WordFeeder

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Hi. Some months ago, I wrote a piece that challenged the use of “further” in Ford’s campaign. Last Friday, having never received the 2013 Ford Fiesta I requested for having pointed out the error of their ways, I emailed Ford corporate’s advertising department to make sure they’ve read my article. They’re busy, and I guess it’s possible that they missed it.

I would look great in this car.

I stopped short of explaining the importance setting a good example by using correct grammar in their commercials, not wanting to sound as if I were lecturing them.

Just two days later, which is impressive, I received the following email response. Read it over, and let me know what you think and how I should respond. Please be kind. I’m still holding out hope that they’ll send me the car.

-wf

Thank you for contacting Ford Motor Company. We appreciate the time you have taken to write us regarding our Go Further campaign.

Go Further is Ford’s Global Brand Promise that was announced April 30, 2012 and ads began airing in the U.S. on national television that evening. While Go Further will be used in Ford’s marketing and advertising, it is not a tagline but, put simply, a description of Ford’s culture. It’s who we are and who we have always been. It’s also what makes Ford different from any other automaker because it promises that we are always going to go further to deliver great products, a strong business and a better world for each other and for our customers. Our One Ford business model and the four product pillars (Quality, Green, Safe, Smart) remain unchanged and support the Go Further brand promise.

Ford has a history of people working together to develop ingenious, attainable products and services that make people’s lives better. The goal of people serving people is what makes us unique.

Go Further means going where no one expects a car company to go by delivering the best in Quality, Green, Safe and Smart products.

Go Further means partnering with our dealers, collaborating with our suppliers, serving our communities and empowering every employee to make a real difference in our company.

Go Further means continuously improving quality, customer satisfaction and favorable opinion to increase value for all our stakeholders.

Go Further is who we are. Go Further is what we do.

Going along with our Go Further campaign, many of our new 2013 models now feature our class-exclusive SYNC and MyTouch technologies which give you the convenience of hands-free communications to ensure the safest driving experience possible. Several new models also feature our new EcoBoost engine technologies providing all the power our drivers crave without sacrificing on fuel economy.

If you are in the market for a new Ford or Lincoln vehicle, please contact our Marketing Program Headquarters at 1-800-334-4375. We are here Monday – Friday, 9 A.M. – 6 P.M. EST to assist you. When you call, we can send you a new vehicle brochure as well as set up a demonstration drive at a time and dealership of your choice to experience the vehicles first hand.

Thank you for contacting Ford Motor Company.

Sincerely,
Raul
Ford Motor Company
Ford Marketing Program Headquarters

Me again. Someone just asked me if I wrote the response. No. I didn’t make this up. What you just read is exactly the text of the email Ford sent me. If I had, written it that is, I wouldn’t have been clever enough to pick “Raul” as the person who wrote it. -wf