Ford Draws on Old Movie Stars in Hopes of Spurring Sales

DEARBORN, Mich. October 14, 2004]; Sarah Karush writing for the AP reported that Ford Motor Co. hopes the co-stars of one of the movies' most memorable car chases, Steve McQueen and his Mustang, will help get sales out of low gear.

The company presented new advertisements Thursday to go with a slew of new vehicles in the Ford brand, including the 2005 version of the Mustang -- a car associated with McQueen in the 1968 action movie "Bullitt."

The nation's second-largest automaker is hoping the new products will reverse its sales slump. Ford's overall sales were off about 5 percent for the first nine months of 2004.

The company is particularly weak in cars, a situation it hopes to turn around not only with its new version of the iconic Mustang, but also with the Five Hundred flagship sedan and the Freestyle crossover, the two new vehicles seen as having the most potential.

In the McQueen ad, which is to debut later this fall, the actor -- who died of cancer in 1980 -- appears with the help of a body double and some digital editing.

The ad is a reference to the 1989 movie "Field of Dreams," in which Kevin Costner portrays a dreamer who conjures the spirits of Shoeless Joe Jackson and other baseball players when he builds a playing field on his farm.

In Ford's commercial, a farmer builds a winding racetrack, which he circles in the 2005 Mustang, due in showrooms next month. Out of the cornfield comes McQueen, and the farmer tosses him the keys. The spot ends with McQueen driving off in the new Mustang.

Rich Stoddart, marketing communications manager for Ford Division, acknowledged that McQueen's face might not be familiar to potential Mustang buyers under 30. But during market research, people who could not place McQueen still thought he looked "really cool," Stoddart said.

Stoddart said if the ad appeals more to older consumers, that's OK, because plenty of older drivers have taken to the Mustang. Stoddart said his 62-year-old mother bought one instead of the Taurus he recommended. Twelve percent of Mustang buyers are older than 60, according to Ford.

Another aspect of Mustang marketing is likely to appeal to younger consumers: Both the Mustang and Ford GT supercar will be featured in Sony PlayStation 2's car game "Gran Turismo 4."

The new marketing push goes beyond the Mustang, replacing the Ford brand's old slogan, "If you haven't looked at Ford lately, look again." The new slogan, "Built for the road ahead," draws on a successful slogan for Ford trucks, "Built Ford Tough."

A new spot around the slogan features a road that goes through life from Little League to a graduation to a wedding and the birth of a child.

The ads for the Five Hundred emphasize sophistication and feature classical music. One, titled "Ballet," touts the car's handling by showing other cars dancing on a slippery road while the Five Hundred continues serenely in a straight line.

Ads for the Freestyle, meanwhile, put the focus on versatility, showing the car traveling through a variety of urban and rural settings.