Taylor Hicks continues to do Ford proud

The relationship between Ford and the American Idols is proving to be longer lasting than one might think. The car company, a sponsor of the Fox reality show since its start in 2002, has named 2006 Idol Taylor Hicks a face in its recent "Bold Moves" ad campaign.Hicks isn't the first Idol to maintain a business connection with Ford long after stepping off the camera: Kelly Clarkson, the first and so far most commercially successful winner of the television contest stepped on board with the "moves" campaign in May. The Ford has also shown up in a music video by Idol contender George Huff, and Idol contestant Diana DeGarmo presented the Mustang at the 2005 Los Angeles Auto Show.

Hicks will appear in a television commercial, singing his latest song, with Fords whizzing behind him, and will also be featured in two radio commercials.

"We've been following Taylor closely (along with the rest of the world) this whole season on Idol, and jumped at the chance to work with him," Lydia Cisaruk, Ford's Dealer Communications Manager, was quoted as saying.