Industry-First Global Test Drive Of All-New Ford Focus Builds Social Media Buzz @iJustine

The 100 participants from 13 countries travelled to Madrid to put the all-new Ford Focus through its paces for three days at the National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA). The facility offers multiple road surfaces, including high-speed tracks, road courses and proving ground roads replicating every conceivable obstacle a driver may face, anywhere in the world.

Of the 100 participants, 40 were selected via the Focus Global Test Drive Facebook page. Ford fans from around the world were invited to submit a video application explaining why they should be among the first to drive Ford’s new global car. They were also invited to ‘start more than a car’ by selecting a charity to which Ford would donate $10,000 if they were selected to participate. Each of these participants brought a companion to accompany them on the ride of a lifetime.



A further 20 key social media influencers - internet journalists and bloggers - were specially selected by Ford to take part. Among these was Justine Ezriak, or iJustine to her many fans. The 26-year-old American has more than a million followers on twitter and YouTube and also writes a hugely popular blog. One of her videos from the event earned YouTube honours in 18 countries. She said: "My audience is very tech savvy, so I know this is something that they will enjoy, but I’ve also been having an awesome time test-driving these new cars.

"I think big brands come to us because we have these built-in audiences and there are a lot of people who trust our opinions. So people come to us to see what the next cool thing is going to be and what it is they should be checking out." Read More