DEARBORN, Mich. -

The new 2012 Ford Escape is doing more than hitting the roads of America, it is hitting consumers’ televisions, as well.

The Blue Oval is partnering with NBC in a new reality TV show titled Escape Routes, which is set to run on Saturday nights on NBC and mun2, starting March 31.

The new show  —  which will be produced by eight-time Emmy Award-winning producer Elise Doganieri in addition to David Leener from the Profiles Television team  —  will feature a cast of six teams of two participating in a unique road-trip competition with real-world challenges featuring the all-new Ford Escape, officials explained.

Commenting on the news, Jim Farley, Ford group vice president for global marketing, sales and service, noted, “This is the first time an automaker has used primetime television to launch a new vehicle and it is a great showcase for the all-new Escape.

“‘Escape Routes’ builds on the success of Ford’s previous social engagement programs and takes it to the next level with TV. This is another example of the innovative ways Ford is reaching consumers,” he added.

And executives from NBC expressed their enthusiasm for the new show, as well.

“At NBC, we continue to look for breakthrough ways to work with our partners and the ‘Escape Routes’ program was a unique opportunity that we hadn’t seen before,” said James Hoffman, executive vice president of sales and marketing at NBC.

“We’re excited about the show and think the concept of ‘Escape Routes’ and its unique use of social media will add a compelling element to Saturday nights,” he added, hinting at the fact that consumers will be able to follow their favorite team in the digital space, as well as on their televisions.

Viewers will be able to interact with and compete alongside the six teams throughout their adventures at escaperoutes.com.
 
Delving more into the details, the show will air for six consecutive episodes and is hosted by reality TV show personality Rossi Morreale.

The show airs Saturday evenings at 8 pm/ET on NBC and will also air on mun2, a bicultural cable network for young Latino Americans, Saturday nights at 11 pm/ET, officials shared.

“This is the first time Ford will air a series using both a general market broadcast and bilingual cable network,” they continued. 

“We are excited to be partnering with Ford on this groundbreaking series,” said Doganieri. “There are two key elements to this series: first, the interactive element, which is designed to engage viewers throughout the show and encourage them to participate in the challenges; and second, the real-time twist where consumers have the ability to follow their favorite team in the digital space. We’ve enjoyed collaborating with Ford on this project and feel the end result has the potential to be a real game-changer in the reality world.”

How It Works

The teams and their Escapes will start in Los Angeles before heading to New York, Atlanta, Miami, San Francisco and Las Vegas/L.A.

“Each stop will engage the online followers and tap into the fabric of the local culture,” officials stressed. 

“’Escape Routes’ is designed to give our audience an unprecedented level of engagement,” said Doganieri. “Not only will viewers be able to follow along in real time, but followers will have the ability to impact the outcome of the game.”
 
And what’s in it for the contestants?
 
The winning team will receive the $100,000 grand prize plus two new Ford Escapes, officials noted.

Also, online participants can win trips, high-tech gadgets and a brand-new Escape.

Ford also released the names of the teams, as well as description of the pairs:

•    Bre and Tara, best friends and soul mates from Boulder, Colo.
•    Derek and Drew, musician brothers from Seattle.
•    Iris and Terrence, best friends from Los Angeles.
•    Brett and Ross, two YouTubers from Los Angeles.
•    Sharon and Wilson, a brother and sister from Florida.
 
Furthermore, Ford selected four teams to compete for the last spot in “Escape Routes,” and online voters selected Tiffany and Chekesha, two models from New York, to be the sixth team.