MediaBuyerPlanner: Ford, a major sponsor of American Idol, has signed the hit TV show's winner, Taylor Hicks, to promote its 2006-model-year clearance sale, writes AdAge. In addition to 30- and 60-second TV and radio spots, Ford is advertising the promotion nationally in ads in USA Today and major newsweeklies.

Jim Sanfilippo, exec VP of auto consultant AMCI calls the promotion "pretty generous" because of its zero-percent financing among other factors, but adds that it isn't as aggressive as last summer's Ford Family Plan which mimicked GM's employee discount program.

He also says that the use of Hicks will be a great attention-getter. "Who doesn't like Hicks?" he asks.