dr511scj Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 (Automotive News) DETROIT [Rock City] -- The Ford brand is dropping its "Built for the Road Ahead" advertising campaign in favor of "Bold Moves," sources say. Ads featuring "American Idol" winner Kelly Clarkson are scheduled to begin in early May. "It's more than just a tag line," a source says. "It fits with Red, White and Bold." That's the phrase Ford Americas chief Mark Fields is using to drive the automaker's North American turnaround efforts. Initial Gut Reactions: 1. Nobody @ FoMoCo reads this stuff anyhow, so I might as well be writing to myself. 2. Fields and BILLY's NEW EXEC COMMITTEE apparently know about the Hawthorne Effect (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawthorne_effect) and hope a BOLD -N- BLOND (Kelly Clarkson) strategy reverses slides in sales, share prices and dealer profits. (At least we don't have Jessica Simpson . . . or GEORGE MICHAEL writhing all over some Flaccid Five Hundred . . . Yet!) 3. "Red, White and Bold" . . . Isn't "Bold" some sort of detergent? (http://www.bold2in1.com/en_UK/qa_general.html; http://www.pgboycott.com/productlist.asp; http://media.afa.net/newdesign/ReleaseDetail.asp?id=3160 ) 4. Given the weak-sister performance of FoMoCo's recent "best" (203-h.p. Flaccid Five Hundred/MonteSLO; MKZzzzzzzzz/Lead Zephyr; Life in D (d'coma, d'traction, or d'leg cast) Fusion), perhaps it's a "Better Idea" to dump "Built for the Road [behind]" in favor of a "BOLD MOVE." (Of course, the real "bold move" would be to properly fund SVT & L-M and to build legitimate DOHC 4V V-8 powered sports sedans . . . .) 5. Maybe Mark Fields & Co. can film some of the FoMoCo-sponsored "Family Area" at the upcoming Motor City Pride Event, June 2-4, 2006, which reportedly will feature a homosexual marriage "commitment ceremony." They could call that commercial "Red, White and BLUE! (Now that's a "Bold Move," Marky-Mark!) 6. A "Bold Move" for most of the AARP members who groove to the soporific beat of FoMoCo's Flaccid Five Hundred, is an unassisted trip to the can. Thus, I'm not sure that Kelly Clarkson really speaks to this demographic. Maybe Doris Roberts . . . . 7. "Red, White and Bold" does, however, fit in with recent FoMoCo trends . . . after all, La Bandera de Mexico is Red, White and Bold Green! ( http://www.inside-mexico.com/flag.htm ) Given FoMoCo's growing affection for South-of-the-Border production (and even that Kermit-the-Frog commercial that tints the Oval GREEN), it's a good marketing synergy to take the focus off of the color UAW/American "blue" . . . . Besides, "Run for the Border" was already taken (http://business.enotes.com/marketing-campaign/taco-bell-corporation). 8. Given the decidedly not "bold" spokespersons for Toyota and Honda (VOs by Jeff Goldblum and Richard Dreyfuss, respectively), is FoMoCo really taking advantage of the opportunity by going with . . . Kelly Clarkson? Why not just go for the "American Idol" guru himself--SIMON? Oh, wait . . . he'd probably want to honestly critique the cars. Never mind. Maybe FoMoCo could just borrow that announcer from the "Beef: It's what's for Dinner" commericals (Sam Elliott; http://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/askex...tising.asp#qa2) . . . I can just hear him saying "Ford! YOU BETTER BUY ONE OR YOU'LL LOOK LIKE A WIMP IN THE GAS LINE . . . . 9. Maybe if Sam Elliott is too expensive or too BOLD, FoMoCo could tap PAUL SENIOR from "American Chopper." Of course, Green Fields & Co would have to change the tag line to "Ford-A Better IDEARR." But then at least FoMoCo commercials would be entertaining. 10. Or maybe a little truth in advertising for a change . . . Profit is Job ONE . . . Have You PASSED a Ford Lately . . . There WAS a FORD in Your Past . . . Bankruptcy is NOT AN OPTION . . . Ford: Family Means Never Having To Be Accountable to Your Shareholders . . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyBlueOval Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 We just need you , Mr. Ford, doing the advertising and not like last time with prepared scripts. It's just not you. That's why the 2002 commercials were so successful. Can you imagine Mr. Wagoner doing this stuff! As far as I can see, there isn't going to be any cool looking cars as long as we have these jelly beans. I'd like a car with a real trunk, take me back to the 80's or the 60's. Honestly I don't know why anyone bought a SUV. I had a luxury van which cost a mere $13,000. Does anyone really care about the price of gas? I don't see anyone cutting down much on using the family car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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