Ford Catches One Of Toyota's Big Fish

NoOption5L · 2007-10-12T01:41:19+00:00

Ford Motor Co. today said that James D. Farley, group vice presidentof Toyota Motor Co.'s Lexus Division, will be Ford's first chiefmarketing and communications officer."We are thrilled to welcome one of the most successful and talentedleaders in the industry to the Ford Motor Company team," CEO AlanMulally said in a statement, confirming a story first reported in thiscolumn today. "Jim Farley is well known for innovative marketingstrategies that connect great products to today's and tomorrow'scustomers. Ford's quality and vehicles are now on par with the best ofthe competition. We look forward to Jim's leadership to combine world-class marketing with our world-class products worldwide."The move is a signature appointment by Mulally, who has openlycriticized Ford's marketing efforts and signaled his desire to installtop marketing talent at the Glass House. Farley's arrival also will beyet another high-profile defection from vaunted Toyota to a Detroitautomaker, suggesting that highly regarded industry pros seeopportunity in their beleaguered rivals."Farley is their superstar," a source familiar with the situation toldme today, adding that Ford has been talking with Farley off and on fora year. "It's a done deal. This is a good move for us. This is the guywe wanted. He has an engineering background."The appointment of Farley, 45, was approved today by Ford's directors.As the first head of global marketing and communications for Ford, hewould assume what is arguably the industry's most monumental marketingchallenge. Ford has foundered amid weak campaigns, discarded and thenrevived brand names like Taurus, poor product definition and plungingmarket share.Under Mulally, an aerospace engineer and 37-year veteran of Boeing Co.before arriving at Ford last fall, key marketing decisions -- such asreviving the Taurus model name -- have been pushed by him, a engineer-cum-CEO who understands his limitations in the marketing world.It's hard to overstate the symbolism of Farley's...

Oct 12, 2007 29 Replies

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Michael Johnson 18 years ago

I work from home and have the TV on all day and still haven't seen one commercial yet.

Ford has f*#cked up time and time again by killing off their long time models. Just a few that come to mind are the Taurus, Escort, Thunderbird, Cougar, Crown Vic, Sable etc. Then there were some shorter term vehicles that had good reputations like the Contour and Probe. Killing the Taurus though had to have the other automakers jumping for joy and shaking their collective heads in bewilderment.

IMO, they should have morphed the Taurus into a cross over vehicle and it would have been as radical a move as when the original Taurus hit the showrooms but that move is three years too late now. That Taurus could have been touted as redefining the family hauler.

Either that or your favorite football team changed its name and relocated to a new stadium on the other side of town and didn't bother to tell their fans. Then they wonder why the seats are empty on game day.

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NoOption5L 18 years ago

lol

EXACTLY!

Patrick

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Joe 18 years ago

Read an article on him today in the paper. Apparently, he's a "good guy". He used to hobnob with the little people in Toyota. Took a doorman (I think) to a Lakers game once. Gazillion dollar seats. That's the kind of guy the article painted him out to be. If it's true, there's hope yet!

Michael Johnson wrote in news:MqWdnX3c9tIx- YranZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

either...

historically

marketing.

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dwight 18 years ago

Huh? Don't tell me you haven't heard of the Taurus X???

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(Is that what used to be the Freestyle?)

I guess Ford really should advertise more.

dwight

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Michael Johnson 18 years ago

The only way I know about the Taurus X is I visited their website to research a statement I made in this thread. Otherwise, I still wouldn't know it is for sale. BTW, the "X" version looks like a Volvo wagon knockoff to me.

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Michael Johnson 18 years ago

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WindsorFox 18 years ago

Although maybe they should try that now, I mean from head on the new GM truck looks like a Ford and from the ass end it looks like a Dodge.

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WindsorFox 18 years ago

Yes they should. Looks like they have some Toyota people already on the design team, that new and upcoming Flex looks like that horrible little shoebox Scion with a Lincoln grill shoved in the front.

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Chris 18 years ago

Ford reported 250 billion dollars profit this year. Take a drive in to your local town and look at how many f series trucks, mustangs,and ford suvs are on the highway. I know in the area of s.c that I live in you cant even keep count.GM had to make up some b.s employee discount just to keep with Ford. The worse they say they are doing the more we as brand lovers want to help bring them back up. If Ford or GM are broke with all the 07 and 08 models they are selling, someone has a bad crack smoking problem. Dont believe the media thats what they want you to do.

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Michael Johnson 18 years ago

Why is Ford's stock so low if they are doing so well?

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