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Ford Motor Co. is putting two blue oval logos atop its namesake stadium, Ford Field, hoping to reach some of the hundreds of millions of people who will tune in to watch the Super Bowl on television.Ford logo emblazoned onto namesake stadium
Blue ovals atop football venue are part of branding effort as Super Bowl approaches.
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DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co.'s blue oval is reaching new heights.
Seeking to gain maximum exposure as host of the 2006 Super Bowl, the Detroit Lions are installing two large replicas of the automaker's logos on the roof of Ford Field.
The 153-by-316-foot logos -- one faces south, while another will soon appear on the north side of the football stadium's barrel-vaulted roof -- will be visible from Interstate 75, major surface streets and several downtown skyscrapers.
The signs also will be in view of commercial airlines and blimps flying over the stadium, said Tom Lewand, Ford Field's chief operating officer.
"The logos add value to Ford Field and will help us market the venue to the world in terms of hosting major sporting events and other activities," Lewand said. "When you see a shot now of Ford Field from a blimp, people will recognize our venue instantly."
Such branding programs -- Ford Field's two logos cost a combined $175,000 -- can offer major opportunities for businesses and organizations to market themselves at a relatively inexpensive price. A 30-second television ad during the Super Bowl, which attracts more than 800 million viewers, can cost more than $2 million.
"If Ford Field appears for just 10 seconds during the Super Bowl (TV coverage), the logos will pay for themselves several times over," said Frank Carmone, professor emeritus for Wayne State University's Department of Marketing in Detroit.
They also help companies spread the word about their operations, Carmone added.
"Most people in Metro Detroit know that Comerica Park is sponsored by Comerica Bank (in Detroit), but now with the All-Star Game (in town earlier this week), more people around the nation know about Comerica the bank."
Other major buildings in the region have been branded with company logos, including Ford's headquarters in Dearborn, General Motors Corp.'s Renaissance Center offices and Chrysler Group's headquarters in Auburn Hills.
You can reach R.J. King at (313) 222-2504 or rjking@detnews.com.
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