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Ford on Wednesday rolled out a new advertising campaign that the company said will mark a “fundamental shift” in its branding strategy — and comes as the auto industry deals with major uncertainty.
The automaker’s new strategy, titled “Ready, Set, Ford,” goes beyond vehicle-first advertising, Ford said, and instead focuses on the people who buy its cars. It involves four fundamental promises: capability, passion, community and trust.
The auto industry is facing a crucial crossroads as companies deal with President Donald Trump’s tariffs and an overall consumer pullback in spending. Despite uncertainty with various sectoral tariffs, Trump’s auto tariffs have remained more or less unchanged, with a 25% tariff charge on imported cars and auto parts.
That timing, Ford Chief Marketing Officer Lisa Materazzo said, is intentional.
“The auto industry is in the midst of historic disruption. We are fortunate in the sense that Ford has an incredible 122-year history to leverage,” she said. “So because of that, we felt like there’s no better time to double down on our commitment to our brand and our consumers than now.”
Materazzo said the company engaged in extensive research ahead of the rollout, finding a common theme of uncertainty and anxiety from consumers due to a range of factors, including the political climate and the economy.
“The other thing we found is that consumers are surprisingly optimistic and resilient, especially when they feel empowered, and they’re seeking brands that help them navigate this uncertainty,” she said.
Ford has long championed its American roots and declared it’s the “most American automaker.” That identity is now crucial to the automaker’s brand, Materazzo said, and builds on its “America for America” campaign that offered employee pricing to all consumers shortly after tariffs were initially announced.
The new strategy aims to leverage Ford’s iconic brand while simultaneously signaling that the car company is entering a new era, Materazzo said. It will unify all of Ford’s global brands for the first time in decades under the new campaign, allowing the company to “represent ourselves very consistently around the globe,” she added.
“By Q1 of 2026, all of our global markets will be in market with ‘Ready, Set, Ford,'” Materazzo said. “The majority of them will do that by Q4 of this year.”
The first rollout of the ad is kicking off in conjunction with this week’s Thursday Night Football game, as the automaker aligns itself with the NFL season, one of the largest moneymakers for advertisements leading up to the Super Bowl.
During the Covid pandemic, the auto industry pulled back significantly on advertising and marketing budgets as it dealt with supply chain issues left companies without enough vehicles to sell. Many automakers returned to advertising during the NFL season last year as vehicle inventory levels returned to more normal levels.
Even as the macroenvironment signals uncertainty, Materazzo said the company is focused on continuing to deliver on its legacy and invest in its brand.
“The industry is in the middle of a transition right now. I don’t think all brands will survive, but I think those that not just survive, but thrive, will be the ones who recognize that one of their most valuable assets is their brand,” she said. “And if you don’t invest in your brand, you’re really disadvantaging your business for the long term.”
