“Built Ford Tough.” You have probably heard this saying before considering it’s as old, if not older, than many millennials today. Whether you have heard it from the company’s many truck commercials or have it inscribed on your chest to show your pride in the company, this tagline has been important to many Ford owners for years. It represents the spirit and philosophy of the Ford brand. Three simple words that the company has so much invested in.
You might wonder what all the excitement is really about a simple tagline. After all, many companies have their own mottos, slogans, and taglines that people barely notice on a daily basis. With Ford, however, things are a bit different. This slogan is more than just an advertising gimmick. It represents the very thing many proud Ford dealerships and owners really appreciate about their vehicles. To truly understand Ford, you have to understand the slogan.
What’s in a Tagline?
On the surface, taglines and slogans are just another part of the overall advertising scheme. You may even wonder why companies spend millions of dollars researching and developing these taglines if they are just a few simple words. Shouldn’t the quality of the products and services speak for themselves?
Of course, they should, but that doesn’t mean a little help isn’t needed here and there. In truth, many people buy products because of the brand. The indescribable qualities that people associate with these companies do more than just deliver a good product. They make people feel like they’re part of something more.
Take, for example, the slogans that you truly remember. “Just Do It”, “Got Milk?”, “Like A Rock.” All of these slogans are effective because they make people think about the company. It’s free advertising after the initial commercial. The more people think and talk about the brand, the more likely they are to buy the product.
This has been one of the key points of success for Ford in the past few decades. The tagline, “Built Ford Tough” came about in 1979 as a way to communicate the qualities many people already connected with the company. Since that time, Ford has gone on to many other advertising campaigns and slogans, but this particular one has stuck around. Even as the company has diversified their lineup and brand to include hybrids and family cars, Ford dealerships have reserved this important slogan for their truck models as a way to keep the most important part of these lines alive. Ford trucks are tough.
More Than a Tagline
Ford has dabbled with other slogans in recent years such as “Go Further” and “Quality Is Job One.” Despite this, they have always retained this classic slogan of “Built Ford Tough” because it is something more than just a cute little phrase people remember. For over 35 years, this slogan has helped to shape how people think about the company and brand.
In some ways, this slogan is unnecessary. Popular trucks like the F-150, F-250, and F-350 all outpace the competition because of the quality and durability Ford infuses into these vehicles. During natural disasters, Ford trucks are usually there on the front lines of disaster relief, driving through muck and debris without issue.
In other words, the product itself has never been a challenge to sell. But the company has always looked beyond just the car. Customer experience is one of the most important things that Ford has focused on in the past few decades. They understand that Ford owners choose their vehicles because of the brand experience and meaning in addition to the car itself.
Ford is an American staple of automotive engineering and innovation. Considering the Model T was the first mass-produced car in the nation, it’s easy to see how people automatically started to connect with the brand beyond the vehicle.
Built Ford Tough has been an instrument in shaping this relationship between company, dealerships, and customer. Three little words both sum up how current owners feel and what the company wants to communicate to potential customers. Beyond the logo itself, it’s hard to deny that this slogan is one of the best representations of the Ford brand.
The Ford Brand and Quality
If you’re looking at a Ford vehicle for the first time, what is it that you can actually expect? What does this slogan really convey? Sure, Ford has been one of the most popular American automotive manufacturers for decades. Does that really mean that the hype is real?
The best way to answer this question is to go out and take a test drive for yourself. The moment that you sit behind the wheel of a Ford car or truck, you will begin to understand how so many other people have fallen in love with these vehicles. But it also helps to know a little about the quality this company upholds.
The build quality alone is a central focus of Ford’s efforts when making their vehicles. For example, the all-aluminum chassis of the F-150 is both lighter and more durable than traditional steel frames. Their engines outperform the competition and their drivetrains continue on for hundreds of thousands of miles.
The other aspects of the company’s philosophy are technology, safety, and innovation. Up until 1998, large trucks were lagging behind the technological curve. Even basic safety features like airbags took time to find their way into truck cabs of the day. Since then, Ford has led the way in safety innovation with all of their vehicles. Extensive driver and passenger front, rear, head, and knee airbags line many of the interiors of the models. Latest additions include their popular adaptive cruise control, curved control, and drivetrain traction systems that can automatically reduce engine throttle, apply brakes, and sense potential threats outside without driver input.
A final component to Ford’s most recent push for quality and innovation is going green. With options such as diesel engines, hybrid drivetrains, and more fuel-efficient designs, many of their models are now saving more customers fuel and money each day.
Loving a Slogan
You don’t have to treat “Built Ford Tough” as the mantra to your life to understand it’s importance to the Ford brand. This slogan speaks for itself. Countless Ford dealerships sell new trucks each day because people come in knowing exactly what “Built Ford Tough” means to them.
More importantly, it also speaks to the quality that Ford continues to uphold. Whether you are a lifelong Ford owner or are curious about this year’s latest model lineup, you can begin to appreciate this sense of quality by understanding the importance of this slogan to the company and its customers.
