• by Tanya Gazdik , January 1, 2021

Ford Motor Co. is launching a campaign for its new F-150 during the college football playoff games Jan. 1.

Demand for the pickup truck is far exceedingly supply, according to the Detroit Free Press. This new model is the first complete redesign of the F-150 since the 2015 model year.

The creative from Wieden+Kennedy pivots from “truck category norms” of “pure truck brawn” to focus on the people behind the trucks, and how the F-150 is a one-size-fits-all model for many American lifestyles.

The campaign “expands the definition of tough, pushing against the traditional tropes of the category like best-in-class hauling and towing (which F-150 maintains) by showcasing the smart features and technology of the truck,” according to the automaker.

Roughly 20 spots will air Jan. 1-3 highlighting the new pickup, which went on sale in early December.  The automaker originally planned for double that amount, but decided to shift half of the media buy to an effort that encourages Americans to take care of each other and “Finish Strong” while waiting for mass availability of a COVID-19 vaccine. 

Sales of the F-Series generate more revenue than the major sports leagues in the U.S. combined and exceeds that of many Fortune 100 companies, including Nike, Coca-Cola, Netflix and Tesla, according to an economic analysis from the Boston Consulting Group in September. 

The 60-second hero spot, “Cabin,” tells the story of an F-150 owner building a cabin in the woods, using nothing but his own ingenuity, can-do work ethic, and the useful capabilities of the all-new 2021 F-150.

The 30-second “Never Not Working” highlights the truck’s capabilities like a tailgate work surface featuring a power outlet for tools.

“Brand New Tough,” also 30 seconds, plays up the best-in-class available payload and towing and a cabin that can be converted to an office by flipping a panel in the center console out to make a desk-like workspace. 

The 15-second “Breakfast” demonstrates the truck’s 7.2 kilowatts of available electric power “in case you ever need your truck to power your kitchen.”

Finally, the 15-second “Business in the Back,” whose title is a tongue-in-cheek poke at the lmullet haircut (business in the front, party in the back), demonstrates how unlike the awful haircut, the F-150 is, again featuring the console that converts to a workspace.

Wieden’s last work for Ford launched in September and highlighted the automaker’s commitment to American jobs as the automaker that builds and sells more than 75% of its vehicles in the country, more than any other car company, and employs the most hourly U.S. automotive workers, according to a study commissioned by Ford.