Bell Media is gearing up its branded entertainment offerings in a new partnership with Ford Canada for online series Intersections.

This isn’t Bell Media’s first foray into branded content. In 2011, it partnered with Audi and picked up the distribution rights for The Confession, starring Kiefer Sutherland.

Ford Canada is well-traveled partner for Bell on the road of branded content. In 2009, the company gave away 100 keys to its Fiesta and had social “agents” discuss their experiences via social media. In 2011, the Focus was featured when Ford partnered with Hulu on Focus Rally: America.

And earlier this year, it was the Escape that was promoted in Escape Routes, part of a partnership with NBC.

 Intersections, which features the Ford Focus, launched its first four-episode phase this week.

“Each episode of Intersections highlights people and places at the crossroads of art and technology, a perfect theme for a partnership that sits at the crossroads of brand and entertainment,” said Jon Taylor, senior director of content for Bell Media Digital.

Bell Media and Ford began discussing their partnership in fall 2011, but didn’t strike a deal until January.

Since then, both companies have collaborated on the production of the series.

“The concept is ours [but] Ford and their client are very involved in how their products are integrated,” said Taylor. “A car is featured in each episode [of Intersections], but it’s not a product demo, it’s the car fitting into the story.”

Taylor says he wants to see this type of digital innovation continue and expand. He believes it’s beneficial for both Bell Media and its clients.

“For us, it’s about original web video. We have creative control over it and we get to experiment in [digital] space,” he said.

He added that producing branded entertainment is a more cost effective way for Ford to promote its products.

“We’re building a series from scratch around the themes of their brand,” he said. “You’re not going to get that from a 30-second commercial that sits in front of a TV show.”

Intersections’ first episode features Jason ‘DJ Shine’ Spanu, an electronica artist who has toured with the likes of Nelly Furtado and Drake.

Later episodes will highlight Brian Richer, a designer with Castor Design, B.C. ‘no boarder’ Michael Nyuis and Bryn Davidson, an eco-friendly architect with Lanefab.

All episodes will include co-branded opening graphics, product integration and custom-created Ford promotional pre-rolls.

Viewers can tune in each week on the series’ microsite, intersections.ctv.ca. There they’ll find a large-format embedded video player, participant profiles, and an interactive Ford Focus photo gallery, including features and product details.

Taylor says he sees branded entertainment as an integral part of Bell Media’s future.

“I’d like to see us do three or four of these a year or more,” he said. “I want to see us innovate in the digital space. I want to see us do things that don’t really require television.”

Phase two of the series will launch Sept. 17. In the meantime, Ford and Bell are urging more creators to apply for their chance to be featured.

The concept for Intersections was created by Nicole Petrak, account executive for Bell Media Digital Sales, and Mike McKenna, senior producer of Bell Media Digital’s internal production unit.

Bell’s video production unit, led by senior director of content Jon Taylor will produce the series, with McKenna, Dean Gillis and Travis Wood of the unit directing.