High inequality in income and wealth and a lack of economic opportunities for the young appear to have increased discontent here, leaders across the political spectrum agree. Government statistics show that unemployment stood this spring at 10.9 percent for residents aged 15 to 19, and 4.6 percent for those aged 20 to 29. But many critics contend that the real rate is much higher.
A local newspaper documented last year that census officers were rewarded based on the number of interviews they conducted and that they may have tried to persuade people not to say that they were unemployed, because it would prolong the interview. The government began a review of its methods.
Ford starting asking its prospective US customers in the mid 1980s: “Have you driven a Ford lately?” For 13 consecutive years, their answer was increasingly likely to be “no” as it lost market share. Fast forward to today when Ford again trounced earnings expectations, the most profitable third quarter in the company’s 107-year history while gaining two points of share since 2008.
The more commanding “Ford. Drive One” marked the nadir. Of course a company’s success has little to do with slogans and much with management. Perception affects reality though. Investors and customers really believe that Ford is a much better company than it was a few years ago and that has created a virtuous cycle.
Perhaps the most significant aspect of Ford’s renaissance has been its professed focus on quality and the bottom line. Detroit rivals previously unfamiliar with the phrase “less is more” may attribute Ford’s success to their own turmoil, but Ford is walking the walk, not just talking the talk: restrained rebates, inventory levels and fleet sales confirm it. Ford is putting out a better product and convincing customers to pay accordingly.
福特复兴最重要的一面，或许是其宣称的对质量和利润的关注。以前不熟悉“少就是多” (less is more)这个短语的底特律竞争对手们，也许会将福特的成功归因于他们自身的混乱，但福特说到做到，而不只是光说不练：低折扣、库存水平和大宗销售证实了 这一点。福特正在生产出更好的产品，并说服客户支付相应的价格。
It has been so successful at generating cash that it expects net debt in the automotive division to reach zero by December, a shift of nearly $9bn in one year and well ahead of schedule. Though not yet investment grade, its debt nearly trades as such and its shares are up 90 per cent over one year, greatly enhancing financial flexibility. The fact that its balance sheet was not cleansed in bankruptcy like General Motors and Chrysler was seen by some just a year ago as a competitive weakness. That gap is closing rapidly, insulating it in the event of another recession. Though it resonated less with customers, Ford is best-described by its previous slogan: “Built for the road ahead.”
Ford is reportedly readying a new ad campaign for its struggling North American business under the theme: “Ford. Drive One.”
The campaign, developed under the guidance of Ford’s new chief marketer James Farley, and created by WPP ad agency Team Detroit, with the help of other WPP ad shops, will replace “Bold Moves,” which was introduced to bold yawns in 2006.
Ford CEO Alan Mulally has been angling for Ford to have a unified brand message worldwide. But before developing that structure, said one Ford executive, “We have stop the bleeding in North America.”
Before Farley came to Ford from Toyota last Fall, Team Detroit, Arnold Communications and another WPP ad shop had pitched new campaigns to Mulally, but none got greenlighted. Team Detroit’s slogan, thought to be the best of the three efforts, was “Everybody In.”
If “Ford. Drive One” sounds a bit “retailish,” it’s not by accident. Farley has been working closely with dealers to empower them more at the retail level with ad dollars. Dealers, in fact, had a great deal of input into the new campaign. Too, Farley is directing a lot of marketing money previously run nationally to the dealers and sales regions to use more tactically.
The new slogan also seems like a less musical version of “Have You Drive A Ford Lately?, an old line of Ford’s that Mullaly especially likes and has repeated several times in recent months as his preference. Taking that cue, some dealers, in Boston for example, began tagging their ads with the old slogan.
Ford is trying to boost higher consideration of its vehicles, which have been earning increasingly glowing reviews from J.D. Power and Consumer Reports for quality and design. The Ford Fusion, Edge and Lincoln MKX and MKZ, for example, have scored especially well. But Ford is hanging on to its current 16% market share by its finger nails.
I’ll reserve judgment on the new campaign until I see the creative work that goes with what feels like a limp ad slogan to me. Many marketing execs in the auto business downplay the importance of a slogan. I can see why. So many in the auto business, especially in Detroit are so lame that I would downplay them too.
But a good line doesn’t just sell, or boost consideration. It should serve as an anchor of the brand promise for both customers and employees, as well as well as dealers. I’m not sure “Ford. Drive One” does that. Would you eat at a restaurant that advertised: “Bob’s. Eat Here.” Would you be inspired to fly on an airline that pitched: “United: Fly Us.”
That’s all for now. “David Kiley. Read Me.”
There has been loose discussion in the airline industry about the feasibility of flying passenger jets with a single pilot. Technically, it would be possible. But what happens if the pilot becomes incapacitated?
結束了11個月的調查後，美國調查人員在周二的聽証會上說，飛行員在監測飛行速度方面的失誤以及過分依賴其並不了解的自動化系統是造成2013年7月韓亞航空(Asiana Airlines Inc.)事故的原因。該航空公司一架噴氣式客機試圖在舊金山國際機場(San Francisco International Airport)降落時發生事故。
