"Ford Country is a mindset. A place where resolve runs infinite and the super industrious is expected. A place where everything is tested and everything must stand the test of time. It is an attitude. A state of mind that won't take no for an answer. It takes tools to accommodate such determination; material to support such structures, when you're building in Ford Country. You'd better start with one tough cornerstone. It's got to be `Built Ford Tough'."

With a renewed emphasis on the customer, Ford has created an unusual "Ford Country" advertising campaign for its truck line, featuring actual owners using their Ford trucks. This theme speaks to the mission of each "Built Ford Tough" truck and identifies like-minded customers with the breadth of the truck line.

Instead of showing beauty shots of brand new trucks, the campaign captures powerful images of real owners using their trucks. The campaign, which includes national and regional television and print ads in targeted media, shows the trucks used in everyday work and pleasure situations, showcasing the entire family of Ford trucks and the duties they are capable of performing.

To accomplish this in print, Ford asked three photographers who have done independent work for National Geographic and Life to search America for photos and quotes that capture the heart and spirit of real-life Ford truck customers. They took thousands of pictures. One photographer journeyed to the Outer Banks of North Carolina where Brian Drills was using his truck to repair a house damaged by Hurricane Dennis. Another photographer traveled to Pennsylvania where he found Eric Sides who built a mini-grandstand into the bed of his Ranger so he and his friends could have the best seats in the house to watch dirt bike races.

For broadcast, Ford reinforces the "Built Ford Tough" image by showing hardy people in rugged situations. Four spots were produced: ù "Built Ford Tough" - an overall vision ad that defines Ford Country; ù "Fishing Lure" - an F-150 feature spot illustrating the best-in-class torque advantage F-Series enjoys; ù "Wrecking Ball" - a Super Duty F-Series spot highlighting the Super Duty F-350's best-in-class payload; ù "Meteorologist" - a Ranger feature spot showing its bulge body shock absorbers for tough off-roading.

A feature ad showcasing the F-150 SuperCrew will begin airing next spring, coincident with the public introduction of the vehicle.

"Satisfying our customers is more than just building the best line of trucks," said Giombetti. "It's understanding our customers' needs and lifestyles and fulfilling them by offering more variety and more options than any other manufacturer. `Ford Country' is where life really happens."