FoMoCo must think it can't match Chevrolet in American flags, but might be able to out blue-collar it. In the latest ads for the F-150 and Super Duty trucks — part of a "Ford Truck Month" zero- and low-percent financing on 2006 and 2007 models campaign — country crooner Toby Keith shows up in what might as well be a solo project by the Construction Worker from the Village People, crouching atop industrial machinery with his massive, throbbing Ford guitar jutting forth menacingly, hands strumming his magic, with what we're sure are countless workmen in tight-fitting jeans but sans shirts, toiling beneath him. Speaking of beneath — we've got another commercial, the lyrics to Keith's custom-written ditty and the press release from Ford below the jump.
DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 3, 2006 - Music superstar Toby Keith returns to the airwaves today to kick off a Ford truck advertising campaign featuring a new Ford Truck anthem, "I Am A Workin' Man." The ads launch Ford's Truck Month sales event and showcase the bold music maverick with the company's hot lineup of Ford F-150, F-Series Super Duty and Ford Ranger trucks.
The Truck Month ads featuring Toby Keith will offer zero percent financing on Ford's 2006-model F-150, Super Duty and Ranger, as well as low financing available on Ford's 2007 trucks. During Truck Month, Ford also will offer zero percent financing on most of its 2006 vehicles.
"As a third-generation Ford truck owner, Toby Keith represents what our trucks and customers are all about - they're hard-working, genuine, and get it done every day," said Al Giombetti, president, Ford, Lincoln and Mercury Marketing and Sales. "Our customers relate to Toby because he is a 'Workin' Man' who puts his own Ford trucks to the test on his ranch."
Keith debuted the song "I Am AWorkin' Man," written to honor the spirit of American workers, in Ford Truck Country last week during the reveal of the new 2008 Ford F-Series Super Duty to truck customers, dealers and media at the State Fair of Texas in Dallas.
Ford is fortifying its truck leadership - particularly in battleground states like Texas, where F-Series' share of pickups is up 2.3 percentage points through July. F-Series share has climbed 1.2 percent in the U.S. overall in that same time period.
Ford's Truck Month campaign, developed by JWT Detroit, will run through the end of October in most major markets. Participating dealers will be able to select from nine 30-second spots and customize the ads to highlight specific truck offers and meet the needs of their local markets. Print executions featuring Keith and Built-Ford-Tough messaging such as "Bold Stands Proud," "Bold Gets it Done" and "Bold Never Quits" also will debut in major newsweeklies beginning today.
During Truck Month, Ford is offering customers the following:
* Zero percent financing for 60 months on all 2006 Ford F-150, Super Duty and Ranger models.
* 2.9 percent financing for 60 months on 2007-model year F-Series Super Duty and Ranger, or $2,000 customer cash in lieu of low financing on these models.
* 3.9 percent financing for 60 months on 2007-model year F-150 or customer cash of $1,500 in lieu of low financing.
* Zero percent financing on most 2006 model vehicles.
* In addition, low financing rates are available on 2006 Fusion and Mustang."We're already seeing great results for our 2006-model sell-down," said Giombetti. "Truck Month is an established campaign that highlights the strength of F-Series versus the competition. We believe these new ads will keep the momentum going and drive truck customers to our dealerships."
Ford Trucks and Toby Keith - Top of the Charts
Keith has been the Ford truck spokesman since August 2002 when he wrote an original song for the "Ford Truck Man" advertising campaign. In addition, Ford Trucks have sponsored every Keith concert tour since 2002, including the "Shock 'N'Yall" tour in 2003 and the "Big Throwdown" tours in 2004 and 2005, and now the "Hookin' Up and Hangin' Out Tour" presented by Ford F-Series.
With country music attracting more than 60 percent of all truck buyers, Ford's involvement with Keith continues to drive bottom-line results. The company has reached tens of thousands of potential sales leads through promotions and efforts tied to Toby Keith's concerts. Each concert tour reaches approximately one million fans, and features Ford truck product integration and pre-concert videos showing Keith putting Ford trucks to the test.
Later this month, fans will be able to check out Keith's high-energy appearance from the State Fair of Texas at www.HangWithToby.com Segments of the new ad campaign are highlighted in this video, showing Keith pushing every Ford truck to the limit. The website also features a promotion giving consumers a chance to win a 2007 Ford F-150 FX4 pickup, as well as an opportunity to meet Toby Keith and appear in an upcoming video.
Ford truck advertising will be seen in heavy rotation during television coverage of the newly opened NFL season and the NASCAR "Chase for the Cup" series as part of the fall advertising strategy.
"I Am A Workin' Man"
Music and Lyrics by Toby Keith
I gotta get up early
I gotta be on time
I've got to go bust it
Man, I got to go get mine,
I am that kinda guy.....
And I want a piece of that American pieI put a lot of sweat
Into the job at hand
You can count on me
I am a .... workin' man!!!!So when it's quitting time
And you've had enough
I'm still good to go, baby
Cuz I'm Built Ford Tough
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Ad Watch: If You're Not Toby Keith In A Ford Truck, You're Just A "Good Size"; Ad Watch Exclusive: Stephen Colbert, Don't Steal This Chevy Silverado Commercial Too!; Ad Watch: Chevy Drops Nukes on Cutting Room Floor; America, Truck Yeah! Chevrolet Drops "Our Country, Our Truck" Silverado Marketing Campaign Like A Nuclear Bomb [internal]