Ford to Honda: Hey, Wait Up!

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

On the same day that it encouraged fans to follow it on Instagram for sexy Bronco teasing, Ford Motor Company announced it will pull advertising from all social media platforms for a period of 30 days.

As you read here roughly nine minutes ago, Ford’s move comes after Honda did exactly the same. The automakers, among a number of other companies, aim to pressure big social media companies to root out and erase or ban hate speech — which can be a very nebulous term, depending on who’s using it.

That, of course, is a discussion for another time and place (and website). After going on Twitter to inform would-be Bronco owners that they’ll be able to place orders on July 13th, Ford implied that it had had enough of social media’s ability to disseminate hateful viewpoints, and would cease advertising immediately.

Per Reuters, Ford said it will use the month-long pause to take a second look at its social media presence, adding that hate speech and racism on such platforms “needs to be eradicated.”

Ours surely wasn’t the only head being scratched after this announcement, what with the company’s flood of social media marketing efforts today. So, if a social media user isn’t directly being advertised to, it’s sin-free to visit this page? Despite pressure to adopt the latest tactic in the ongoing protests over police aggression, racist violence, hate, statues of literally every background and meaning, and seemingly everything else, automakers aren’t likely to entirely stem the flow of images and information to prospective customers. Not when there’s a pandemic on and auto sales remain depressed.

It should be noted that the main focus of the current pressure effort is Facebook, where, as of 3 hours ago, you can get *extra* pumped about the Bronco. Of course, marketing isn’t necessarily advertising, even though they share body heat in the same bed.

[Image: Ford]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Inside Looking Out Inside Looking Out on Jun 30, 2020

    I always thought that freedom of speech in this country is guaranteed by constitution. It turns out that's not true (anymore). Now big corporations, billionaires and mob of rioting teenagers set the limits on free speech and introduces thought police. It may be the reason why the concepts of open society and liberal democracy is not popular anymore and developing countries (like Russia, Poland, Hungary and etc) turn away from western values. There was so much hope and good will in early 90s. All that now is gone.

    • See 3 previous
    • SnarkyRichard SnarkyRichard on Jun 30, 2020

      @Art Vandelay Yeah I miss the 90s . All that was missing was wide screen HD tv . Now that is here and people watch video on their tiny phones . The world has gone plum crazy .

  • Dartdude Dartdude on Jun 30, 2020

    Time to hold all social and media accountable for what they print and say. Those that lied about russian collusion and never were held accountable.

  • Lorenzo Are they calling it a K4? That's a mountain in the Himalayas! Stick with names!
  • MaintenanceCosts It's going to have to go downmarket a bit not to step on the Land Cruiser's toes.
  • Lorenzo Since EVs don't come in for oil changes, their owners don't have their tires rotated regularly, something the dealers would have done. That's the biggest reason they need to buy a new set of tires sooner, not that EVs wear out tires appreciably faster.
  • THX1136 Always liked the Mustang though I've never owned one. I remember my 13 yo self grabbing some Ford literature that Oct which included the brochure for the Mustang. Using my youthful imagination I traced the 'centerfold' photo of the car AND extending the roof line back to turn it into a small wagon version. At the time I thought it would be a cool variant to offer. What was I thinking?!
  • GregLocock That's a bodge, not a solution. Your diff now has bits of broken off metal floating around in it.
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