Blogged

Ford: Where cowardice is Job One

Toughness doesn’t extend to the executive suite

This via John Aravosis, whose AMERICAblog has been central in the protest against Ford Motor Co.’s pulling its advertising in gay and lesbian media under pressure from the so-called American Family Association. The widely-cited public relations weekly, The Holmes Report, excoriates Ford for making cowardice Job One:

Under Pressure From KKK, Ford Pulls Ads From Black Media

Okay, so that’s not quite the story, although the KKK should probably give it a try, because if Ford’s craven response to pressure from the American Family Association is any indication, the company would buckle under at the first sign of trouble. [...]

Forty years ago, at the height of the civil rights struggle, the KKK had about the same economic influence, popular support and moral authority the American Family Association enjoys today. It’s hard to imagine that Ford then would have negotiated with the Klan, far less given it an excuse to claim victory. The company’s surrender to the AFA tells you all you need to know about the quality of leadership at Ford today.

The “quality” of Ford’s leadership has already brought the company to a point where it plans to shut down assembly plants in three cities, including the Hazelwood plant here in the St. Louis area. Nearly eight thousand people across the country are about to lose their jobs. At this critical juncture - when the company frankly needs all the customers it can get - it’s simply incredible that the management of Ford has allowed the AFA to decide who Ford can market its cars to and who it can’t.

You have to feel for those workers who really create the value of Ford products, and for the thousands of Ford dealers who have no say in the poor decisions being made in the corporate office.

Ford will doubtless be featured in business texts of the future as an example of how cowardice can devalue a corporate brand.

Addendum: It would be a welcome gesture if individual Ford dealers would consider advertising in local gay and lesbian publications in their respective cities. The act would generate some goodwill in those communities, and might send a message to the decision makers in Detroit, who are badly in need of it. St. Louis-area Ford dealers, what do you say?

NOTE: Ford changes its mind, reaffirms principles of nondiscrimination and inclusiveness, restores ads in the targeted publications. More to come.

Technorati Tags: Ford, Gay, Lesbian, Advertising, Marketing, American Family Association

© 2005 Philip Barron.  Log in  Monitored by SiteUptime