The new Ford F-150 has a lot of pressure on it to perform. So Ford is taking the snark out of the ads. The new F-150 is the first to roll out with a lighter, aluminum body–and the company must convince customers that its signature truck is still “heavy-duty.” The new model is 700 pounds lighter than previous models and gets better gas mileage.
Denis Leary, the brash actor who since 2008 has portrayed the confident voice of the Ford F-150 on TV, will continue to create the auditory stamp for the brand. But with so much to communicate about the new rollout, Leary sounds more sincere in the new F-150 ads. Toby Barlow, chief creative officer for Team Detroit, which manages the F-150 brand, told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that Leary “drops the smart-aleck rant for a more positive, forward-looking message.” The ads begin airing on January 1 in time for the inaugural College Football Playoff.
