Ford Focus – the car for secret karaoke lovers

Tim Burrowes

August 27, 2013 12:21

A karaoke version of Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up is at the heart of a new ad for the Ford Focus.

The ad – “Play anything” – spruiks the car’s Sync service, allowing voice control of music and phone calls.

Ford’s ad agency is JWT Melbourne.

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Tim Burrowes

Tim Burrowes is the publisher of Mumbrella and Unmade. He co-founded Mumbrella in 2008 and sister title Unmade in 2021. He's worked in the UK, Middle East, Asia & Australia and has specialised in writing about the communications world for the last 25 years. He wrote the book Media Unmade, published in 2021, and became the presenter of MediaLand on ABC Radio National in 2025.

Topics

Advertising JWT

6 COMMENTS

Raymond 27 Aug 13

Yep, saw the on TV and cringed accordingly. Reminds me of that horrible Samsung mobile ad set at a dinner that’s on air at the moment. Makes watching TV seem like reading the client’s self-absorbed list of product features. Certainly not why I watch TV.

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Elliott Mitchell 27 Aug 13

It looks like this advert was shot somewhere in south east asia, my best bet would be Bangkok – just have a look at the roads and infrastructure. Very deceiving!

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shamoo 28 Aug 13

The guy was listening to a recording of himself doing karaoke? Right.

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Robin 29 Aug 13

Rick Rolled and loving it. Great!

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Michael 8 Sep 13

Why do people act singing badly so badly?

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Shamma 9 Sep 13

how has he got a recording of himself doing karaoke? feels like this was a plan b when they couldn’t get the recording rights for the song (but had secured the publishing rights so did a cover)

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