Fresh off a major Super Bowl appearance, the Ford F-Series – America’s favorite pickup – is gaining even more attention this weekend with the film premiere of DreamWorks Pictures’ “Norbit,” starring Eddie Murphy.


The Ford F-250 Super Duty appears as a central figure in the new film by supporting the nerdy Norbit and his three burly brother-in-laws as they use Ford’s tough truck at the family business.


The movie is yet another example of the Ford F-Series’ wide acceptance as the country’s defining pickup on and off screen. The attention for F-Series continues next weekend, as Ford supercharges its marketing blitz around the new 2008 F-Series Super Duty at NASCAR’s biggest race of the year – the Daytona 500 on Feb. 18.


“This is a ‘Super February’ for the new Ford Super Duty,” says Cisco Codina, Ford’s group vice president of North American Marketing, Sales and Service. “The new F-Series Super Duty is our most capable and refined pickup ever, and its presence at the movies, at the races and on the street are fitting ways to celebrate 30 years as America’s best-selling truck.”


Tough Role on the Big Screen


The Ford F-250 in “Norbit” is at home at the Latimore Construction Company – a common scene for many everyday Ford trucks. The truck is prominently featured in several scenes, including an extended static shot and a comical action scene toward the end of the movie.


Ford’s brand entertainment team considered the request to place a Ford truck in “Norbit” carefully before making the deal – to ensure that it supported the Ford Tough heritage.


“Typically, you see Ford trucks in action movies,” says Myles Romero, director, Ford Global Brand Entertainment. “While ‘Norbit’ is a comedy, we enhance the ‘Built Ford Tough’ theme by placing the truck with the toughest characters in the movie, Norbit’s three hulking brother-in-laws.”