Focus Rally: America Ends on Jimmy Kimmel Live

The new Ford Focus is upon us, but until the vehicle actually gets on the dealerships' floors, the car maker that produces it is getting ready to wrap up all the social media and interactive enterprises that have made up the marketing campaign for the new model so far.

Focus Rally: America, one of the ways Ford chose to advertise the new model, will conclude on Thursday night with a bang. After traveling 6,000 miles through 10 states and engaging the support of 30,000 followers, the teams that have competed in the innovative challenge will land on the set of the Jimmy Kimmel Live show.

The competition envisioned by Ford (and which, together with the other marketing activities centered on the new Focus, managed to snatch interest from 60,000 consumers) consisted of six teams of two people racing against one another for a chance to win $100,000 for the team and a brand new Ford Focus for each of its members.

Their actual race and its result were influenced throughout by the followers, who had the opportunity to determine the winner of three challenges by voting online.

“Focus Rally: America was the ultimate experience for both the teams and the people following the adventure at home,” said Jeff Eggen, Ford experiential marketing manager, the man behind Ford's new marketing stunt.

“The fans tuning in at home got to take part in every bit of the action. Even with an under-12-hour turnaround, the Hulu episodes capture the essence of the program and the experiences of the teams on the road.”