Football Legend Eric Cantona Helps Ford Rewire Iconic Capri for the EV Era

The social-first campaign has taken the automotive world and social media by storm as Ford refuses to rest on its laurels, and not 'do boring' when it comes to EV marketing. This reveal comes months after the Ford Explorer campaign saw renowned adventurer, Lexie Alford, set a world record as she circumnavigated the globe in an EV. The campaign was devised and led by Born Social and supported by WPP | Ford, unveiling the reinvented Capri to 20 markets in Europe.

Electrifying a legend is no easy feat, but Ford’s bold new marketing initiative helped reveal the new all-electric Capri into 20 markets, showing a refreshed, dynamic, and brave approach. 

The creative strategy tapped into themes of mischief and ‘newstalgia’ and was led by Manchester United legend Eric Cantona - a personality renowned for his charisma, passion and a proven ability to reinvent himself as an actor and then singer.

Pete Zillig, marketing director for Ford in Europe, emphasised the importance of this campaign in signalling Ford’s transformation. “Rewiring Capri for the electric age is about more than just reinventing a classic. It’s a clear marker for where Ford in Europe is headed - going beyond what’s expected, with iconic electric vehicles that ooze soul and swagger. Marketing this nameplate comes with great responsibility: respect for the legend and ambition for a new era of Capri drivers. With this campaign we’ve gone well beyond our comfort zone, bringing back Capri with a clear statement about what Ford stands for.”

Paddy Smith, ECD at Born Social, commented, It's not often you get to resurrect a legend, and even rarer to have the word mischief front and centre of the brief. The campaign is an incredible example of how internet culture works, and illustrates the power of true co-creation with influencers of all description and scale. Amazing to see so much momentum behind it already, with the multi-platform approach reaching hundreds of millions of eyes ahead of the big reveal. Je suis capri!