I completely disagree with the criticism here. At a time when we’ve got a freaking white supremacist in the WH, when hate has been normalized from the highest echelons of our government, a company who’s revenue depends on the very people who voted for this government is trying to get on the right side of history, the right side of diversity and inclusion. Yes, it’s awkward and clumsy, but at least they’re making an attempt.
I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the brand of their truck.
Of course, if MLK were alive today, he would be a Republican, as the delusional human farts on FoxNews and the other RW shitholes are prone to say. Sure, and if Hitler were alive today he’s be elected president of B’nai B’rith.
And speaking of clueless Republicans, in Congress or running execrable ad campaigns, how come we haven’t seen Paul Ryan squawking about that magical tax cut?
Jesus drove a Chevy.
If they thought it would help sell 100,000 trucks having David Duke do a TV commercial they’d be sending him a shoot schedule.
Advertising people are very, very creative, except when they are not…
Perhaps, but who can forget the indelible image of Bull Connor and his thug police, with their whips, batons, and dogs, facing non-violent marchers led by MLK, in his Ram truck, on the Edmund Pettis Bridge.
In other words…
I think the criticism in particular stems from the idea (held by ad execs, in this case) that one can take from King what one wants – unoffensive language about community service – without also taking the socialism, the anti-racist action, the anti-imperialism, etc.
Well, it certainly doesn’t help them with their target audience to play quotes from MLK. In fact, quite the opposite.
I just felt like it was trying to claim their reason for building these trucks is similar to the work and what motivated MLK Jr. to do what he did. It just came across as utter bullshit to me and seemed too similar to Donald and Republican’s false equivalencies lately.
Edit: Along similar lines I some times dislike it when companies seem to be bragging when they advertise the good stuff they do donating money to various causes. Because it makes me feel like if they have so much profit that they seem to need to give some away to lower their tax bracket, they are charging too much for what they make and not paying employees enough.
In a similar way the company I work for touts itself as a christian company and makes a big issue that they give 10% of profits to christian charities. And I feel like it would be more fair to pay us employees more and let us decide how much and to whom we want to donate to.
As a black woman, I’m at the point with this evil ass country, that I’m just looking for crumbs of humanity and decency.
Puerto Rico hearts your comment.
Not to be left out and well aware of the nature of their customer base, Ford is planning to use footage of his assassination to advertise the F-150.
Quite so. My outrage cup runneth dry.
I went to a Superbowl party last night, and someone who I have known for years (a 70 year old white woman) started spouting FOX talking points right and left, everything from ungrateful people who won’t stand for the anthem to calling someone she saw wearing a turban on TV a barbarian. Plus many unwelcome comments about many of the commercials and several of the players. It was a never ending stream of vitriol out of a woman who has survived both lung cancer and uterine cancer and who is extremely kind in her interpersonal dealings with actual people including the many Hispanics her husband worked with in his career. She is the kind of person who always shows up with homebaked cookies, if you get my drift. FOX news and Sean Hannity had totally hijacked this woman’s mind. I would like to tell you that I tried to set her straight, but what actually happened is my wife told me that if I didn’t get her out of there she was going to “throat punch this bitch”. So we left quietly. I did not want to end my friendship with this couple whom I have known for 30 years in a ridiculous shouting match that would only put me on the side of her perceived enemies (who are, apparently, legion). I opted to just quietly remove myself from her circle.
FOX news is an active virus in our society and we seem to be completely powerless.
That’s the very reason I quit going to church.
Dodge got permission to use it. The problem is with those that gave permission, not the idiot advertiser that though this was a good idea,
Mortgage gotta be paid.