Ford is gearing up for its first marketing campaign in more than 15 years, with the new “Ready Set Ford” initiative. The automaker wants to create buzz around some of its core models, and the new campaign is designed to draw buyers back to Ford’s roots as an American company.
Ford sent a video with the campaign announcement, which shows an F-150, Mustang, and Bronco, each in unique situations. As these things tend to go, the ad is quite dramatic, and it ends with a quote from Henry Ford, saying, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” Even more dramatic, Ford cleared all of its social media pages, leaving only the video.
The automaker said the campaign is “more than a tagline,” and noted that it is focused on building unique vehicles. Through the campaign, Ford will shift from a product-first company to a human-first company, and said it would transform every part of its vehicle design process.
Ford didn’t launch any new vehicles or technologies with the campaign, and I’ll admit I had no idea what Ready Set Ford was at first. It kind of sounds like a bunch of marketing speak, until you dig into the transformation stuff, which could be a great thing for Ford. The company recently announced new products, including electric models, but it has also accumulated a shocking number of recalls, and they don’t seem to be slowing down heading into the end of 2025.
[Images: Ford]
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Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
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