In the Loop: July 7, 2008 Archive

Ford speaks from both corners of its grill

Posted at 10:25 AM on July 7, 2008 by Jeff Horwich (4 Comments)

Being a little more of a shut-in with the arrival of my baby, I've been watching a more live (i.e. not recorded) TV. And with that comes (gasp) commercials, which normally I rarely see any more.

"Big Dog" unveils the 2009 F-150 at a recent auto show (via YouTube)

As if the actual political ads on all the time aren't enough, we've got Toby donning a hard-hat and walking through the Ford F-150 plant patting workers on the backs and shouting things like, "This is the truck that helped build this country!"

Then we learn we get employee pricing on F-150s, because with gas prices like they are, apparently Ford can hardly give the things away.

While Ford is busy unabashedly using Toby Keith to sell gas-guzzlers to the workin' man, they're also busy hyping "green" design in their vehicles, talking up their plans for hydrogen, and research into "plug-in" hybrid vehicles that one day they may actually sell.

Still, these links are all just press releases -- it's clear from the ubiquitous Toby Keith ads that Ford is clinging to the one story it can tell that'll (maybe) make it any money right now: Muscle, patriotism, and obliviousness to the changing world around us.

UPDATE: A commenter asked us to post a copy of the commercial. Luckily, someone already obliged on YouTube (though it's all squished -- not my fault).

CORRECTION: After viewing the video again, Toby Keith is not wearing a hard hat. We deeply regret the error.

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