Colin Padden, a graduate student from Oregon, discovers that boredom has mutated into a highly debilitating and contagious disease. To lend awareness to the epidemic, Colin creates a website called boredomhurts.com. Soon, Colin discovers that there is, in fact, one cure for Boredom: The new, 2008 Ford Escape. In turn, Ford underwrites the website and uses the Escape to spearhead a multifaceted media blitz. All summer long, the Escape hits the road with one goal: to wipe out the horrible, modern affliction known as Boredom.

The Boredom Hurts campaign was launched in two distinct phases: Phase One came to life grass roots-style on the web, with a non-branded website that appeared to be created by a student named Colin Padden. User-generated content quickly helped populate the site. And once Colin reported in his blog that the Ford Escape was a known cure for Boredom, Phase two kicked in and Ford helped battle boredom via multiple media outlets: web banners, web gaming, home page takeovers, television commercials, outdoor advertising, direct mail, brand experience and integration on network TV.