Some of this year's hottest summer toys are Ford official licensed products.

Although thousands of items - from t-shirts, caps and jackets to desk accessories, wall art and fragrances - bear the name of a Ford brand, toy manufacturers represent the majority of the company's 300 licensees.

"We're building a relationship with the consumer that starts when they're just a kid," said John Nens, director, Ford Global Brand Licensing. "They'll always remember the great time they had with their favorite Ford ride-on toy or Matchbox-sized car, and they will carry that relationship with the brand all the way to when they finally start buying vehicles."

Each year, Ford receives hundreds of product proposals from various toymakers, but not all of them receive the nod from Nens and his team.

"It's our responsibility to protect Ford's intellectual property and to make sure it is presented in the right way," he said.

It's not just the toys but the companies that manufacture them that undergo careful scrutiny.

"We do a thorough review of each company to ensure they will be a good licensee," said Nens. "For example, we make sure they don't operate in countries we don't do business in, such as Haiti or Afghanistan, they don't employ minors and they don't use lead paint in their toys."

According to Nens, the Mustang and F-150 are the most popular Ford-licensed brands.

"Licensing is really a reflection of our products," he said. "And the Mustang and F-150 are the company's top vehicles in terms of sales and popularity."

Some toys, such as collectible die-cast models, must be manufactured as exact replicas of Ford vehicles.

"We work together with our designers to provide certain licensees with CAD (computer-aided design) data so they can produce authentic models," said Nens. "The goal is to introduce a licensed die-cast product the same day we introduce a new vehicle."

With other toys, such as Matchbox cars and ride-on vehicles, toymakers are allowed greater freedom.

"With those types of toys, it's all about fantasy and making dreams come true, so there is a lot more leeway," said Nens. "From our perspective, the most important thing is to make sure the products become part of our overall brand message."

That means capturing key design elements properly.

"It's important to accurately reproduce the vehicle shapes and key brand identities," said Nens. "For example, with F-150 toys, the grille and the Ford Oval have to be presented correctly."

At the end of the day, it's all about protecting and perpetuating the Ford brand.

"We want children of all ages to experience Ford toys in the proper light," said Nens. "And hopefully, it will affect them in positive way for the rest of their lives."

TEN HOTTEST FORD-LICENSED TOYS

With the kids on vacation and summer in full swing, John Nens, director of Ford Global Brand Licensing, consulted with his team of toy aficionados and came up with a list of the ten most popular Ford-licensed toys for kids of all ages. All are available at mass market retailers, such as Wal-Mart, Target® and Kmart.

Fisher-Price Power Wheels Ford F-150 with Monster Traction™

When Elizabeth Warner, toy expert for iVillage, appeared on NBC's Today Show with her review of this summer's most fun toys, the Harley-Davidson version of this ride-on truck was hailed as "the grand finale."

Not only will this truck perform in the most rugged backyard conditions, it also features a real FM radio, roomy truck bed with working lift-and-lower tailgate, pretend seat belts, built-in cup holders and a battery charge indicator that lets kids know when it's time to "refuel."

"This toy has been Ford's number one licensed product for the past eight months," said Nens. "Fisher-Price is one of our largest licensees, and the Power Wheels brand is a perfect complement to our F-150 truck."