Ford and AMV BBDO unveil round -the-world adventure to launch Explorer range

One hundred years ago, between 1922 and 1927, Aloha Wanderwell became the first woman to drive around the world on a journey that took her through 43 countries. Partially sponsored by Ford Motor Company, she did it all in a Ford Model T – the car that put the world on wheels.

Now, as Ford accelerates in its mission to lead the electric vehicle revolution, the company has joined forces with adventure influencer Lexie Alford, also known as Lexie Limitless, to continue Wanderwell’s legacy of redefining exploration with an ambitious round-the-world journey in the new electric Ford Explorer™ SUV. This epic new media-neutral activation was developed with AMV BBDO.

Beginning later this year, the expedition will take Lexie all over the globe; embracing challenges, meeting people from many cultures, and visiting places of outstanding beauty, the expedition is supported by the zero-tailpipe emission Ford Explorer.

To mark the Ford Explorer launch and announce Lexie’s adventures to come, the team at AMV also developed a 60’’ film directed by Nicolai Fuglsig through MJZ. Featuring original footage from ‘With Car and Camera Around The World’, a documentary film by Aloha Wanderwell on her expeditions around the globe, the film shows Lexie facing some of the challenges that she’ll encounter throughout her journey as she drives across deserts, mountains, forests, and beaches.

“We’re excited to see what our new Explorer and Lexie Alford can do together on this expedition – inspired by Aloha Wanderwell’s ground-breaking trip,” said Peter Zillig, director of Marketing, Ford of Europe. “We were a part of Aloha’s journey all those years ago and have been helping people take on ambitious adventures ever since – we can’t wait to see how our electric future will keep that intrepid spirit going.”

The youngest woman in history to visit every country in the world, Lexie leads the way for a new breed of environmentally conscious explorers with an uncompromising curiosity and driven by the same rebellious attitude as Wanderwell.

“Aloha Wanderwell’s story is inspiring on many levels, not just for breaking barriers for female explorers. I can’t wait to pay tribute to her legacy on this incredible journey and help retell the story of a truly inspirational trailblazer,” said Lexie Alford (known by her Instagram handle @lexielimitless).

AMV BBDO Deputy ECD Martin Loraine said: “’Exploring Reinvented’ is a reaction against the traditional idea of macho, dangerous, and non-sustainable exploration. Our campaign tells an incredible true story from Ford’s history and updates it to fit our ‘Bring On Tomorrow’ platform. Way back in 1922, Ford was opening up exploration to women by backing Aloha Wanderwell. And 100 years later, they’re supporting sustainable exploration, proving that an EV can do anything an ICE car can do, and once again, sending a female explorer on an amazing journey.”

The film production involved historical research about Aloha’s expeditions, including the recovery, restoration and resample of original photographs using the negatives and HD scanners and sourcing other essential documents used in her travels. Throughout the production, the team behind the work also consulted with Aloha’s grandson, former Hollywood stuntman, Richard Diamond.

These helped to pre-produce the new journey around the world as accurately as possible and include Aloha’s journals and maps with the exact routes. You can follow Lexie Alford’s adventures here.

Credits

Client: Ford

Brand: Ford Explorer

Campaign title: Exploring Reinvented

Client name: Peter Zillig, Lyn West and Petra Hynds

Creative Agency: AMV BBDO

CCO: Nicholas Hulley and Nadja Lossgott

ECD: Martin Loraine

Senior Creative Team: Juan Peirano and Hetu Negri

Agency Planning Team: David Murray

Agency Account Team: Tom Shattock, Harriet Harrison, David Stokes and James Bancroft

Agency Producer: Romila Sanassy

Media Agency: Mindshare

Production Company: MJZ

Director: Nicolai Fuglsig

Production Co. Producer: Tim Wild

Hero Talent Casting: Talent Republic

Founder: Anne Batz

Managing Partner: Charlie Powell

Aloha Wonderwall Estate Licensing: Born Licensing

CEO: David Born

Senior licensing Executive: Amber Cheung

Post-Production: Nineteen Twenty

Post Creative Director: Bill McNamara.

2D VFX Supervisor: Ryan Hadfield

2D Artists: Jamie Stitson, Doruk Saglam, Leila Wishart, Tijan Holder, Humayun Mirza, Alejandro Marzo, Yanru Yin, Rod Norman, Taylor Webber

3D VFX Supervisor: Chris King and Mike Farrar

3D Artists: David Rencsenyi, Arda Sernaz, Ivan Tomovic, Lucy Wright, Adam Gramlick, Luis Fos, Miles Tomalin, Mattias Lullini, Maria Coca Menchero, Oscar Hill, Will Preston

DMP Artist: Benita Winckler, Harry Wormald

Colourist: Kai van Beers

Colour Assist: Jennifer Kerr

VFX Producer: Chee Yen Wang

Production Coordinator: Lia Jacobs

Music Supervision: Simon Elms @ Eclectic

Musical Arrangement: Simon Elms and Colin Smith @ Eclectic

Sound Executive Producer: Carley Reynolds @ Bark Soho

Sound Design: Andy Humphreys @ Bark Soho

Sound Mix: Markus Ffitch @ Bark Soho

PR agency: Hill & Knowlton