It’s been 6 weeks since I toured the Ford plant in Chicago. better late than never, right? There is so much to tell you that I can’t think of it all. Here are some bullet points:

We drove two incredible Ford vehicles: a 2010 Mustang GT and a 2010Taurus SHO. We were treated like VIPs at Ford World Headquarters where we learned about Ford's sustainability efforts and about their social justice initiatives, things you don't hear much about in the mainstream media. I'm not sure why. Maybe they are afraid of being accused of greenwashing. Maybe, with the current economic situation they have bigger fish to fry. Maybe, in the grand sales-driven scheme of things, it's not a priority.

So as you may remember, I was recently invited to attend Ford’s What Women Want: Tech & Quality event in Chicago (pre BlogHer). So I went not knowing what to expect. And it was really awesome. The morning started out with all 60 bloggers meeting in the Sheraton’s Mayfair Room early in the morning for some chow (that kinda sucked, the early hour, but ya know, I was kinda hungry, so it was all good. I sat at the table to the far left and met some cool bloggers).

I got to test drive and sample their new 2010 line and HOLY CRAP! Can I just tell you that coming home to my van that does NOT parallel park itself…does NOT send a warning when it senses a car in my blind spot or if a car is coming from the side that I cannot see…does NOT have the MyKey technology and, frankly, does not look like THIS little piece of heaven

Other Videos from Blogher the Ford Trip was awesome…

It was only Day 4 of the Ford-y Whatever/BlogHer 10 day roadtrip, and Stefania and I had already been called names and terrified by religious dolls. It felt like we'd used up all of the tricks in our bag, and we feared the next six days would be dull in comparison. Then we kidnapped Fake Scott Monty* from the real Scott Monty's office at Ford, and things picked up again.

I was in Chicago early because I got invited to attend a Ford PR thingie. That’s the official name. Thingie. As you may recall, I was totally excited to be invited to anything, and totally less excited when I realized this was the kind of anything that did not involve booze or free stuff. I was, in other words, dreading having to go listen to a bunch of PR people drag on and on at me about how awesome their blah blah blah was.

While Brad and the boys were out on the town, I joined 49 other bloggers and the executives of Ford for a tour of the plant, test drives, and an open discussion on what women want in a vehicle. (I took all of your great suggestions with me!) It was a jammed packed, informative, day. I walked away seriously impressed with Ford's attention to details, safety, ingenuity, and interest in the consumer's needs.

“What Women Want.” That’s how Ford did it. Getting bloggers involved. Prominent, well-known women bloggers. And get instant buzz in the process. It’s focus groups at work in the new social media space. There’s nothing wrong with it and it’s not a new trend. Pepsi did it in their Pepsi rebranding campaign. The Air Force is doing it in their Air Force social media push. And you remember 3M’s Post-It Note Carjacks? Now Ford is doing it with refined social media skills. But really, bloggers watch out, you may be part of a bigger PR machine without realizing it.

I parallel parked for the first time EVER on Thursday and I had my cards read at the SV Moms party that same night. But it wasn't about the events I went to or the Ford Cars I drove.