Ford Answers

Long before today’s AI boom, Ford Motors was already exploring how to bring innovation and interactivity to the public. I was invited by Mutato, the digital powerhouse of J.W.Thompson in Brazil, to manage a very special project:

At the São Paulo Auto Show, the company launched “Ford Responde” (“Ford Answers”), a platform that simulated an AI assistant capable of responding to visitor questions in real time.

Behind the curtain, of course, there was no artificial intelligence involved, just a highly coordinated creative operation. I was responsible for managing the entire production flow in real time: receiving each submitted question, directing it to the copywriters, coordinating with the voiceover team to record our “robot’s” response, and ensuring motion and graphic designers produced the corresponding animation or image. Once all assets were ready, I oversaw their immediate upload to the platform, making the experience feel seamless and instantaneous to the audience.

The result was an engaging activation that captured the spirit of AI long before it became mainstream. One of the most memorable interactions came from a visitor who asked when he would finally receive his Ford Ranger, given that he was “the biggest promoter of the truck” in his hometown. Within minutes, our “AI” delivered a personalized meme in response, which was my favorite from the entire project and proof that careful orchestration can feel just as magical as technology itself.

As the young professional I was, I knew I was witnessing a turning moment :when brands were finally breaking away from corporate content and learning to speak the language of the internet. (You can check the screenshots below)

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