Hello there and thanks for stopping by! I post every day at 1pm central so take a sec to sign up for email reminders. I write about all kinds of things from dating, camping, roller skating, and commercials like today’s post. For some reason Ford thought it would be a good idea to release some feminine energy with this Raptor commercial. Will this decision be a gigantic Bud Light-sized failure (Bud Light, making alcoholics sober since 2023), or is it a stroke of genius? Check out the ad and I’ll share my thoughts below…
This isn’t the first time Ford has walked a fine line of being “Ford tough” but also embracing their inner gayness. OK, that might be a stretch but there was another commercial featuring the Explorer “Men Only” edition which sort of belittled men and put women on a pedestal (check it here). Coupled with this gay Raptor commercial, what exactly is Ford saying about traditional male roles in society and culture?
My initial thought is that the commercial is dumb and out of touch. *Exaggeration upcoming* No gay people buy these big trucks!
OK, maybe there is a soft, uncallous hand-ful of gay men that drive pick-up trucks but not many. This advertisement totally missed the mark, then. Or does it? Maybe Ford sees the “tough” gay man (which is an obvious oxymoron) as an untapped market. In that case, there is money to be made and Ford’s on top of it! But one might wonder if they’re going to lose more customers than they gain because, if history and culture is any indication, the folks who buy Ford trucks (at least the big honkers that can pull 5th wheel trailers) are typically more traditional and won’t be super pumped about the colorful truck.
You know who should send a “thank you” card to Ford, though. Chevrolet. It must’ve felt like Christmas morning for them. Although, Chevy has done their fair share of catering to the 5SLBGNTLSWPD+ market. Maybe the real winners from this ad are companies like Nissan and Toyota… you know, the ones who focus on trucks and not gayness.
-Out of the Wilderness
Out of the Wilderness 