Ford to sue GM over TV ad

[csv8]

Ford to sue GM over TV ad
Joshua Dowling
February 6, 2012


Super Bowl sparks an off-field brawl.

While the New England Patriots New York Giants battle it out on the Super Bowl field a bigger battle is happening in the corporate suites.

Ford Motor Company threatened to sue General Motors if it ran an advertisement that depicted only Chevrolet pick-up drivers emerging safely from an apocalyptic scene; the owner of a Ford F150 was not so lucky.

When asked what happened to a missing mate, one of the survivors says: “Dave didn’t drive the longest lasting, most dependable truck on the road. Dave drove a Ford.”


The fineprint says: “Dependability based on longevity: 1981 to July 2011 full-size pick-up registrations.”

Ford tried to stop the advertisement from airing and said it would sue GM if it wasn’t withdrawn. Ford says the F Series has been the world’s biggest selling pick-up for 35 years and defended the vehicle’s safety record.

But the controversial ad ran before quarter time, and so the battle is expected to continue after the game.

The Silverado ad had received 1.7 million views on You Tube before kick-off. Click here to see the clip.

Not including the cost of production, car makers spend up to $3.5 million on each 30-second Super Bowl ad spot, which have become a feature of the telecast.

The manufacturers often hire big name movie directors and actors to do the spots, and run the ads online in the weeks leading up to the game.

Jim Farley, Ford's global sales and marketing chief, told reporters at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention in Las Vegas on the weekend: “We've been the leader in the truck market and the best-selling vehicle for 35 years. So from an advertising standpoint, we will absolutely defend our leadership in the market.”

It’s not the first time that Ford and GM have been at each other’s throats in the history of North America’s oldest continuously running nameplates.

Last year, in a book on Ford by Bill Vlasic of the New York Times, Farley was quoted as saying he hates GM and what it stands for.

“I'm going to beat Chevrolet on the head with a bat. And I'm going to enjoy it,” Farley is quoted in the book as saying.

Last week, the former boss of Holden and now the head of Chevrolet sales, Briton Alan Batey, responded to Farley's jab.

“It's interesting because Farley uses the analogy of using a baseball bat,” said Batey. “Well, where I come from, you use cricket bats and they are like three times bigger. So, I actually favor my chances on that one.”

I posted the video in Entertainment.

[Polyal]

HAHA I love this stuff...bit of bickering is alright. Nice comeback with the cricket bat line though.

Perhaps the add went a bit far, I dont know what their rules are like, its cheeky as heck though and if the facts state that the Ford is safer or has a better record then is that false advertising or defamation?? Dont know.

[Spammy]

I think longevity record means "number of cars still on the road from total registered" should be a factual question and I'm sure GM checked before running the advertisment.

[Polyal]

That is a weak as reason to state such a claim no matter how you want to twist it.

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by Polyal

That is a weak as reason to state such a claim no matter how you want to twist it.

If I made 1000 cars 50 years ago, and 1000 are registered and still on the road then I would think that would be a prety good testament to those cars being long-lasting.

What is really odd is Ford's response, 'we have sold the most so our trucks are automatically more long lasting'...? what the?

[burnz]

for those interested..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr5qDG3dQhc

[anto]

5 posts in this thread and 2 back the other team...kinda sums up Ford forums these days

[Jason[98.EL]]

Originally Posted by burnz

for those interested..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr5qDG3dQhc

ffs you could of put a warning about the churchy stuff at the end of that

[No.6]

Why dont ford just respond with their own cheeky advertisement!

Sort of like the BMW vs AUDI vs SUBURA bill board ads

[Bud Bud]

Relax, Chrysler didn't even get a mention (nor did Toyota for that matter). It is just advertising, cheeky yes but still just advertising. It is good to see that the yanks finally are beginning to recognize what we have always known in Oz, that is you can't have one without the other. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muH-zcOYnFc

Ford advertising just need to be smart and come back with a sucker punch, not just bloody sue because it is the American way, but don't hold you breath if their advertising agency operates in the US the same way they do here.

Bud Bud

[wulos]

If it's all the same, I think that I'd MUCH prefer for Ford to pitch its advertising at the buying public.Which is prob why they aren't advertising here in Aus - they don't actually know WHO is buying the cars...
In this ad you have what 1/2 a dozen metrosexual looking guys(no women) standing around in a post apocalyptic world, all driving typical redneck built trucks(albeit without the mud, & gunracks in the back window). One of them even has his prized St Bernard? playing dressups in the backseat, rather then in the ute itself. And to top it all off - they are sharing a box of TWINKIES?????
Some how I think I'd prob rather have died in the apocalyse, rather then be forced to fight it out in that nightmare existence.....

Compare the messages BUILT FORD TOUGH - or the one Chev is sending out with this commercial???

[SM1DY]

Ford's comeback ad is simple

"580hp isn't enough to outrun the end of the world, but 650hp is"

[2011G6E]

What the? It was a great advert...loved the bit where the black guy offered them a Twinkie from a big box of them he was holding (everyone knows the jokes about Twinkies lasting forever & surviving an apocalypse, which has been done in everything from Family Guy to the movie Wall-E...), and how it started to rain frogs in the end. Funny funny advert.

Here's an idea Ford...if you don't like the clever Chevrolet one, come up with a better one of your own for next year...

...and if you want to see a really great advert, look at the Jerry Seinfeld one about the new Honda (Acura) NSX...it's a ****er...


Interesting point about the "how many are still on the road compared to how many you sold". Yes indeed...if X number are still on the road many years later (and in that Superbowl advert, one of the guys had an old Chevy pickup from what looked like the eighties), that says you built them pretty well. If you stand up and crow that you have, however, sold hundreds of thousands of them, you could take that to mean that they wear out and have to be replaced regularly...

Originally Posted by No.6

Why dont ford just respond with their own cheeky advertisement!

Sort of like the BMW vs AUDI vs SUBURA bill board ads

I assume you've seen the fourth poster in that series, the one by Bentley...

[GTpilot]

There used to be a saying in the US when it came to trucks, and almost everyone agreed - no matter what you drive.

If you wanted a show pony or family truck buy a Chev
If you wanted a tough looking truck, get a Dodge
If you wanted a tough truck, get a Ford!

[Spammy]

Originally Posted by anto

5 posts in this thread and 2 back the other team...kinda sums up Ford forums these days

It's unfortunate when facts get in the way of blind adoration.

[Spammy]

Originally Posted by Polyal

That is a weak as reason to state such a claim no matter how you want to twist it.

It's a well trodden path of advertising that Toyota, Landrover and Porsche have been using for years.

[chrisfpv]

Originally Posted by anto

5 posts in this thread and 2 back the other team...kinda sums up Ford forums these days

Can you honestly say you're suprised at some of the responses?

I read this and straight up think of Ford as a bitter company who are second to GM in so many aspects it's a laugh. Instead of taking it as a joke like companies such as Audi or BMW would, they chuck a fit.

Does Ford not realise that in the majority of the worlds eyes they're main competitor is Holden? Take a joke.

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by Spammy

It's unfortunate when facts get in the way of blind adoration.

Could it be that there are people here who, like myself, happen to own a Ford at the moment but are actually not one-eyed badge-blinded "Ford people" but more accurately could be called "CAR people", who actually like anything and everything? That description would fit me...out in the yard is the G6E in the garage, a Toyota Celica under the carport, and a Holden WB ute sitting in the yard...I like them all.

[Dr Smith]

Maybe Ford could bring along all the creditors burnt after GM went into Chapter 11 and offer them F150's with the tag "at least we pay our debts"

[GasoLane]

Perhaps they're being a bit precious.
No one complained years ago when Toyota (I think) ran the "Protect yourself from Volvo Drivers Ad"

[burnz]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Perhaps they're being a bit precious.
No one complained years ago when Toyota (I think) ran the "Protect yourself from Volvo Drivers Ad"

how thing change, i find toyo driver worse than volvo now..

[wulos]

Ford - built WITHOUT tax payer funding...

[mik]

Originally Posted by wulos

Ford - built WITHOUT tax payer funding...

YOU WIN !!!

[tapawera]

Originally Posted by GTpilot

There used to be a saying in the US when it came to trucks, and almost everyone agreed - no matter what you drive.

If you wanted a show pony or family truck buy a Chev
If you wanted a tough looking truck, get a Dodge
If you wanted a tough truck, get a Ford!

great quote

[Blue Blooded]

Originally Posted by chrisfpv

Can you honestly say you're suprised at some of the responses?

I read this and straight up think of Ford as a bitter company who are second to GM in so many aspects it's a laugh. Instead of taking it as a joke like companies such as Audi or BMW would, they chuck a fit.

Does Ford not realise that in the majority of the worlds eyes they're main competitor is Holden? Take a joke.

I don't think so. Ford is Global, Holden is Aussie market only. The majority of the world hasn't heard of Holden

[Bossxr8]

All Ford need to do is have a black screen, and show the total of how many 100,000's of F series they sold last year, and then show Chevy's lower total, and then a guy laughing his butt off in the background.

Then finish with Ford- No1 in pick ups for the last 35 years. Anything else is just a pretender. GM can't even catch us with a government bailout.

Then more laughing.

That would sting.

[BFZ Wagon]

Here's a link to it with non churchy stuff at the end. http://youtu.be/AEI1HkViMg4

I always thought Ford outsold GM with 'truck' sales and I would have thought many would still be the road. Take the Chev's out of it and it's a cool ad. I love Scifi stuff like that.

I like how there's a hint of a transformer style robot in bits and the Twinkie bit was

[Spammy]

584,917 sales in 2011 - that is solid (they did sell over 900,000 in 2004)

As above, best selling truck for 34 years

Was best selling vehicle for 24 years.

And in 2012 you cant buy a new one in Australia

[dave351cid]

bit at the end of the add is the biggest worry. looks like the bloody cane toads are the only thing that survived the apocalypse.

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by Spammy

And in 2012 you cant buy a new one in Australia

that is a good point. i'm sure there's enough aussies that we'd consider redneck enough to buy one.

then again, they've never really brought out their best selling pony car out here either (cept for a few through tickford at $100,000)