• April 18, 2007

Rough-edged playwright David Mamet, who has written plays featuring hard-bitten, down-trodden hucksters and drug addicts speaking in monosyllables, is directing ads for Ford. The auteur, who has not directed commercials before, will pitch the Ford Edge crossover SUV against Lexus and BMW.

The ads, which debuted on "American Idol" this week, focus on the Ford Challenge events that have spawned ad campaigns for Ford Fusion and other vehicles by having car-savvy consumers rate Ford versus competitive vehicles.

One of the ads, "Quieter than a Lexus," pitches the fact that Ford Edge beat against Lexus RX350 for interior quiet. The other spot does likewise versus BMW X5 in a 0-60 mph acceleration test. Both ads end with the line, "Spirit of a sports car ... versatility of an SUV. The all-new Edge." The ads were created by JWT Team Detroit as part of the Ford 'Bold Moves' marketing platform.--Karl Greenberg