THREE MONTHS IN A DAY WITH FORD

and Ford designed to bring the entire port forestation up to date with the newest of newest opportunities in their field white Ameth item isn't it it represents some of the planting the skull exercise of you will which went into a Wilding produced project in which I recently had the privilege of playing a small part one of the most important part of the day's activities included the introduction to the dealer body of the now famous and amazingly successful Ford Mustang but at the time the Mustang was top secret not only by a cryptic t5 identification as we all know the automotive industry is accustomed to going all out presenting new product lines once a year to their dealer organizations but the Mustang introduction was midway in a model year spring of the most successful year in car marketing history Ford decided this was the time not only for introduction of the Mustang but also the right time to review with dealers throughout the country the importance of all the various marketing programs and activities maintained by Ford division to assist in profitable retailing operations as they have on important projects ever since 1937 Ford called upon Wilding for assistance in making a day with Ford a day of success and so work began riders were assigned preliminary sketches prepared planning sessions held and Rijo [Music] composers compose lyricist lilten outlines and scripts were approved and production personnel took over 40 pieces for shows and exhibits were developed and physically produced by a dramaturgy division of wildin incidentally these modular theme pieces won the 1964 design award of the Society of the plastics industry by now we know our framework we know our schedule and it's a tough one we have 18 separate interest holding displays to be built for 18 separate operating departments of for division we have a full-fledged stage musical to cast rehearse and produce we have facility commitments to be made menus to be planned films to be shot logistics to arrange collateral materials to produce and print I'm building building [Music] midnight oil extensive overtime and unceasing effort got the deadlines met and the show ready to roll now we are on our way to complete units of physical properties required twenty six forty foot baths for the national tour beginning in New York City a day with Ford was presented twelve times in 11 principal cities during the period of only twenty five elapsed calendar days a very real problem of scheduling and logistics for while are two separate truck caravans were rolling our cast and technical crew were hopscotching locations in their chartered airliner mates location called four separate setup and teardown each location call for thorough technical and musical rehearsals and the handling of audiences of up to twenty eight hundred to each of these audiences there was presented the full morning to evening program of a day with Ford beginning with the morning business session for dealers which featured a state of our business message delivered by mr. Lee Iacocca general manager for division the actual content of us talk is for Ford dealers only but gentlemen were on a fast track well we're ready right here this morning in this room to show you we're ready to make our move and we need your help take a look when you got the merchandising fair see what other dealers have done that's the best way for you to learn deena responds and their enthusiasm carried over to the merchandising fare area where they were exposed to the many and varied Ford division plans and programs to assist in their business 18 separate and different exhibits utilized almost every conceivable type of presentation technique and audio visual medium each display booth at each location was manned by four division department heads meeting dealers answering questions face-to-face in fact dealers across the country were exposed to discussed business with all top Ford Management as mr. Iacocca had told them quote these 18 displays cover 18 major parts of our business and say to you here take what you need don't worry about the guy sitting next to you you take what you need and leave the rest of them but all of you need something out there take what you need and take them they did 250,000 copies of 58 different handout pieces were distributed during the merchandising fair pieces designed to help dealers and the all-important task of building profit following attendance at the fair dealers were joined by their wives and conducted to the luncheon area during the course of the tour more than 14,000 meals were served smoothly and efficiently [Music] and now for the big event introduction of the all-new sensational Mustang by means of a bull pledged to our stage and screen theatrical presentation utilizing the talents of a top Broadway cast actors singers and dancers [Music] with drum action humor and saw combining to tell a Mustang merchandising story of entertainment and information a story backed by some of the most sensational film footage ever shot for automotive introductions job [Music] certainly no car in history has ever been given a more professional introduction nor received a more enthusiastic dinner reception and following the show once more to the merchandising fare area for an elaborate cocktail in order of reception and where the sensational Mustang is on display for close critical and enthusiastic inspection [Music] yes from early morning it's been a long full and highly successful day with board and now ready to roll for the next location 12 full-day performances coast-to-coast in 25 calendar days [Music] and that is the three-month log of Wildings efforts to assure a successful day with Ford the kind of effort that we stand ready to render on a client's behalf in the preparation of a simple single printed piece or a full-blown traveling production [Music]