Daily Slideshow: Some of Our Favorite Ford Truck Commercials
Ford has sold millions of trucks with its classic commercials over the last handful of decades. Here are some of the most iconic and unforgettable of the bunch.
Wake Up Call
This one is pretty tame by Leary’s standards but saves itself from being just any old boring truck commercial by throwing in that “cock-a-doodle-doo, pal” at the end. That’s vintage Leary condescension right there. You can’t teach that shit to just any haircut off the street. It takes talent—ever heard of it?—and the experience that only Leary has to pull that off.
Carrying the competition...literally
Ford trucks have been "carrying" the competition, literally and figuratively, for a long time. This classic commercial points out that superiority in all aspects - gas mileage, payload capacity, power, roominess, and value. Like today, the competition keeps trying, but it just doesn't match up to the country's best selling vehicle.
Built tough enough to take a drop
Tough trucks must have a tough suspension. To demonstrate the toughness of its truck's underpinnings, Ford decided to drop a 1978 pickup from a crane and see what happens. The result of the free fall was zero damage to the twin I-beam construction, and the truck proceeds to have some fun on the hilly dirt roads.
New trucks by way of helicopters
When you want to make a statement and introduce the world to your newest line of trucks, what better way to do it than in dramatic fashion? Ford did just that with its 1981 trucks by flying them onto a beach by helicopter. It's the kind of over-the-top performance that we love about old commercials.
Compact enough to get carried away
When the gas crisis hit in the 70's, automakers were scrambling as consumers were hungry for smaller vehicles and better fuel economy. Full-size trucks were hit the hardest, so Ford decided to hit back with this classic commercial. After touting the F-150's superior hauling and towing performance, Ford pointed out that the six-cylinder version of its iconic truck returned 21 miles per gallon, only five behind the four-cylinder Toyota. Meaning that consumers didn't have to give up the utility of a big truck to get reasonable fuel economy.
Taking down a mountain of cinder blocks
In this classic spot, also from the days of insanely high priced gasoline, Ford demonstrates the abilities of its 4x4 system and independent front suspension by climbing a mountain of cinder blocks. The fuel economy numbers for a four-wheel drive truck were excellent for its time, a trend that Ford continues to push today.
Flipping out over gas
In perhaps the most ridiculous stunt of a commercial ever made, Ford literally flips an F-150 over to make a statement about its class-leading gas mileage. The poor 1983 truck that sacrificed itself for this spot at least lands in a net, so there doesn't appear to be catastrophic damage. Regardless, this one makes a lasting impression.
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