Punch line: As part of an ad campaign featuring “real people” explaining their decision to buy Fords, a guy named “Chris” says he “wasn’t going to buy another car that was bailed out by our government,”
Team Obama didn’t like the ad, and Ford pulled it so that Team Obama could stay focused on Gibson Guitars, S&P, and the tanning salons.
According to the Detroit News …
Ford pulled the ad after individuals inside the White House questioned whether the copy was publicly denigrating the controversial bailout policy.
With President Barack Obama tuning his re-election campaign amid dismal economic conditions and simmering antipathy toward his stimulus spending and associated bailouts, the Ford ad carried the makings of a political liability when Team Obama can least afford yet another one. Can’t have that.
The ad, pulled in response to White House “questions” (and, presumably, carping from rival GM), threatened to rekindle the negative (if accurate) association just when the president wants credit for their positive results and to distance himself from any public downside of his decision.
In other words, where presidential politics and automotive marketing collide — clean, green, politically correct vehicles not included — the president wins and the automaker loses because the benefit of the battle isn’t worth the cost of waging it.
Once again, nothing like the Administration’s Chicago style politics.
Step out of line, and BAM !
The Homa Files 