Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Ford, Toyota
Ford the talk of the town
You would think that Ford Motors would be but a whisper on anyone's tongue with all the merger talk about an alliance between General Motors and Renault/Nissan. But according to the Keller Fay Group, the Blue Oval is actually the most talked about brand among in America at the moment. The marketing research and consulting company, which measures brands via word of mouth advertising, ranks the automotive company ahead of wireless company Verizon and computer maker Dell. But being the talk of the town is not all good news. Ford failed to crack the top ten for positive word of mouth. Rival Toyota Motor Corp scored the number one spot in that list. Interesting, Wal-Mart scored second after Toyota despite all the negative press about the retail chain.
So how important is word of mouth? According to Keller Fay Group CEO Ed Keller, nearly half of the consumers who participated in these surveys are likely to buy a brand because of what other people say about the product.
[Source: Associated Press via Canton Repository]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
naggs 7:45PM (7/11/2006)
anyone else notice the ad right next to the article
"the american people love the truth and they love an underdog"
you sure about that?
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GhostDoggy 8:06PM (7/11/2006)
Only think about Ford I can think about is the Found On the Road Democrat.
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BigD 8:55PM (7/11/2006)
Toyota sure doesn't get any positive word of mouth from me...
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ik 9:16PM (7/11/2006)
none of ford's cars appeal to me.
none of ford's company's cars appeal to me.
Currenly, the only respectable Ford is the GT. And it still has many downsides. Even in the past, the only decent Ford was the Mustang GT.
What Ford needs is a new design team, and perhaps sourcing from China.
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TJ Hooker 12:12AM (7/12/2006)
The only reason Fords cars appeal to anyone is because they are cheap and easy to get financing on. Look at used car lots, they are full of newer Ford cars and trucks with high mileage, that tells me they are lease buy backs that Ford has boldly told everyone that they were apart of their sales. Ford needs a makeover that includes getting a new ad agency, BOLD MOVES, give me a break, how stupid does that sound. The only BOLD MOVE that I associate FORD with is the movement that is apart of most peoples morning rituals.
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hmmm 12:37AM (7/12/2006)
ford only has what 2 original vehicles ? the mustang and the f-150, all others are so damn old or riding on the coatails of volvo and mazda ! soo how much positive publicity can these 2 vehciles make ? geeze
people dog dcx merger and possible gm-nissan deal but lets not forget if it were not for mazda and volvo ford with be really bad off !
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iQuack 3:22AM (7/12/2006)
Fords have been substandard crap for decades and it's a wonder that the company has survived as long as it has. If it weren't for what are said to be good trucks, Ford would have been dead meat years ago.
If Toyota gets good reviews it's because Toyota (and Honda,too) deserve praise for raising the quality of ALL cars sold in the U.S. Fords would be even worse than they are if not for competition from Honda and Toyota.
With respect to any negative press about Wal-Mart, that's just Democrat/union drivel. Wal-Mart is a great company that delivers good products at favorable prices to millions of consumers.
Wal-Mart does its good work while employing thousands of people and if the union-Democrats are unhappy, then FUCK THEM!
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AdmiralHappy 7:16AM (7/12/2006)
Sorry to refrain from the anti-Ford wagon, but I think that the company is doing a number of positive things, the most important of which is to have an open mind as to how to best solve the issues confronting it, as well as the will to do the tough things that need to be done to turn the company around. I think that the "Bold Moves" strategy is a smart one. I've been pleasantly surprised at the quality improvement in Ford's vehicles over the past few years (especially their cars, which have languished for years), and the company is in no small part responsible for the resurgence of Mazda and Volvo, who have succeeded more because of Ford's resources than in spite of Ford.
As for Toyota, they're already well on their way to becoming the next stodgy giant. Their current product line-up is, quite frankly, boring and uninteresting to myself and most of my college-age friends, with Scion seemingly no more than a novelty (the the Scion tc the only car that I would even consider buying, and I have seen and hard enough issues with those cars to be quite uninterested, especially when I could have a Mazda3 for about the same price).
And iQuack, I staunchly disagree with you on the Wal-Mart front. You can call it "Democratic drivel" or whatever all you want to (I mean, we do live in an age where image/perception is more important than the actual truth... thanks FoxNews), but The Supercenter has been devastating to small town/rural America over the past couple of decades (especially in the South, where I'm from). It's especially sad when most of the rural folk who've lost their jobs at local textile mills/family shops/factories/etc. (mostly because of Wal-Mart) shop there and swear that the poorly-made products that they buy support the American economy (remember a decade ago, when Wal-Mart was still an "American" company?). Don't forget the people behind the dollar bill.
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Frank 8:32AM (7/12/2006)
CNN, NY Times, ABC, CBS, NBC, Etc. = GM, Ford, DCX
Fox News, Talk Radio, Internet Bloggers = Toyota, Honda, Hyundai
In other words the old standbys are losing ground to the new competitors. And they don't even know what hit them.
You want perception??? How about CBS and Dan Rather's forged documents story? And after it was proven beyond a shadow of a doubt they were not legit his pathetic producer of that show, Mary Mapes, told an interviewer that it was not up to her to prove that the documents were authentic, it was up to others to prove that they were not authentic!? WTF!!!??? Yea, baby I want to get my news from those folks - not! And this does not even scratch the surface. Just read Stossels new book.
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Jim P. 9:05AM (7/12/2006)
Regarding the Wal-mart comment. Consumers who don't own a small business love Walmart for their cheap prices. I know first hand some of the tactics Wal-mart employs, which is why I don't buy anything from them. I can't count the amount of times they were found 'dumping' their pharmaceuticals to under cut their competition in their area. Then when the small pharmacies go out of business, they just raise their prices again.
I'm in the clothing business and Wal-mart sells very cheaply made clothing at a very low price point. The old saying 'you get what you paid for' still applies.
And iQuack, if you were a merchant or supplier to Walmart and they agree to buy X number of goods from you, on credit of course. They will pay you almost what your cost is on the items. Then here is the kicker which a lot of people don't know about. If they don't sell what they bought from you, THEY WON'T PAY YOU FOR IT!!! Why the hell do you think so many small American companies went out of business because of Walmart? Americans are price whores, all they care about is price, price price. Walmart delivers to the needs of the majority of Americans, but we are paying a price for it.
The lowest price isn't always the best price.
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Colby S 9:14AM (7/12/2006)
Re#4: Dude, take an econ class and then tell me about sourcing production to China. Jeez, what a lemming thought process "take it to China!" and you don't even know why. Look at thishttp://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060712/BUSINESS01/607120358/1014 and then talk to me.
#7: Obviously your job is not dependent on consumerism, or so you think. 2/3 of the economy is based on consumer spending. The more consumables that are made over seas, the less spending power your average American has (loses factory job, gets lower wage job), thus the economy COULD fall if the flow of jobs overseas continues. Not only commodity items, but more and more high tech devices are being purchased from Japan and China as well. Let's not mention the rampant piracy in China...
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SherbornSean 9:45AM (7/12/2006)
Ford sure does take a lot of flack, not all of it deserved. On the trucks side, the F-150 and Explorer are by most accounts the best at what they do, resulting in #1 position in sales for many years running. Yes, the Ranger and Econoline are old designs, but Ford has limited engineering resources, and these product categories aren’t worth the billion dollar commitment it takes to roll out a new design every 5 years. I’d like to see Ford unify its small pickup designs worldwide, even if it meant that Rangers were designed, and partially built, in Thailand.
On the car side, the Mustang is a clear winner and a bold move. Chrysler only now has approved its challenger to this American icon, and GM hasn’t even gotten that far (Wait a minute, I know I have a moderately priced RWD platform around here somewhere, maybe down under?…). The Fusion finally places an American manufacturer in the same league as Camry/Accord; it really comes down to personal taste and dealer experience. The 500 has been much maligned, and I think unfairly. Consider the market it’s targeted at -- for a large family, it has tons of room, the safety of a Volvo design and is all around competent. Underpowered, perhaps, but Ford has a fix in the works, which should bring it up to speed. With a 260 hp Cyclone and AWD, the 500 is a peer of the Avalon and Charger, again coming down to personal taste.
The Focus and the Crown Vic are certainly old designs, but targeted at market segments that may not appreciate the expense of a completely modern design. Grandpa and taxi fleet buyers want size and reliability, not the latest in electronics etc. My guess is that the Focus will get the next Mazda3/EuroFocus platform in 2 years and again be up there with Civic/3/Corolla. The Crown Vic will likely be replaced by an enlarged AWD 500, which will probably be a good thing.
On the Crossover/family-hauler side, Ford has a decent story to tell. The Escape is a successful product and the Freestyle is the best sports tourer for the buck right now. The new Edge looks like it will be in the league of the Highlander/Pilot. That Fairlane concept is awesome, and will make a great replacement for a minivan which today is not world class. It also creates a new market niche, as minivans have grown so much they are becoming intimidating to drive for a lot of parents.
So, on the whole, not a bad lineup, and with fixes over the next 2 years to plug obvious holes. Some ideas that might put Ford over the top:
· I know its been tried before (i.e. Merkur), but the new Mondeo would make a lovely Mercury, targeted at the woman who wants a Mercedes CLS for $30K.
· Continue to invest in the Fusion and 500 – you have winners here, so keep the engineering resources and marketing in place to continue to keep these models front and center with the consumer.
· Work with a major dealer network to open 10-12 “Mustang Design Centers” across the country. Ship Mustangs with minimal interiors and only primer and give customers the power to pimp their new rides however they please. A lot of Mustang owners would pay an extra $5K to customize color, rims, accessories, etc. Maybe SVO could run it?
· Brand AWD. In 10 years, AWD will be available on nearly every model sold, except specialty vehicles. With the Edge, 500, Fusion etc., Ford has a chance to become the first mainstream manufacturer of the AWD era. Develop a branding (e.g. “Hemi, Quattro”) for Ford AWD and own the high ground.
Enough unsolicited advice for one morning.
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Bill 10:29AM (7/12/2006)
Could it be Ford's promotion of "alternate" lifestyles? They are big in promoting Gay marrige, Transgender issues etc. The make NO bones (pun intended) about it, taking 2 page ads in Gay publications. I will never own another Ford product.
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David 12:22PM (7/12/2006)
#13 -> You are a sad, sad soul.
And, I do not doubt that Ford is most talked about. I talk about them all the time. Of course what I say is not going to make anyone want to buy them.
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George 8:55AM (7/13/2006)
If you think Ford has problems now, just wait till the Chinese come to town. It will be the end of both Ford and GM. They are going to kick our butts.
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Jim Cip 3:02PM (7/13/2006)
I wouldn't buy a Chinese car at gunpoint!
Chinese food, yes.
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Randy 7:47PM (7/13/2006)
#13 What a sad state of affairs it has become when you can label a company an advocate for anything political through thier advertising. Ford is not promoting any type of lifestyle, they are advertising thier product to people who may or may not want to buy it. This whole ban Ford for there promotion of an alternative lifestyle is bull. Bill all I can say to you is that approx. 70 years ago there was a person who thought just like you only his hatred was directed at the Jewish population. Pick up a history book Bill and look under H for Hitler!!!
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Cristi 10:49PM (7/13/2006)
I absolutely agree with #13, as long as FORD is promoting and standing behind perverted lifestyles I won't be buying a FORD. Those ads are just wrong.
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Randy 7:56PM (7/14/2006)
Cristi, Have you actually seen the ads or are you just assuming they are "wrong". I have seen the ads and they are for vehicles. It is not of homosexual lovers behind closed doors or anything even remotely close to this. I stand behind my previous comment. Let's leave the political agenda out of advertising it is just an ad and you really need to get over these issues you are having with them.
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Bob Smith 9:25AM (7/15/2006)
#7 - You need to stop reading the New York and LA Times and start looking at data. Go check out the JD Power web site and do side-by-side quality comparisons of Japanese vehicles and Ford. Nary a difference in most cases, and certainly not enough to call them 'crap'.
I'd also like to note that a quick search indicates that Toyota has already recalled over a million and a half vehicles this year. I don't know about you, but I didn't find these stories on the front page of any newspaper. But when a handful of Crown Vic police cruisers burn up over a 20 year span under outrageous crash conditions it warrants weeks of front page news. There is a very real media bias in this country and people like you buy into it hook, line, and sinker. Learn to do your own research and think for yourself.
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