DEARBORN, MI- In an attempt to reinvent its luxury brand, Ford Motor Co. is looking to its past.
The Dearborn-based automaker this week announced its Lincoln brand will now be known as the “Lincoln Motor Co.” and have a Super Bowl commercial for the first time in the brand's history.
"The new Lincoln brand will be defined by great new luxury vehicles, such as the new MKZ, that feature quality, unique style with substance and innovative technology," said Ford CEO Alan Mulally in a statement. "These elements, coupled with a new level of warm, personal and surprising experiences, will enable Lincoln to appeal to today's new luxury customer."
Lincoln was originally called the Lincoln Motor Co. in 1922, when Edsel Ford signed the agreement purchasing the company from its founder Henry Leland.
Mulally and other executives announced the new name, as well as a new ad campaign, Monday in New York's Lincoln Center Plaza.
The new ad campaign, which will include all-time NFL rushing leader and three-time Super Bowl champion Emmitt Smith as the spokesman, is called, "Introducing the Lincoln Motor Company."
The campaign will feature the all-new MKZ premium midsize sedan and MKZ Hybrid, the first transformational vehicles for the new Lincoln brand. They will be arriving in dealerships by the end of the month.
The MKZ -- starting at $35,925 -- will be the first of four new Lincoln vehicles in the next four years.
Besides Smith, Lincoln also enlisted comedian Jimmy Fallon for the Super Bowl ad that utilizes social media, with consumers participating through Twitter.
Consumers will provide their best 140 character thoughts to a script, and Fallon will then lead the curation of the best contributions that will create the ad to run during the Super Bowl, officials said.
This is the first time since 2006 that any Ford brand will have a Super Bowl commercial, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Detroit automakers have had mixed results with advertising during the Super Bowl.
Chrysler Group LLC has had the most success in recent years thanks to Eminem and Clint Eastwood. While General Motors Co., following a massive ad blitz earlier this year, will not have any ads for the 2013 Super Bowl.