach across other channelsDuggan What are you watchingstreaming right nowSkiko I just finished Barry over the holidays Bill Hader is so good I have to say Seasons 1 and 2 far surpassed 3 for me but I still highly recommend if you need a laugh and satire is your thingDuggan What are you currently driving nowSkiko A Ford Explorer ST It39s the first lease I got when I joined Ford 3 years ago and due to supply challenges I haven39t yet traded it in for another That should change as supply ramps up I39ve got my eye on a Ford Bronco which will hopefully be up nextDuggan Thank you Marla We look forward to your session at the ANA Media Conference Click the social buttons to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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Ford's Marla Skiko on Inclusion, Diversity, Gaming and More

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