Detroit News: Ford pulls ad under White House pressure
The above ad was run briefly by Ford to highlight the fact that they didn’t take the offered bailout money from the Obama Treasury Department, but according to the Detroit News, Ford succumbed to White House pressure to remove the ad from circulation;
The ad, pulled in response to White House questions (and, presumably, carping from rival GM), threatened to rekindle the negative (if accurate) association just when the president wants credit for their positive results (GM and Chrysler are moving forward, making money and selling vehicles) and to distance himself from any public downside of his decision.
In other words, where presidential politics and automotive marketing collide — clean, green, politically correct vehicles not included — the president wins and the automaker loses because the benefit of the battle isn’t worth the cost of waging it.
Ford and the White House both deny that the White House influenced Ford’s decision to pull the ad, but that hardly seems right. Why would Ford go to the expense of making the ad and then pull it, especially since it’s so effective and resonates to certain customers?
Category: Barack Obama/Joe Biden, Economy
We’re looking at replacing our family vehicle and Ford was on the short list of cars to look at. For the most part, I guess they still are. I simply can’t bring myself to look at any anything made by GM. Add to this the dismal reliability record of Chrysler’s Frankenstein machines (mish-mashed parts from Mercedes mixed in with Mopar? Really? WTF!), and once again I’m left with buying something I don’t want or sucks dog balls when it comes to being a reliable set of wheels. Fuck GM and their whiny little punk bitch asses.
It’s definitely disappointing. However, you have to play devil’s advocate. Given the Chicago thuggery going on in the WH and the blatant plays for all of the Pied Piper’s friends to now have lucrative other jobs after working in DC, we know who is or isn’t in the bag for teh one. So, perhaps Ford has to consider the discrimination that is taking place, er, will take place over the Gov’t Motors. And they have to make it work. Sad but true. I would still buy a Ford.
I’ve had my Ford for 4 years now and I haven’t had any problems with it. Compared to what I’ve seen come out recently from the other U.S. Car manufactures that are now Gov’t Motors and they don’t even look like they take pride in being American made…guess that’s what happens when the UAW and the Government makes them.
Well, GM and Chrysler are, for all intents and purposes, immune from labor strife from the UAW, Ford not so much. I imagine the phone call from the WH mentioned that it’d be a shame if Ford were to get hit with a 200 day strike from their workers.
It might be important to note that Crysler folded, and is not partially owned by an Fiat if I remember correctly. Also the Bail out didn’t solve the problem (that UAW caused) if anything it made the likelihood of another such disaster even MORE likely (there’s now union reps on the board).
I think there was political pressure to pull this add.
Fiat recently purchased more of Chrysler LLC (I think they’re up do 60% now) and they intend on eventually buying it out completely. In the meantime, Fiat’s CEO has spent a good bit of money refreshing the entire Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep/Ram line-up, but let’s be honest here; when you recall Fiat, Alpha Romeo, Maserati and other Italian brands, the word “reliable” doesn’t come to mind. I’m not sure where I’ll end up landing on this new car purchase, I just know that this time I’m not getting suckered into the whole “buy American” horsesqueeze. I don’t know about y’all, but I can’t afford to have my car in the shop for bullshit repairs just so some dumbass union fuck can keep his job.
Was there political pressure? Of course!
In north Texas, the prime selling point for Ford is that the company didn’t take the welfare. That message resonates, regardless of philosophy and ideology.
Now, if the RNC were to buy that ad and use it during the 2012 campaign, along with Ronny Dunn’s song “Cost of Living,” that would be a sweet, sweet thing.
Buy Toyota. They’re American-made and provide American jobs. Nissan as well, but I’m just partial to the Toyota trucks.
A truck is going to be a hard sell since this is replacing the family wagon. The Tacoma 4d crew cab is nice, but is this thing going to be practical for highway driving and trips out of town? Not sure. Suggestions? 🙂
Claymore, take one for a spin, or two or three. The Tacoma 4d is good, so is the Ford 4d. The Silverado is good, too, but I’d never buy another one.
I just can’t get used to sitting down in a car, at eye level with someone’s bumper, much rather be looking down at cars.
I’ll add it to the short list. Just a little apprehensive about a truck in ATL traffic, especially with the wife. She admits that she’s not the best driver in the world, but she’d have to use this when I’m at work. Thanks for the advice guys.
Claymore…
Nice that you’re gonna give her the new set of wheels. I am partial to Toyotas myself. Don’t know your budget but…used can still get you a long way…
Well, this is the family car, so she drives it most of the time since I have a 20 year old Honda that I use for commuting duties. No sense using the “good” car for bump-and-grind ATL traffic, plus it gets better gas mileage. Don’t get me wrong, daddy likes the idea of a pick-up truck, it’s getting mama on board that’s the hurdle. LOL!
ROS–worst truck I ever owned was a Toyota. Total piece of shit and couldn’t get rid of it fast enough. I loved my Expedition, but not THAT much when gas is $4/gal and I drive 2000-plus miles a month. The Jeep (pre-bailout) I have now does just fine–80K miles, runs like a champ, not too hard on gas, and goes through the snow and mud like nobody’s business, which is a real plus up here between September and May.
Not going to be in the market for another vehicle for several years, but if I were to get one today, it would be another Jeep or a Ford.
Claymore:
I’ve driven trucks all my life, full-size and small. A full size truck can be difficult to maneuver in parking lots in the city; the medium or small trucks are better for that. Big trucks have big gas tanks, and that’s another consideration. My favorite truck for city driving is the one I have now, which is an extended cab Ford Ranger, but you have a wide range of brand names and options in the small and medium size truck range. Have Mrs. Claymore drive one; she’ll get bitten by the bug easily enough! 🙂
When we were in Atlanta the wife was driving a 2001 Toyota 4Runner with 200K+ miles. When we moved to VA we bought a 2011 Ford Expedition EL to replace the Toyota. We wanted something to haul the 2 year old with the required A and B bags and our two retrievers.
Less than a month after we bought the truck, someone driving 70 in a 40 zone in an older Ford Aerostar van crossed the double yellow line and hit my wife and son head on (the estimated total speed at impact was 110 MPH). My wife had cuts and bruises from flying glass and airbag deployment. My son had bruises on his shoulders from the car seat restraints. The Expedition was totaled. The guy driving the Aerostar died at the scene. The 2011 Ford Expedition EL was immediately replaced with a 2011 Ford Expedition EL. I don’t think that things would have worked out as well if the family were in the 4Runner.
The reason why the Ford was chosen over the GM variant was directly because Ford didn’t take federal cash.