The opportunity

Ford Turkey (@FordTurkiye) identified Valentine’s Day as the ideal occasion to tie in with the launch of its special-edition Fiesta Black & Red cars. It also saw the chance to combine Twitter with TV and collaborate with the popular romantic comedy Kiraz Mevsimi.

The strategy

@FordTurkiye launched two Promoted Trends in the run-up to Valentine’s Day and asked couples to prove their love for each other by taking part in the conversation, using the hashtag #BeniSeviyorsan (#IfYouLoveMe). The brand worked with @FOXTurkiye, which broadcasts Kiraz Mevsimi, and celebrities from the show, who were the first to challenge each other. The most creative challenges were then awarded a dinner for two, a weekend trip, or the chance to meet cast members.

@FordTurkiye ran the first Promoted Trend a week prior to Valentine’s Day and followed this with a second Trend on Feb. 13. It also used Promoted Tweets with images and video, and targeted viewers of Kiraz Mevsimi. Its Black & Red cars were featured in an episode.

Steps to success

1. Create the right hashtag.

@FordTurkiye chose the hashtag #BeniSeviyorsan (#IfYouLoveMe) to evoke the right tone and to coincide with the buildup to the launch for the Fiesta Black & Red models. #BeniSeviyorsan was naturally conversational and echoed the kind of hashtags that trend organically on Twitter.

2. Turn to celebrity influencers and TV stars.

The campaign succeeded in involving celebrities from Kiraz Mevsimi, such as @Ozgecangurel and @Serkancayoglu, who both offered an endorsement on their Twitter profiles.

It also harnessed support from Turkish influencers like @OdunHerif and radio presenter @nihatsirdar, who encouraged his listeners to take part in the challenge with their sweethearts.