Ford’s Brand Needs to be Rebuilt
Ford recently posted the worst quarterly loss in 14 years - $5.8 billion. Ouch! Much of this is attributed to the restructuring of its key North American business, but clearly it is because they are increasingly losing market share. Why?
Ford’s brand has always been aligned with America, history, and the ingenuity of man. Marketers for Ford often use words and images to convey toughness, strength and size. But what about quality?
In my opinion, the perception of quality is what has really hurt Ford. Starting in the 1950s, many people bought Chevrolet trucks because they truly believed they lasted longer than Ford. That perception still exists today, but with much more of the benefit going to Toyota.
Since its inception, Toyota has aligned itself with quality. Many people believe that Toyota invented “lean production,” know they employ Six Sigma in their manufacturing, and practice “kaizan,” which is a standards and efficiency practice that is applied to all aspects of the business.
Whether or not Toyota has just as many recalls as Ford, it doesn’t matter. Customer perception is that Toyota cares about quality. Know one wants a car that they believe is going to break down and cause them difficulties.
Today, the Chicago Tribune ran an article about a new ad that Ford is running featuring a perfectly happy couple on the beach - until the end twist reveals that Mom and Dad are divorced. “Thanks for inviting me this weekend,” he tell his ex-wife and, as the vehicle pulls away, a voice-over intones: “Bold moves: They happen every day.” The strategy of the ad is to generate buzz, which they hope will translate to new car purchases. Note the emphasis on “bold.” Is this what most car buyers want? Is this really what Ford needs to project?
In 2000, Ford implemented Six Sigma into all of their divisions. They have actively worked to improve the quality of their internal systems. But have they marketed this fact? Not that I have seen. Instead, it is always the same stuff - bold, tough, blah.
Why isn’t the marketing department grabbing the wheel and steering the company towards what is really hurting their bottom line?
