http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/27/m...a-ford-lately/

 

I think that it is a good idea if it is coupled with the JD Powers awards and other recent alocades.

 

Ehhh, I wish Detroit would quit dipping into the past (glories) so much and focus more strongly on the future. Sure, acknowleding heritage and all is good -- to a point -- but beyond that point, it really does smack of living in the past and being deviod of any good new ideas, which, given Ford's performance of late, may well be true.

 

to that question..I can say yes. Fords are all I own.

 

Forget that, I want TOTAL PERFORMACE if you gonna borrow on the past. That was a much more exciting era!

 

How about something like...

Ever notice how your loaner from your non-Ford dealer is a Taurus?
Why not drive the one that gets you there?
Ford, because A to B can be fun you see.

FORD - Founders Of Refreshing Driving.

 

Ford - Bringin the shizzle to your hizzle

hahaha

 

Has this been used before or did you make it up? I think they could make some good commercials around that theme. I've never heard that one before.

 

I just came up with it. I never heard it before, but everyone else posted something inspiring. I was a Chevy guy up until 2006 when I bought 2 Mustangs. I used to know all the "negative" FORD anacronyms. I figure since I'm invested in Ford now, I should start a few positive ones.

 

I'll go one better: quit worrying about pithy slogans and concentrate on building great cars ... and not just for the Europeans.

 

Ford ran themselves out the car market, the Mustang simply gave them a gallop and then they dropped 7 Million bucks to rename the Five Hundred the Taurus. No wonder they are in trouble.

 

It's not "worrying about a petty slogan," its worrying about marketing overall. Ford's marketing before Mullaly SUCKED. Remember the start of the Bold Moves campaign, how blowful it was? Total crap. Ford's products are getting alot better, a few are surpassing their competition, yet the man on the street still assocaites the Blue Oval with crap, becuase marketing has done such a bad job informing them about the new stuff. Since Mulally took over, he's been putting alot of time in on making marketing better. So, the Bold Moves campign has gotten better and been supplemented with the "Ford Challenge," Mike Rowe's become the F-150's champion, and the stupid "life on the edge" commericals got ditched for some that actually talk about the Edge's features.

All that said, the Ford overall image isn't that great. Reliability surveys be ****ed, most people still give the edge to imports. So Mulally's looking at ways to tap into times when people had higher a higher opinion of the Brand, like when "Have you Driven a Ford Lately?" was Ford's line. And if you don't think slogans are important, research how many scooters were sold by "You meet the nicest people on a Honda," or where FedEx would be without "When It Absolutely, Positively Has To Be There Overnight."

 

Get the core business straight before fussing over marketing. These people are putting the cart before the horse. When you're still building crap like the North American Focus, whaddya expect people are gonna think?

If you build it, they will come. Product and positive word of mouth are the best advertising of all.

 

What? You've got to be kidding me. Is this what they pay Mulally the big bucks for? Has Ford come up with a good slogan lately? How about cranking out consistently good cars instead?

 

Enough of this dredging up the past to try to recapture some golden era past glories:

http://www.theonion.com/content/news...s_model_t_line

A sense of heritage is fine, up to a point, but when it becomes a crutch for the lack of any decent current/new products or intelligent management, then I really grow resentful of it. What Ford needs to do now is create product worthy of its heritage right now rather than living in the past in some Al Bundy fashion.

 

Really, when you think about it, they need to do BOTH these things simultaniously. Building good product is a definite requirement and yes, the Focus is still low on the small car todum pole if you ask me. While we all sit here very impatient with the way certain programs are going (Focus, RWD large sedan etc) I am certain there are things being worked on. I also know that remaining Ford staff is stretched to their limits due to all the downsizing etc. So, HOPEFULLY...the product will come. Some already has. Everyone that sits in my '08 Escape is really impressed by it. I must say, I love it and so do most who experience it. The problem is LOTS and LOTS of people won't even go LOOK at these newer products. Toyota customers are being told that they'll get EXCELLENT fuel mileage and they'll be VERY SMART if they go buy Toyota. Of course, most people won't fault anyone for buying Toyota, right now everyone has been programmed to believe its the best thing since sliced bread. They make a very reliable, very BORING vehicle. If you like that of course you should buy one. BUT, many people who wouldn't have normally bought a Toyota have bought one BECAUSE OF THE AD CAMPAIGN. "Hey, I'm smart, I better go get a Toyota to PROVE it". Their power of suggestion in those ads is quite powerful. Ford needs to do some brilliant marketing. I believe their truck ads are right on. The car ads have come a long way, but I don't believe that using this older slogan in SOME of their ads is necessisarly a bad thing. Car people need to know to go in and TRY the cars and see what's been going on at Ford. Results from using the tag line would be measurable I'm sure. Try it. You never know.

 

^^^ Ford seems to be doing neither of the two where and when it counts or else just taking its sweet time going about it. Needs breakthrough products, not "me-too" trying to catch up to the competition stuff. Oh, what a feeling...

 

Exactly.

Smart buyers don't fall for dumb ads. Most Toyota ads are stupid...but people buy them anyway. Why? Quality begets word of mouth. Word of mouth begets reputation. Reputation begets perception. All of that takes years. Ford is only just now working on quality again...and only on certain models. This will take a long time. Hopefully not longer than the company has.