FORD called out its hometown competitors to establish itself as the most American auto company in the country just days after the CEO announced a major change.
During the NBA finals on Monday, June 16, Ford released a 30-second ad calling out other auto companies.
Ford released a commercial calling out its competitors[/caption]
The company declared itself as the most American automaker in the country[/caption]
The company called itself the most American of its competitors, referencing how it notably declined a taxpayer bailout during the 2008 financial crisis.
While the competitors didn’t get named, Ford‘s direct competitors in the US are General Motors and Stellantis (formerly Chrysler).
“If they were like us, they would have said no to the taxpayer bailout and added thousands of American jobs,” said the Ford employees in the ad, seen working in factories.
During the crisis, GM and Chrysler benefited from federal bailouts that helped keep their companies in business.
However, Ford chose to borrow $6 billion from the Department of Energy and mortgage its assets before the crisis.
Now, it appears the company is referencing the crisis as the government is currently pushing to bring manufacturing back to the US.
Ford said in a statement that it is the only manufacturer among the “Big Three” to increase hourly jobs in the US since the recession.
“Ford employs 56,500 hourly autoworkers in America — more than anyone else — and you will meet four of them in our new Ford Motor Company: From America, For America ad that airs first during the NBA Finals,” Ford said in a statement.
“Our employees assemble more vehicles in America than other automakers. And 80% of the vehicles we sell in America are assembled here.”
Ford added 4,500 jobs, compared to GM, which went from 78,000 in 2007 to 47,000 in 2025, and Stellantis, which has gone from 45,000 before the recession to 38,800 today, according to data from Ford.
RARE ISSUE
The ad comes as Ford’s CEO Jim Farley opened up about the “day-to-day” struggle that has sometimes made car production impossible.
The CEO made the admission last week, speaking about supply chain issues stemming from America’s tense trade relations with China.
Ford and other US automakers rely heavily on China to get rare earth minerals, which are essential to car production.
American companies get about 90% of their rare earth supplies from the rival nation to build features such as windshield wipers, seat belts, and speakers, CBS News reported.
However, after President Donald Trump launched a trade war with the country that resulted in China implementing a 125% revenge tariff, automakers were left worried about the future.
Now, Farley has revealed that the trade issue has had devastating effects on the iconic American brand.
“It’s day to day,” Farley told Bloomberg TV.
“We have had to shut down factories. It’s hand-to-mouth right now.”
It’s unclear which factories were closing or for how long.
“We’re the largest US producer. A lot of people don’t realize that Ford exports a lot of cars outside the US,” Farley told Bloomberg in February.
“We don’t have a lot of excess capacity.”
However, Farley hopes that the US will strike a deal with China that will leave both countries pleased, adding that Ford is working with China‘s Ministry of Commerce to approve new trade plans “one at a time.”
“We’re educating the administration,” he told Bloomberg.
“We’re educating the Chinese leadership about how important these jobs in the Midwest that are dependent,” he said of China’s rare earth supply.
The U.S. Sun reached out to Ford for comment.
It comes after the Ford CEO announced a major change to the company[/caption]
In the ad, Ford mentioned the 2008 financial crisis[/caption]
