Ford is hitting the reset button with a new global brand platform to shift the 122-year-old company from product-first to customer-centric.
The auto brand has spent the last two years developing “Ready Set Ford,” which will come to life with a marketing campaign kicking off today (Sept. 10).
The platform, created by Wieden+Kennedy, comes at a time when Ford is looking to differentiate in a crowded marketplace flush with powertrain choices, evolving shopping tools, and shifting customer preferences. The company wants to reassure people—particularly younger consumers—that Ford has the right vehicles for them, while also creating excitement by leaning into its storied motorsports heritage.
The first ad for “Ready Set Ford” is a dramatic, fast-paced homage to the people who drive Fords and the gutsy things they can do, like racing cars, driving off-road, or even herding cattle.
It ends with a Henry Ford quote: “Whether you think you can, or think you can’t, you’re right.”
“We want to connect with consumers on an emotional level,” Ford chief marketing officer Lisa Materazzo told ADWEEK, “and to also signal for both existing loyalists and maybe those who haven’t considered Ford that there’s something fun and exciting going on at Ford, and they should check us out.”
Tools of empowerment
A big theme is capability, with Ford presenting its vehicle lineup through the lens of what they can help three different lifestyle audiences achieve.
For example, a Bronco could be a match for “explorers seeking discovery,” while a Mustang may be a fit for “boundary-pushers craving speed and performance,” and the F-Series can help “doers and creators” get things done.
Other “Ready Set Ford” promises or “equities” include passion, community, and trust. Motorsports will play a larger role as the Ford prepares to return to Formula 1 next year after more than a 20-year hiatus.
Ford has also invested in off-road racing, with its Bronco Desert Racer and Ranger Raptor winning the 2024 Baja 1000.
The ad will run across linear TV (including Thursday Night Football), digital, social, and out-of-home channels in the U.S., as part of the campaign’s first phase.
Phase two will begin in early October, when Ford will target lifestyle audiences more directly. The campaign will roll out to most of Ford’s global markets by the end of the year.
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