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America, the brand

13 comments on America, the brand

America, the brand

: I just saw the most remarkable piece of product placement/advertising/political positioning. On American Dreams, teen soldier JJ returns home with just a damaged leg and psyche and his hard-ass father gives him a car: a Mustang.

Cut to the commercial, the only one in the hour: A modern-day soldier returns home, presumably from Iraq. The story is stretched out as his kid brother drives him and his mom home (in a Ford) and the soldier has to wait for his father, who has some issues. Finally, the father returns, driving his own Mustang, the same vintage as the one we just saw in the ’60s American Dreams. The father talks about his return; if he’s not JJ, he’s an ’00 proxy. And this father gives his son a car. You guessed it: a Mustang. “We at Ford wish everyone in the Armed Forces a safe return home,” the chyron says. “For your service, you have our gratitude.”

I have no idea whether this is brilliant advertising or brilliant exploitation.

(But as we know, Ford/Lincoln/Mercury is a red-state brand.)

13 responses to “America, the brand”

  1. The Lonewacko Blog Avatar
    The Lonewacko Blog

    I’ll vote for mostly effective exploitation.

  2. hugh macleod Avatar
    hugh macleod

    Brilliant; if you’re into Red State criteria.
    Being able to buy your son a car; I’d say that is precisely the kind of thing our boys are out there defending.
    Ford knows this and has every right to advertise it.
    But yeah, pretty shameless and tacky. But that’s what living West of the Hudson means ;-)

  3. Staci K. Avatar
    Staci K.

    I had the same response to the Steve McQueen Mustang commercial I saw tonight — sharp move or creepy? I keep leaning toward the latter …

  4. Matt Welch Avatar
    Matt Welch

    That’s disgusting.

  5. Mercedes Batista Avatar
    Mercedes Batista

    I couldn’t believe it. After watching 60 Minutes the return of three soldiers who were injured doing their duty, but aren’t counted as casualties because they weren’t injured in combat….. Is there a way to protest directly to Ford

  6. Michael Avatar
    Michael

    brilliant advertsings and briliant exploitation is redundant.

  7. william Avatar
    william

    Mercedes,
    After watching 60 Minutes?

  8. Rance Avatar
    Rance

    In case you missed the intro, the show was “Presented without commercial interuption, by Ford Mustang”.
    In addition to the car at the end, there was a Mustang commercial running on one of the TVs in the background, and a Mustang poster on the side of bus.
    Did I miss any product placements?

  9. hey Avatar
    hey

    brilliant advertising…
    unfettered capitalism, materialism, and going for the gut…
    if you want to know what works, especially for ford sports cars or trucks, and you live in a “blue” ubran area (blue state is wrong, since the rural areas are mostly red, and some cities in red states are pretty darn blue, such as Austin), think too sentimental, tacky, and schmaltzy… you just might have a hit… if you think it’s cool, edgy and hip.. can it fast, or only air it on comedy central, cause you’re going to get complaints and screw the brand

  10. Roy Avatar
    Roy

    Cannot advertising also have a message of worth within it’s message of value? I watched it and was nearly in tears. But then I’m a rabid red stater, Ford loving 70 year old and I liked this effort to honor those who have served.

  11. Ric Locke Avatar
    Ric Locke

    “… brilliant advertising or brilliant exploitation…”
    Yes. :-)
    And there’s a moment in the spot where the son realizes why his father has issues… and the father may be realizing why his dad was a hardass.
    There’s more story in the spot than there is in most full-hour programs. Or movies, for that matter.
    Regards,
    Ric Locke

  12. Alex Avatar
    Alex

    Nothing says thanks for fighting to defend our oil in Iraq than a new Ford…

  13. S Stanford Avatar
    S Stanford

    And I thought I was cynical.