Latest Pajamas Media Column: ‘Driven a Ford Lately? Not If You’re Boycotting’
My title will be “Ford’s PC March to the Brink Continues, as Does Media Enabling” when I post the column at BizzyBlog on Wednesday morning.
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UPDATE 1: Holy moly. Shortly after midnight ET on Jan. 29, the PJM post has over 350 comments (and not one of them is mine). UPDATE 1A: The Ford boycott comment swarm was, uh, driven by an American Family Association e-mail Action Alert (web version here) that referred to the PJM column.
UPDATE 2, Jan. 29, 10:15 a.m.: Go through the 460 comments at PJM (comments there closed a few hours ago) and the ones posted below, and you can’t help but think that Ford is losing a disproportionate share of business to truck buyers because of the AFA boycott (beyond the 63-37 truck car split used in the post’s estimate — and remember, “trucks” includes minivans, SUVs, and crossovers). If so, the bottom line impact is much greater than the amount estimated at the post.
UPDATE 3, Feb. 3: The Auto Prophet makes a case that the AFA boycott is anti-Christian.
I think that reasonable people can disagree on this. Those who wish to dissociate themselves from something they consider evil surely have that right, but they should consider the implications of what they’re doing very carefully.
Ironically, in my opinion, the AFA might be inclined to call off the boycott in the name of showing mercy to employees and communities affected by Ford’s suicidal stubbornness. But Old Media, perhaps the most irresponsible party in all of this, would surely, and falsely, interpret such an action as an admission of defeat by AFA. They would say “What boycott? No one ever wrote anything about the boycott” — even though they are the ones who created the virtual blackout.
There’s little objective doubt that the AFA boycott has cost Ford an absolute minimum of $2 billion in gross profit on trucks and cars in the past two years. From a pool of 12-20 million estimated boycott supporters, it would only take 160,000 lost truck sales times the $11,000 used in the post plus 80,000 lost car sales x $3,000 to get to $2 billion — i.e. roughly 1%-2% of those promising to boycott carrying through on that promise ONE TIME in two years (many PJM commenters cited multiple vehicles not purchased by themselves and/or their families). That would be only about 35,000 lost sales per quarter, only about 40% of the 85,000 I exemplified for the fourth quarter at the Pajamas post.
To call off the boycott, AFA would thus have to deal with an undeserved loss of prestige and perceived clout, jeopardizing future efforts to influence the culture, thereby unacceptably compromising its mission. Because Old Media has painted AFA into that corner, AFA simply can’t do that.
Now, barring a sudden willingness by Old Media to report the obvious, only Ford can save itself.
Tom,
Read your commnets about the Ford boycott. You state Ford has a weak product line? I think not.
Best selling truck in history.
The new Edge is awesome.
The Freestyle is a great family vehicle and not a minivan.
The new Mercury line…… great looking, great reviews, great deals right now (thanks to the downturn and likely added to by the boycott).
The rebadged 500/Tarus seems to be a good car though not in my buying space.
So, I disagree with you on the notion that Ford has a weak product line.
I don’t disagree with you that the boycott has had an impact. I personally have written my local Ford Dealer and told them, get the ban lifted by Ford and I will buy a new Ford within 30 days, no questions asked. At my house, we own 4 BMWs so suffice it to say that we could likely afford the Ford lineup.
So, I am not buying Volvo, Mazda, Jaguar or Ford till the social engineering ends. If the Fords want to social engineer, sell the car company and get on with it but if they want to sell cars, they need to leave the social issues to someone else.
If Ford goes the way of the Edsel…….. opps, Edsel was a Ford. Maybe… maybe it is in their DNA to go down the tubes! Oldsmobile did, AMC did, Plymouth did and there is room for them in boneyards of America, car and corporate both!
Comment by Ken Graves — January 28, 2008 @ 4:40 pm
I like the new Ford’s but will not buy one until Ford changes it’s pro-gay position.
Just one customer in Oklahoma
Comment by Glen Howard — January 28, 2008 @ 8:17 pm
Last year I bought a 2500HD diesel Chevy Silverado, not a cheap truck, instead of a Ford. My local Ford dealer has just gone belly up.
Comment by knldgskr — January 28, 2008 @ 8:18 pm
…..there’s a whole bunch of fathers out here, who when we go to give our sons that father-to-son talk, would not include lessons about one guy bent over another guy as an alternative to fatherhood. I puke when I think about it. Groups like AFA give us a vent when there are precious few places were we can be heard, especially with such impact…….and the media? They’re building a liberal utopia and they’re pushing themselves right out of business…….Ford workers? where’s your union steward?
Comment by Ray Comfort — January 28, 2008 @ 9:29 pm
Post scipt: Until this boycott, I’ve owned seven F-150’s!
Comment by Ray Comfort — January 28, 2008 @ 9:32 pm
I’m doing all I can to put the word out NOT to buy Ford because of their promoting of a lifestyle I disagree with. I’d like to see them go under for their foolishness. Here here to your column.
Comment by Jim Moorhouse — January 28, 2008 @ 9:59 pm
I had a Ford Explore and then a Ford Expedition, but switched to a Nissan Armada. Now my three boys will likely remember Nissan and not Ford. I will not buy a Ford no matter how good the product is as long as they take a proactive Gay agenda. What Ford doesn’t realize is that the long term brand value is much greater when supporting normal families. Guess how many friends I’ve told about the boycott. I will encourage everyone I know not to buy a Ford if I know they are shopping for a vehicle. Our company just switched from a Ford truck to Chevy also. Homosexuals tend not to have as many kids or any kids for that matter and thus the number of future customers is less. The other reality that most people don’t want to hear is that if you operate contrary to God’s laws and rules, your success rate will not be as high normally. Whoever is guiding the marketing decisions at Ford ought to see that it makes far more sense to appeal to the masses instead of the fringe based on who they sleep with at night. If Ford fails, it will be their own fault and the stockholders.
Comment by Chris — January 28, 2008 @ 10:08 pm
Used to buy Fords all the time, no more, and your not giving it media attention is just like the liberal, drive by media. Who needs you anymore?
Comment by Richard Stewart — January 28, 2008 @ 10:24 pm
#8, I assume you’re addressing the media and not me, because I’ve been giving this attention for about 18 months.
Memo to other readers re #1 - #7 — These should support the notion that the boycott is known, gaining steam, and hurting Ford more and more.
#1, well I was really mimicking what I have read from time to time about the product line and I haven’t sat down and analyzed it in great detail. I had someone at NewsBusters about a month ago tell me that the WHOLE problem was the product line and that AFA had no influence, so I guess there’s a diff of opinion.
Also a “weak” product line may be technically good and high-quality but, for whatever reason, not appealing to people and/or not marketed well. I could go on a rant re that, because I think some of their commercials have been goofy to insulting.
Another point totally not covered by me due to lack of space — to the extent that management at a troubled company wastes time on PC and “corporate social responsibility,” it is almost by definition taking some focus away from the core business and fixing it. That’s difficult to quantify, but is very real.
Comment by TBlumer — January 28, 2008 @ 11:52 pm
I am one who did not sign the petition but I am an AFA member. I owned just Fords: 2 Taurus and 1 F250 from 1990 - 2005. I have joined the boycott and now have 2 Dodge Trucks and a Camry.
Last month in AZ I rented a Fusion (300 mi on the odometer) and was not impressed with the 19 MPG with cruise control on at speed limit. I will take my Camry 29 mpg.
I also have several friends who have owned Fords in the past that I have told about the boycott. They are not getting Fords unless things change.
Comment by PJM — January 29, 2008 @ 5:48 am
It’s really a shame — I WANT a ford, 2 in fact! I want a Lincoln Town Car and I want a mustang for my wife. Two years I’ve been waiting for Ford to “do the right thing” so I can make these purchases…
I’m still waiting.
Comment by Marty — January 29, 2008 @ 8:16 am
My wife and I had a 2003 Ford Explorer - what a bomb. Nothing but problems; poor quality and workmanship. After learning of the pro-gay position Ford had taken, that was the straw that broke the camel’s back - we traded in the Explorer for a Honda Odyssey. The difference is amazing. The quality of the Honda is head and shoulders above the Explorer. With perhaps the exception of the Ford trucks, the poor quality of their products is enough to keep me away BUT since they’ve taken a pro-gay stance we’ll never venture into a Ford showroom again!
Comment by Mark — January 29, 2008 @ 8:47 am
I am a carpenter and can not run my business without a pick-up truck. I have had three F-150’s and have had nothing but positive experiances with them all. My family car is a Crown Victoria, which is the best I have ever driven on the road. When my daughter started college I bought her a Tarus and my nephew just recently got his liscense to drive and asked me what he should buy in the way of a compact truck (ranger or s-10 type). Long story short, new FORD products will NOT occupy my or any family members garage while promoting any perverted sole self serving life style. It is high time we woke up and started voting our moral convictions with our dollars!!!
Comment by TLW Aberdeen — January 29, 2008 @ 9:11 am
I sure hope Ford will see reason, I was hoping to buy a F-250 diesel to pull a 5th wheel. This boycott only applies to NEW vehicles not used ones, right?
Comment by dscott — January 29, 2008 @ 9:25 am
BizzyBlog note: This comment was copied from a different post because it’s germane to this one.
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AFA is speaking for American families we are in fact tired of the TV, Radio, magizines, and media in general aiding a small minority of gay’s with totally evidents of confusion on what God created them, and who they are surpose to be.
My great, great grand dad, came here on the Mayflower, he did not establish this country on mans laws, but the laws of God.
My uncle worked as a manager for GM for years, he is rolling over in his grave, as is all the men that fought to keep God and HIS laws the bases of this country. Get them and island, where they will not infect our children, and youth population with their serious emotional, and immortal confusion.
Seriously, where are the really men of GM, or have they all packed up and left.
God Bless Americian, as He created it, as a land of freedom, HE HIMSELF laid down the laws in Scripture, and handed them to MEN.
I nor the over 100 members of my family, yes 100 of us will not by GM at all.
Remember word of mouth is much stronger than a billion dollar commercial. My 100 family members, tell just one person each, that is 200, and that person tells another that is 400 , get the picture.
I was proud to have an American made vehicle, but I will soon sell it for a Europe or China. Sad, because it was once a very proud thing to do, to purchase an American made vehicle. NO MORE!
With draw your support, reinstate pride, and the American way.
Sincerely
Doreen E. Carter
Comment by Doreen E. Carter — January 29, 2008 @ 9:37 am
#15, I assume this means you won’t buy GM or Ford.
Comment by TBlumer — January 29, 2008 @ 9:40 am
It is amazing that there has not been mention of the boycott of Ford in any of the main street media. I was one of the first to sign on. I am 48 years old and for 32 years I have only had 2 cars (a triumph and a Corvette) that were not fords. I grew up with a older brother who only drove Fords. Last year we needed a car and I bought a Hundai Sonata. We have a Taurus a Ford pickup, 68 mustang from high school and my daugters Mustang. As these cars need replacing they will be replaced with something other than a Ford. I just bought my son a Jeep. This would not have happened 3 years ago. Ford has lost the sales from us and I’m sure many others after reading the blogs. It just doesn’t seem like there support of gays is bringing in the big bucks..Hopefully they will wake up and if they do I’ll be back. They better hurry, I tend to keep a car for a long time. Next year I’m due to get rid of the my 99 Taurus that currently has 165,000 miles on it. Another opportunity for another Ford to be sold or bite the dust.
Comment by Raymond Allen — January 29, 2008 @ 10:02 am
I was raised in a Ford truck family. I would never buy anything else for years. I now support the boycott. My brother bought a Dodge to replace his Ford last year and I will be buying a Toyota to replace mine this year. One of the reasons the boycott is so effective is so many of the AFA supporters are in the the South and rural areas where pickup demand is huge. Ford needs pickup sales to survive.
Comment by JAO — January 29, 2008 @ 10:04 am
The reason there are over 350 comments is that AFA sent out a bulletin alerting all of their sheeple to read your article. It was no coincidence that the high number of boycott supporters arrived after the email was sent. Unfortunately though your numbers do not add up. How can an organization claiming to have 3.3 million members possible equate into 17 million people participating in the boycott? And if their numbers are generated from their mailing list I can count at least 3 people, myself included, who do not support anything the AFA stands for but rather enjoy listening to their rantings. So where does this mythical 3.3 million come from. Also you don’t seem to address the last major boycott by the AFA, against Disney, which was hardly successful and was ultimately called off. During that boycott Disney experienced record profits. The fact of the matter is GM, Ford and Chrysler make crappy gas guzzling cars that no one wants hence why Toyota is now the #1 car manufacturer. If their boycott where really about corporate agendas then they would go after VW, BMW, Mercedes, Toyota and Honda, all of whom advertise in the magazines that Ford does (not to mention GM and Chrysler). AFA saw that Ford was the weakest of the automakers and knew it stood a statistically good chance it’s boycott would look effective against them. After all a stopped clock is right twice a day….that doesn’t mean it’s working.
Comment by russ — January 29, 2008 @ 10:25 am
#19 Russ, I know about the AFA e-mail, and I noted it in an update above.
Now, re-read what I wrote at PJM:
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- The AFA’s home page claims that over 778,000 have signed its boycott petition.
- The AFA itself claims to have over 3.3 million supporters.
- Boycottford.com lists over 30 supporting organizations.
- It is likely that each boycott supporter, AFA member, and at least some members of the other boycotting organizations have influenced three to five others not to buy Ford products.
- That would mean that there are somewhere between 12-20 million Americans who will not buy Ford products.
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Between 3.3 and maybe 4.5 million AFA members and those in other orgs times 3-5 people influenced per member equals between 10 and 22.5 million. So I narrowed the range a bit to 12-20 million.
Got it?
Some of the PJM commenters have indicated that they have influenced far more than the 3-5 I have conservatively assumed.
I’m not a big fan of boycotts, but they exist, and companies need to decide whether or not to deal with them, acting in the best interests of their shareholders and employees, not the PC crowd (i.e., it’s not management’s company, it’s the shareholders’).
The Disney boycott was at best a mixed bag, because AFA was attempting to influence a large universe of relatively small-dollar transactions ranging from movie tickets to toys to amusement-park visits.
A boycott targeting a conscious decision involving a big-ticket item someone buys once every few years in favor of someone else’s product has a lot more potential for success. And I think the evidence of the AFA’s success is convincing, both anecdotally and statistically. Ford’s sales decline is double GM’s, and quadruple Chrysler’s. Sorry, that’s not just the product.
The reason why Ford was “targeted” (i.e., why Ford deserved, in AFA’s opinion, to be boycotted) has been answered at the AFA site and by several PJM commenters.
Comment by TBlumer — January 29, 2008 @ 11:38 am
Mr. Blumer,
Last year I purchased a brand new Chevrolet Trailblazer. It was not my first choice. I am one of the millions in your article boycotting Ford Motor Company. My first choice was the Ford Explorer. Just thought I would pass this on to you so you know that your article was correct and that Ford’s stance on homosexuality is hurting their profits. Thank you for your time.
Dwayne
Comment by Dwayne Lewis — January 29, 2008 @ 3:12 pm
#21, Thanks.
If the ding-a-lings in Dearborn had any doubt about the boycott’s effect, you would think that it would be dispelled by the hundreds of comments at PJM and those made here.
Oh, and by the way, PJM suspended comments at the post earlier today, or there would be many, many more.
Comment by TBlumer — January 29, 2008 @ 4:43 pm
It is clear that Ford’s problems are much bigger than the haters from the AFA. Even Ford’s successes are much bigger than the AFA. In the last 2 years, Ford has convinced 8 times more people buy their vehicles than the AFA has convinced to sign their boycott petition. And the boycott is free.
Comment by jonr — January 29, 2008 @ 9:21 pm
#23, Ford is whistling past the graveyard. Their sales were down 12% in 2007 after about 10% in 2006. Employees are losing their jobs because Ford won’t do what businesses are supposed to do — stick to business.
I’m not always a big fan of AFA and the boycott technique, but to call them haters is out of bounds — and so PC-typical.
Comment by TBlumer — January 29, 2008 @ 11:47 pm
I argue in my blog that the AFA boycott of Ford is actually anti-family.
http://theautoprophet.blogspot.com/2008/02/afas-boycott-revisited.html
Comment by theautoprophet — February 3, 2008 @ 6:45 am