DEARBORN, Mich., July 31, 2003 – Ford truck fans will be “looking again” at new full-line truck advertising launching this Friday. Toby Keith is back in a new Ford television ad – strutting his stuff, singing an original song about Ford trucks and taking a “field trip” to Ford’s Arizona Proving Ground.

The ad highlights Keith conducting rigorous testing that Ford trucks endure in order to earn the right to wear the Built Ford Tough badge. Ford Ranger, F-Series Super Duty and the all-new 2004 F-150 are featured.

Multiple images of Toby Keith ensure that viewers will “look again” at the spot. In addition, the ad teases the launch of the all-new F-150, stating “The next F-150 is coming September 4.”

“You wouldn’t believe how much fun we had with this commercial,” said Rich Stoddart,

Ford Division communications manager. “We used an innovative approach to reinforce the look again message, capture Toby’s fun spirit and used products like the new 2004 F-150 to demonstrate what it means to be Built Ford Tough.”

Ford announced its relationship with Keith, a third-generation Ford truck man, last August when he wrote an original score for the “Ford Truck Man” advertising campaign. Since that time, Ford has announced sponsorship of Keith’s “Shock’N Y’all” concert tour, which kicked off at Ford’s Centennial Celebration in June.

“Man, I had a great time at the shoot,” said Keith. “I had a chance to drive the Ford trucks that I love, and put the new F-150 through its paces at Ford’s testing facilities. It doesn’t get much better than that.”

It’s been a year to remember for Toby, who was named the #1 ticket seller in country music, according to Pollstar Magazine. He was named Entertainer of the Year at this year’s Academy of Country Music Awards, where he topped all other nominees with an amazing eight ACM nods. Toby has also seen his latest DreamWorks album UNLEASHED surpass the three million mark in sales, thanks to hit singles like “Who’s Your Daddy?,” “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American),” and the current hit single “Beer For My Horses” (a duet with country legend Willie Nelson). Also, his Greatest Hits album recently went double Platinum.

Ford has long been associated with country music. During the 1920s, Henry Ford hosted country dances and held country fiddling contests – including the Henry Ford Gold Cup in Dearborn, Mich. The contest was expanded through hundreds of communities across the country.

The connection between Ford Motor Company and country music was furthered in May 2001 when Ford became the “founding partner” of Nashville’s new Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Ford’s most notable contribution to the facility is the Ford Theater – a 213-seat state-of-the-art performance venue.

Additional details regarding the upcoming all-new F-150 advertising campaign will be available in late August. The campaign will feature print, radio, television and Internet elements.

Lyrics to “Field Trip”

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