Women buy just as many vehicles as men, so it is surprising that we don’t see more Ford ads like this one from the Grunge Era.
This week’s “Throwback Thursday” video comes to us from the YouTube channel of Tuck Watts and it features a commercial for the Ford Explorer and Windstar with an obvious emphasis on female buyers. Even though women are just as likely to go shopping for a new vehicle as men, commercials of this type are rare, even today.
Focusing on Female Buyers
Statistics have show that women buy just as many new vehicles as men and in some segments, women are more likely to be involved with the purchasing decisions. Back in the 1990s, minivans were all the rage when it came to the hottest family vehicles, but sport utility vehicles were growing on popularity. With that in mind, the Atlanta Ford Dealers group made this commercial focusing on female buyers, showcasing the Windstar and Explorer with a pair of expecting mothers talking about why they picked a Ford.
Considering the number of female new-car shoppers, it is surprisingly that we don’t see more commercials that clearly focus on women. While commercials feature plenty of women, few take the approach of this regional spot from the 1990s.
All About Safety
The commercial begins with the two expecting mothers explaining that they chose a Ford because of their strong safety ratings. Both the Explorer and Windstar were at the head of their respective segments in terms of safety features, and both mothers felt that safety was the most important aspect of the vehicle.
In addition to showing these two vehicles in action with the families, this regional commercial from 1997 discusses the various discounts available at the time that the commercial would have aired in the Atlanta area.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
