ride it like a Ford?
For the last several weeks in the South Florida market, Ford Motors has been running an advertisement that is driving everyone I know completely nuts. Where to begin describing it? The Reggaeton-like soundtrack? The bikini clad women who appear older than the teenaged male protagonist? The incessant lyrics that sound like they are singing "ride her like a whore" while all you see in the frame is a crotch shot? The 700 times it is broadcast a day? The "Spanish" version with the poorly enunciated Spanish? There's something to hate for every member of your family. The only group that could possibly like it is the pre-teen Hispanic boys segment who think that they will get invited to beach parties where twenty-something harlots will succumb to their great taste in cars and trucks...when they finally get a learner's permit.
So fed up with reaching for the remote every time the advert appears, I emailed Ford to let them know how vulgar and low class I think the commercial is. They wrote back to tell me that:
The content of the show??? I guess they were too busy watching the cootchie footage to bother reading my email before posting a form letter. I could get too busy to bother buying another Ford in the future myself. I wonder how sexy that would sound to their financial division. You know, sometimes bad publicity is BAD.
I'll try one more time: FORD! Stop running that inane commercial that everyone HATES.
So fed up with reaching for the remote every time the advert appears, I emailed Ford to let them know how vulgar and low class I think the commercial is. They wrote back to tell me that:
By buying commercial time on top-rated shows, we are not making judgment on the specific content of the show but simply making an optimized attempt to reach our many customers through award-winning television programming.
The content of the show??? I guess they were too busy watching the cootchie footage to bother reading my email before posting a form letter. I could get too busy to bother buying another Ford in the future myself. I wonder how sexy that would sound to their financial division. You know, sometimes bad publicity is BAD.
I'll try one more time: FORD! Stop running that inane commercial that everyone HATES.
The only Ford product that the "high class" seems to like is the Jaguar.
ReplyDeleteUnless they start making making Ford's in Japan, I won't touch one. This has nothing to do with the commercials, I rarely watch television. I hate American cars. They look like shit, and are a bitch to maintain.
My grandfather had this Ford mini-kind-of-a-wagon, and one time last year I had to drive it for him. I asked after my driving experience: "What year was that made, '85?" He was insulted, it was a 1996 model.
With all that said, I'm willing to buy an American assembled car as long as it's a Toyota or a Honda.
You and I have had completely opposite car experiences. My Ford barely needed anything done to it in its first 120K other than the usual maintenance which I can say is fairly easy and straightforward. I do as much of it as I can myself. I really don't see how changing the oil can be any faster or easier in an Asian car. I'll probably drive it till it disintegrates. Repairs and parts are cheap.
ReplyDeleteYet, everyone I know with an Asian car is always bitching about how much the parts cost since they are always in the shop buying them. They are way too small and flimsy even for a 5' 3" woman. They certainly don't look good which isn't that unusual since they stopped making good looking rides about 40 years ago. I borrowed a Honda on a trip last year. I'll rent something else next time. My hip hurt from the uncomfortable seating and honestly it ran like poop.
I've thought about this a little, and have come to the conclusion that I do not know much about cars. This is probably because I have about as much interest in cars as I do in sports.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how to polarize driving experiences. My first car was a 1974 Mercedes 280, and though it was a nice ride for the time, but it was too expensive for a forklift jockey to maintain. After that I switched to a 1973 Mercury Comet. It was an uncomfortable POS, but it was cheap. I paid $650 for it, and two years later somebody hit my Comet in a parking lot and fled the scene. I caught the person, and his insurance company gave me $600 for the body damage. I just twisted the headlight back into position and it worked just fine for another year or so.
Which reminds me of a time changing a battery with Gene. What a sight that must have been... two complete dorks working on a car! My brother chided me with, "what did you two do, go and get some books and diagrams about how to change a battery?"
To me a car is just a tool. I just want it to get me to places and be reliable. I try to spend as little on car as possible. I would never buy a new car. I am glad that other people take such an interest in cars, so that I can buy their castoffs at a large discount.
There is a cost associated with acquiring the knowledge of all the makes and models out there. In my experience, which seems in line with market trends, Japanese cars are consistently good (not sure about Infinitis) and American cars are a mixed bag. You might be right, Ford might make some high quality models. But might market share might be saying something? When I look under the hood I just want to see Japanese characters = the sign of quality.
As for comfort, I have heard people mention this negative about my current POS, a Camry. I drive over 1,000 miles a week, and it feels fine to me, and it gets decent gas mileage. I spent a summer sleeping in a 1975 Mustang. I have to admit, that was an uncomfortable son bitch.
Status Back, Baby? I live in an upscale subdivision. My neighbors often ridicule me about my car. I'm a property appraiser, so I get to see just how much debt everyone has with just the click of a mouse. I paid cash for my house, and all my neighbors with their Mercedes, Beamers, Porches all seem to have hefty mortgages. I think it's amusing that they think I'm poor. I try not to let my ego rule my wallet. Satisfying a car fetish just makes no financial sense.
"My brother chided me with, "what did you two do, go and get some books and diagrams about how to change a battery?""
ReplyDeleteHah hah hah.
My experience with foreign cars is my friends getting something repaired for a lot more money than it would take repairing the same thing in an American car. When I decided I wanted a van (I wanted a really big purse), I spent a couple hours sitting on the curb actually counting the amount of vans that drove by. I figured the one that was most purchased was probably the most reliable. Ford was a clear winner, not only in quantity but also in the amount of really old vans puttering down the street. When I found out that the engine had no major changes in decades, I was sold. It really was a great purchase.
A neighbor of mine claims to have over 200k miles on his Econoline. He uses it in his business. He and I had a laugh about the $0.40 per mile deduction that Uncle Sucker gives us for our indestructable POS vehicles.
ReplyDeleteOh, I don't doubt the 200K at all. Yes, the gas mileage is total shit but the comfort of riding in a large steel box overshadows it. It feels way safer that those uncomfortable small cars. The best part of it being older is people know you don't give a fig about dents. You can intimidate a lot of people in fancy cars to follow the rules of the road. Heh.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness someone else thinks the same thing of that commercial as I do! The freakin' commercial just came on the tv AGAIN and I swear, it drives me crazy. I will never, I repeat NEVER, buy a Ford from the South Florida Ford Dealers. I will also write to Ford. Even if I get the same reply, at least I've made my voice heard. When the commercials first came out, my 10-year-old daughter (who never criticizes pop culture, South-Florida lifestyle stuff, etc.) was the first one in our family to say anything about it. She was very disturbed by the commercial. Ford should be ashamed.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if this will work, because I'm not an experienced blogger. (I actually am just here to comment on the commercial...was so frustrated with it I did a Google search about it and found your posting.) But will try anyway...here's a link you might be interested in: http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2005/08/22/140844.html
I plan to write to the ad agency too.
They seem to have canned the ad! The replacement displays just cars, no coochie. However, the sexy voice in the new theme song is still pretty irritating. I probably wouldnt care if it had not been for the first song. I still turn the ads off.
ReplyDeleteThere's something to love about the whole campaign as well. It's fun and has a freshness that makes me actually remember the ad. We're in Miami, the sexiest city in the US. Why not make an ad that represents the lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteWell - no one has commented on the original post, so I will assume that these ads are not run outside of South Florida (perhaps in other spanish heavy markets though)...
ReplyDeleteI like the ads, and think they appeal to the target demographics, but the original poster claimed the ones in Spanish are poorly spoken, so perhaps not... (but they are surely targeted at youthful audiences as well - cars, trucks and customs (lots in the ads are tricked out too) are huge down here as well.
I think they do a good job for the market they are seeking
Polter
http://forums.delphiforums.com/pc-opinion/start
I found this blog by googling "ride it like a ford" I live in South Florida & this commercial sucks.Most annoying is the lyrics that make no sense what so ever.How do you "ride it like a ford" anyways compared to any other vehicle ever made? If you never heard it before just repeat ride it like a ford a few dozen times with words in the middle that you cannot understand,throw in a crappy beat & to end it say "you gotta ride it ride it a few more times.FYI..The company that made it is jwt.com out of detroit.Would gladly pay them to kill the commercial.I'm an easy going person & this tune is REALLY ANNOYING!
ReplyDeleteYou've got to ride it, ride it, ride ride ride ride ride ride ride it like a ford like a ford ford ford ford ford ford ford ford ford. You've got to ride it, ford ford ford ford ford ford ford ford ford, please buy our cars, ford ford ford ford ford ford ride it ride it ford ford ford ford for the love of god buy our cars ride it ride it ford ford ford.
ReplyDeleteUnless they pull some kind of super-effecient car out of thier asses for a cheap price that doesnt perform like shit, I will NEVER buy a ford because of this commercial and this commercial alone.
Ford, your commercial < everything.
I'm too busy either having my Ford towed after being eaten by squirrels or pushing it to "ride it like a Ford". Oh, wait, maybe that is what they meant...
ReplyDeleteGuess what guys, these stupid ads are airing here in the mountains of Virginia. This is a very caucasian area, so I don't think its Ford targeting the hispanic market. I haven't seen the crotch shot version, but the song and video layout is just horrible. I've seen about 3 or 4 different versions, and I just keep wondering what million-dollar salaried ad strategy genius came up with this crap. I'd much rather see Bill Ford speak in monotone. Like the rest of you, I googled "ride it like a ford" because the ads are just so damn stupid. In the past year, Ford has really had some of the dumbest commercials ever. Before "Ride it like a Ford", remember the stupid Charlie Brown song "Family Plan" commercials. FORD, PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!!!
ReplyDeleteI HATE THAT COMMERICAL. It is very disgusting and unAmerican. Excuse me if I sound like a rascist but Ford is an American company that is supossed to represent American values. This commerical is the complete opposite
ReplyDeleteGreat article! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThanks for interesting article.
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ReplyDeleteNice to see this annoys me. Sad to see this commercial has been annoying people for over 2 years. I am picking up my new vehicle next week, it's not a Ford. That is a really sexist commercial. Until I can blot that commercial from my memory, they won't be seeing my money. AND I will take every opportunity to bitch about the commercial.
ReplyDelete