Classic Ford TV Commercials

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by OneMadMan

Going through my archives and thought this would be a 'treasure' for you guys..




Cheers,

One Mad Man

A true golden ear. Things went downhill after David Flint left, he was pretty dry but always spot on with his assessment.

[DFB FGXR6]

This commercial featuring the original Escape was aired at a pivotal moment in terms of car advertising. Around this time, the PC-crowd started to get their underwear in a twist over car companies apparently promoting anti-social driving behavior. So many cool commercials were cancelled due to this, commercials that would have cost millions of dollars to make and have aired.

Sorry about the quality on this one, I couldn't find a better example.



I was a big fan of the Escape and it's Mazda Tribute twin, mainly because they had a lusty V6 engine compared to the asthmatic four-cylinder Rav4, X-Trail, CR-V and Forrester. Put it this way, the equivalent Forrester has a 2.0 engine with all of 92 kW and 184 Nm. I learnt to drive in one Forrester, at no point was the AWD system needed to contain that slug of an engine. The 3.0 Duratec V6 in the Escape on the other had made 150 kW and 266 Nm.

This one was pretty forgettable...................



This one with its punchy backing track couldn't be any different................



The Escape should have been a mainstay of the Ford lineup, especially over the last decade as Rav4, Forrester, CX-5 and others in this class have become the default family vehicle. Instead, Ford gave up and discontinued the nameplate................again. "Oh, but they couldn't get stock". Bullsh.t, they just couldn't be bothered putting in the effort.

[DFB FGXR6]

Researching the Escape post, I came across this one, enjoy Franco.........................

[Adamz Ghia]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

This commercial featuring the original Escape was aired at a pivotal moment in terms of car advertising. Around this time, the PC-crowd started to get their underwear in a twist over car companies apparently promoting anti-social driving behavior. So many cool commercials were cancelled due to this, commercials that would have cost millions of dollars to make and have aired.

Sorry about the quality on this one, I couldn't find a better example.



I was a big fan of the Escape and it's Mazda Tribute twin, mainly because they had a lusty V6 engine compared to the asthmatic four-cylinder Rav4, X-Trail, CR-V and Forrester. Put it this way, the equivalent Forrester has a 2.0 engine with all of 92 kW and 184 Nm. I learnt to drive in one Forrester, at no point was the AWD system needed to contain that slug of an engine. The 3.0 Duratec V6 in the Escape on the other had made 150 kW and 266 Nm.

This one was pretty forgettable...................



This one with its punchy backing track couldn't be any different................



The Escape should have been a mainstay of the Ford lineup, especially over the last decade as Rav4, Forrester, CX-5 and others in this class have become the default family vehicle. Instead, Ford gave up and discontinued the nameplate................again. "Oh, but they couldn't get stock". Bullsh.t, they just couldn't be bothered putting in the effort.

I remember those ads, especially the beach soccer one.

Honestly I don’t think the new Escape, or the previous model, were all that good. Strange to look at (in my personal opinion), interiors that had no stand out features, I can see why they were out sold.

[DFB FGXR6]

So, what happens when car companies are told not to advertise their products in an anti-social way or depict them driving too fast in TV commercials? You make this, no real cars being driven too fast here......................



This particular commercial was used for the launch of the BF Falcon at the end of 2005.

[DFB FGXR6]

Another commercial featuring Craig Lowndes while he was still at FPR.



Another Lowndes and Ambrose collaboration, this time for the Falcon SR sedan. With the Number 1 on the SBR Falcon, this would have been from 2004 or 2005.

[DFB FGXR6]

These next two I'm grouping together despite a generational change occurring between the two. The theme started with the first one flowed through to the second.

At the end of 2006, Ford revealed a late refresh for the BF Falcon to create the BF MK II. This model was to tide Ford over until the launch of the new FG Falcon in early 2008, important because by this stage Ford were up against the first all-new Commodore since 1978.

The BF MK II restyle was focused on the non-XR models, meaning Falcon XT, Futura, Fairmont and Fairmont Ghia models, as well as the XL, XLS and RTV Utes. This basically previewed the FG Falcon by using a similar design for the headlights and front bumper and hood.





The model that got the most stylistic change was the Fairmont Ghia, which ultimately formed the basis for the marketing material, such as brochures, press shots, print media and TV commercials. With the new front bumper laced with chrome accents, the black-eye headlights, XR side skirts, XR rear bumper and XR chrome exhaust tip, Fairmont Ghia certainly cut a fine figure. This also signaled the end of the classic Ghia script, replaced by plain font lettering.







In other words, Ford were trying to shift perception when it came to Falcon. Instead of using the aggressive and masculine leaning XR6/8 for marketing material, Ford chose to head down a more refined, European theme. Even the TV commercial made reference to the European flavor, and the overall look Ford was going for was class and restraint. The result was this....................

(This is the extended version)



Compared to previous BA and BF Falcon commercials, the one for the BF MK II was totally forgettable. Excitement was out, replaced by a wishy-washy backing track and a series of lame "benchmarks" written across the screen. Stuff like "Italian Spirit", "German Precision", "Swedish Safety"? What bullsh.t! Some models used a German gearbox, but the connection ended there. Sure, Ford still owned Volvo at this stage, but Volvo wouldn't have even heard of a Falcon let alone influenced the safety engineering. And Italian spirit, nothing about a Falcon had a connection to that country. It's as if Ford were trying to distance themselves with the things that made the Falcon unique. As in, designed and engineered in Australia, tuned for Australian roads and made in Australia by Australians. Instead, they wanted customers to think otherwise. If you couldn't tell, I really didn't like this commercial.

And so we arrive at one of the most hated Falcon commercials of all time.........................



So, the tone set for the BF MK II carried over and intensified for the FG Falcon. Gone were long established nameplates such as Futura, Fairmont and Fairmont Ghia, replaced by soulless letters and numbers. I get it, Ford were trying to modernize the Falcon lineup, give it a new lease on life and attract new/younger customers. Except those younger customers would have been attracted to the XR's, so all Ford did in ditching the old names was alienate the older clientele that were going to buy the luxury models anyway. People would walk in to by a new Fairmont only to be confused by what a G6 or G6E meant. The name changes were pointless.

Presentation wise, that effortless grace and classy restraint started with the BF MK II Ghia continued with the new G-Series.





The walking fingers commercial was heavily panned for being lame, especially with half the ad focused on a set of fingers and not the car itself. From my perspective, it offered no appeal, no cut through, no excitement to make me want to go out and buy the car. As a marketing tool, this ad was a pathetic failure.

Thing is, I treat both BF MK II and FG TV commercials as the same, they lacked flavor and excitement. And if a die-hard Ford man can't get excited about the vehicle after watching these ads, how on earth were Ford expecting to reach less biased potential customers? And yet, I've always wondered why no one really complained about the BF MK II commercial, as to my eyes, it was just as bad as the FG walking fingers campaign.

The sad thing is, both ads undermined the excellence of these vehicles.

[Adamz Ghia]

37 posts in, how has this gem not been posted yet??

https://youtu.be/qO7wDFGQB6w?si=Ywe9f5pjwhFM7tUb

[DFB FGXR6]

Going waaay back with this one. This would easily be my favorite early Falcon TV commercials. I absolutely love the backing track, but also how the following tag lines were voiced..................

"More, More, MUSTANG! in the new FALCON!"

"You WON'T need any spurs..............."



Of course, it was actually the other way around, there was more more FALCON in the Mustang. Although, the Mustang influence brought us the V8 at affordable prices. To me, Ford never really got the credit for the concept they brought to Australian consumers, affordable V8 sedans. The GT also began what would continue with Australian manufacturers right up until the last cars came off the line, four door V8 powered performance cars.

[Dr Terry]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

"More, More, MUSTANG! in the new FALCON!"

"You WON'T need any spurs..............."

Notice at 0.22 the seatbelt was only a lap belt, not lap/sash. They didn't happen until XW.

Dr Terry

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by Dr Terry

Notice at 0.22 the seatbelt was only a lap belt, not lap/sash. They didn't happen until XW.

Dr Terry

And was still a rear option in XW Falcon 500's. My father retro fitted them after buying a new one in 1970...and iirc the heater was dealer fitted at the time as it didn't have original factory switchgear for heating.

[4stanger]

I like this one for the XB;
https://youtu.be/q0_V2R0EWkA

[Dr Terry]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

And was still a rear option in XW Falcon 500's. My father retro fitted them after buying a new one in 1970...and iirc the heater was dealer fitted at the time as it didn't have original factory switchgear for heating.

That is correct. AFAIK Falcon 500s & Kingswoods prior to 1971 did not have heater/demisters or rear seatbelts as standard fittings.

Dr Terry