Ford, Our Stories Films begin marketing agreement with “Who’s Your Caddy?”

(July 26, 2007) Ford Motor Company and pioneering business leader Robert L. Johnson announced today an exclusive, multifaceted, multi-year marketing and promotional alliance with Our Stories Films, Johnson's new film venture owned in partnership with veteran producers Harvey and Bob Weinstein. The first title under Our Stories Films - "Who's Your Caddy?" starring actor/rapper Big Boi - debuts nationwide July 27, and features the legendary Range Rover.

Our Stories Films was launched in 2006 to produce and distribute African American and urban family-themed comedies. The Ford-Our Stories Film partnership will involve all Ford Motor Company brands and allow for a powerful approach to reaching a coveted consumer segment - the African American and urban audience. The multi-year marketing and promotional alliance will include product placement and integration in feature films, sponsorships, consumer and dealer promotional opportunities, merchandising and other media options.

"Ford is very excited about this new multi-level partnership with Our Stories Films, says Alessandro Uzielli, senior advisor, Ford Motor Company, Global Brand Entertainment Group. "Engaging our consumers has for us been about creating new and innovative approaches to reaching our audience. This branded entertainment opportunity with Our Stories Films allows Ford to showcase the wide array of personalities of the Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles, and essentially tell 'our story' to a targeted audience."

"Our historic partnership with Ford represents a new day in the marketing of filmed entertainment to urban audiences," says Robert L. Johnson, Chairman and CEO, The RLJ Companies. "We look forward to featuring Ford brands in our films, and activating Ford's extensive marketing resources to reach urban movie goers throughout the country."

"The branded entertainment strategy at Ford has produced a robust series of hits for the Ford brands over the years" says Chuck Morrison, Executive Vice President, UniWorld Group, Ford's African American Agency of Record for Ford Division, Lincoln, Mercury, Jaguar and Land Rover brands.

"Understanding its importance, we saw the benefit in brokering this relationship with OSF and our approach will be to find the right films and opportunities to best showcase the Ford brands' personalities by 'casting' vehicles that enhance the stories, and OSF provides the platform to achieve just that," said Morrison

UniWorld Group Inc. worked with Ford and Our Stories Films in negotiating this exclusivity deal. UniWorld Group will collaborate with Ford and Our Stories Films to place the vehicles and develop the Ford marketing strategy around each featured film.

"Who's Your Caddy?" is a fish-out-of-water comedy about superstar rap mogul, C-Note (Big Boi), who runs into fierce opposition when he tries to join the super stuffy Carolina Pines Golf & Country Club. Undeterred, C-Note gets the brilliant idea to buy the land adjacent to the golf club's 17th hole, which he cleverly leverages to gain membership. C- Note's crew wreaks havoc as they bring their larger-than-life style to the club.

Adds Morrison, "Although Ford, Lincoln and UniWorld Group did not participate in bringing the Range Rover to "Who's Your Caddy?", the script required a luxury vehicle with superior on and off-road capabilities, one that a rap superstar would ride, and the Range Rover certainly fit that role."

Our Stories Films, created in 2006 by Robert L. Johnson in partnership with Bob and Harvey Weinstein of The Weinstein Company, is focused on the development and production of comedies for African American and urban audiences.


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