Well done Ford. These commercials are very familiar with the images and voice. While Dodge has a great truck, their marketing is not up to snuff yet. The Chevrolet, well. They don't even have a truck yet worth marketing.

The problem with the "all new" Ram is they have a shorter bed, smaller cab, so less room for cargo and less room for passengers.

The highway fuel economy of the 2013 Ram is tied for an engine with the lowest payload and least towing and equals the city fuel economy of the Ford. The unavailable 8 speed Hemi will still have a shorter bed, smaller cab, less payload and towing and less torque.

Ford gives you the best balance: bed length, cab space, payload and towing. So unless you are just a Hemi fan you will probably shop for the Ford or wait on the GM's to see what they are up to.

Although Im a mopar fan these Ford commercials are the best commercials out right now. Ram is doing a good job sponsoring alotta things around that hit their target audience. Ford def wins commercials

It was a valiant effort by Ram. They gave it the old college try, but came up a little short.

I forgot fuel economy...Ford gives you the best balance: bed length, cab space, fuel economy, payload and towing. So unless you are just a Hemi fan you will probably shop for the Ford or wait on the GM's to see what they are up to. For still has the best balance of what people look for in a truck.

Cool commercials!

Do people actually buy vehicles based on commercials?

I hate this guy. I just wanna blow up my tv every time I hear him. so annoying and stupid sounding.

Use Mike Rowe for all the ads

Lou, Overtime they will buy. I suggest this article for you.
Why Good Advertising Works (Even When You Think It Doesn't)
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/08/why-good-advertising-works-even-when-you-think-it-doesnt/244252/

So contrary to many people's beliefs, advertising does influence them. But advertising's influence is subtle. Strident calls to action are easily discounted and rejected because they are obvious. But engaging and memorable ads slip ideas past our defenses and seed memories that influence our behavior. You may not think advertising influences you. But marketers do. And in addition to millions of dollars, they have something else most people don't have: Access to data that proves their point.

@johnny doe
I could not agree with you more I hate those kind of Ford commercials they are as annoying as any truck commercial has ever been they should stick to using Mike Rowe as you said.

@Mike - interesting link. When they talk about creating a positive memory or memorable advertsing, that is one of the areas that I think GMC has lost their way. The "Like a Rock" Bob Seger commercials were excellent. You combine a simple message with a stirring musical background. The Howie Long attack ad's did the opposite. They inadvertently advertised for Ford and Dodge.
I currently have a PVR (personal video recorder) box so I do not watch commercials.
Dennis Leary commercials didn't influence my purchase any more than Sam Elliott's baratone voice for Ram. I like the Ram ones better just because of the Western tough guy image of Sam Eliiott. Dennis Leary is just an annoying comedian.
OMG does that mean my next truck will be a Dodge?

I personally like Ram and Ford but Dennis Leary come on hes a nobody. Just like the guy who does the paint sprayer infomercials that once was a voice of ford. He was the pitchman for the freestar minivan= epic FAIL. Should stick with Mike Rowe.

Mike Rowe is more personable. You could talk to him over a beer and barbeque and he would convince you to try this new 2013 truck and you would thank him because he is likeable and down to earth. Mr. Leary is not that personable and as for cartoons maybe that would work with younger crowd that likes the Marvel comic movies. Lou is right about the Bob Seegar "Like a Rock" commercials for Chevy it is hard to get them out of your mind. One of the greatest advertising campaigns for any truck and Chevy has not had a decent ad since.

I think cartoon commercials are perfect for the Ford truck.
For me I think Sam Elliott is the strong rugged voice that is Ram. For once I totally agree with Lou. Dennis Leary is just an annoying comedian. Being a fan of country western and the rodeo. I love what Ram trucks are all about. Getting out in the outdoors. Camping, Riding, off Roading, all the things I love to do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EfYW0BlMG0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvo_bbMKJjo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJfGs3lNRyA&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLHfqG1Xnfc

My favorite adds were the "Like A rock" commercials with Bob Seger playing in the background.

I'm not a football fan and the Chevy adds made poor Howie Long look like a wannabe pansy metrosexual. WTF? You take one of the toughest football players around and give him that kind of material to work with? What a waste.

I've never been a Denis Leary fan, but Ford does use his voice and personality to great effect.

Toby keith , I'm not a country fan, but he does put foreward a tough image.

Sam Elliott - great voice, perfectly matched to the Ram comercials. I love those commercials because of his rich voice.

Mike Rowe - he is a funny guy, but i think his working man dirty jobs routine is getting old.

Tim Allen - funny guy, seems to be past his prime as far as celebrity media goes.

Posted by: Lou | Jan 23, 2012 3:32:50 PM

It was interesting how clips of commercials about Bob Segar and Like A Rock started start playing in Lou's head whenever he reads about truck advertising. It was also ineresting that he say Ford uses voice to great effect, puts forward tough image. He also loved the Ram ads.

Advertising works for the same reason people writing these posts say it doesn't. Human psychology.

How does Toyota manage to sell very ordinary vehicles?

They have convinced most around the world their vehicles are reliable.

It worked, you buy a low optioned vehicle with ordinary performance for an inflated price.

They are good vehicles but I don't think to Toyota premium is as good as people think.

@Mike Rowe fan - My favorite add is the "Like a Rock" commercial but I've never owned a Chevy truck. I owned a used GMC van. Like A Rock didn't stop me from trading it off for a Ford.
I like the Sam Elliott adds better than the others. His add didn't stop us from trading our Grand Caravan for a Sienna.
What vehicles do I have in my driveway?
1. 2010 Ford F150
2. 2010 Toyota Sienna
Please tell me again how an effective add has affected my purchasing patterns?
Are you an expert on human psychology?

@ Big Al - I agree that Toyota has done a masterful job with their products but I do not recall any advertising from them that is memorable. I know lots of people, myself included that are very happy with their Toyota products. Everyone also agrees that they tend to be overpriced. All agree that the trade off is in reliability and resale. I do not know a single person with a negative complaint about a Toyota product they own. I'd have to say the same goes for Honda. Word of mouth and seeing how others have faired with their vehicles sells alot of Toyota and Honda products. It also seems to be the pattern that Toyota and Honda products are purchased by more people with professional backgrounds.
I've heard a mixed bag of opinions when it comes to Ford and Chevy. Some swear by one or the other. Some say they have had problems with the opposite brand. Some have said they have had issues with their favorite brand. I've heard more negative than positve in relation to Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep.

Sam Ellitot ads were done after you bought your Sienna. Ads don't have to "work" by making you go out do something immediately. It influence works over a period of time. The Like a Rock Chevy ads may not have worked on a truck, but they are still haveing an effect on you to this day. They created an emotion. The Like a Rock ad might have had an influence, even slightly, on you buying a Chevy van.

Let's look at the trucks you have bought:
1) Ford
2) Ford
3) Ford

Ford Ranger, Ford F250 and Ford F150 specifically. All Fords. This may not have been the effect of ads but this is a purchase pattern of trucks.

I'm no expect but people get informed of new products though advertising. The only difference now is that there are move avenues to reach the public. You probably see more ads online than you did in the past. Unlike before, people just get an idea on TV or Radio or Newspapers. Now we get them on the net.

@HEMI V8 - I guess we had it coming, but where did you say you and the other Spam Boys assembled Rams? US or Mexico? Or did you say?

@Lou, Mike Rowe fan - I too loved the "Like a Rock" ad campaign and it ended too soon. Along came the piston-slap fiasco and the rest is history...

"Like a Knock"

"Word of mouth and seeing how others have faired"

Word of mouth is one of the oldest forms of advertising. It is hardly sufficient hower for either buyer or seller. For the buyer, the word-of-mouth concept is little more than an uneducated rumour mill. Speak with friends on a number of subjects, or hang around comments sections on the internet (PUTC? for instance), and most of the time the conversation is nothing but opinionated dribble. For the seller, to restrict yourself to word of moth only is unwise.

@Mike - The ad campaign that works best on me is 'reality'. The trucks I see on the road, at work sites and at play along with the honest reviews owners and drivers give their trucks. And mostly the trucks I see break.

@DenverMike, My Dodge Ram truck was built in Warren Michigan U.S.A.

@HEMI V8 - OK, so it's a half ton.

@HEMI V8 - I was just trying to be clear. Did you say you assembled or sold Rams for a living?

Lou,
If the Toyota and Honda owners have nothing negative to say, it is because they only want to defend their purchase no matter what and not be objective.

You don't see ngatives? It took me 2 seconds to find this.

Ridgeline RTL Review: Why I HATE it.

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25529

Maybe you don't see more of it because the sales are so bad or you choose not to look.

@DenverMike, No I am a commercial HVAC tech. Why?

On the Toyotas I will defer to Mike Levine.

"I'm not sure how you measure "catching up" but beyond an excellent powertrain, the 2nd gen Tundra has been a laggard.

Three years in and it still doesn't offer an integrated trailer brake controller. Trailer sway control for 2011 will only break the truck's wheels, not the trailers too. GM and Ford beat Tundra's fuel economy.

I'll mention some quality issues too: cracked tailgates, rear driveline, and unloaded ride quality.

I hope Toyota gets the engineering and features right in the next Tundra. I'll be the first to stand up and applaud."

Mike is a former Toyota Tundra owner and has driven these trucks weekly.

Come to think about it Mike has probably driven more Tundras than anyone on the planet.

@HEMI V8 - No you just give the impression that you have a dog in the fight, from a sales perspective.

I obviously lean toward Fords, but I'll never push their ad slogans or direct advertisement links.

Not my job. Not 'til they pay me...

@DenverMike, Don't worry about what I do. You worry about what you do. I had a Ford once. Never again. It caught on fire. I got screwed out of thousands. It was recalled but I had already traded it for a car that ran so I could get to work. When I bought my 03 Ram it was the most powerful 1/2 ton. Fully boxed frame, rack and pinion steering, 6.4" bed with four doors.
Ford and chevy had 5.3" bed. Not big enough for two YFZ 450's.
Plus I got a 7 year 70,000 mile warranty. Ford and Chevy 3 year 36,000. Love my truck. Lifted, Rancho suspension, K&N intake, flowmaster muffler,35.5" BFG's. 4.56 gears, auburn limited slip rear end. Pulls my 8,000lbs toyhauler up mountains at 70 mph. If you have never owned one you don't know what you are missing.

@Dave
That was a close one man you almost got me going again http://forums.pickuptrucks.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=620930&page=1&fpart=1 . Are you trying to get me banned? I am just messing with you all everybody knows all trucks have problems that get addresses by their manufacturers. The later in the generation you buy the better truck you buy.

@HEMI V8 - Hey that sucks and Ford no longer deserves you as a customer. Too many choices out there. Even though it happened to you personally, it's anecdotal to the rest of us. Car fires should happen more frequently when you think of all the possible sources and combustible materials.

I don't have a problem with Dodge or Rams and my mom has your exact truck except stock. It rides better than my F-150 and has a more aggressive sounding V8. It's pretty cool and all trucks have their plus and minus'.

Not to defend GM, but your quad cab is like their extra cabs. Their 5.3' bed is on their crew cabs which Dodge didn't even offer until '09.

@DenverMike, 2013 Ram will offer 6.4"bed with the crew cab.
Ram 2500 and 3500's are getting a 6.4L Hemi V8. I am so excited. My next truck is going to be a 6.4L Hemi V8 in my new
Power Wagon. I am not sure if I want a Crew Cab or a Mega Cab. Which is a class exclusive. Now that I have a toyhauler for my three YFZ's I am not sure I won't get the Ram Box another class exclusive now available on the 5'bed or 6'bed. I can't wait to get one.

I am a believer in the reliability of Toyotas.

In the last 4 years, I have owned or still own the following brands:

Pontiac
GMC
Ford
Honda
Subaru
Toyota

Bar none, I am the most impressed with my Tundra--the first Toyota I have ever bought. I have also owned a slew of Chryslers and GM products over the years and my last two 1/2 tons were both Fords.

Many of the Tundra "problems" that people post over and over were very isolated--and subsequently fixed by Toyota. I have experienced none of these issues--except that it does ride like a 3/4 ton.

Which is probably good since I work it like one. Close to 6000 miles have been with a slide in camper on the back travelling in the Rockies border to border. I have two trailers that I pull. Skidded trees. It hauls firewood, my fourwheeler, mine and my boys dirt bikes, etc.--and has been absolutely flawless in doing so.

The trailer sway control is such an non-issue--how many of us that have been around a few years have pulled trailers THOUSANDS of miles with no such device, and GASP! lived to tell the tale!

When in comes to MPG, the Tundra often has an EPA rating lower that others--but in most real world tests, it scores 1st or 2nd in real MPG. The most recent PUTC test is the ONLY one I have seen that not be true... .

If I didn't like my Tundra, I would tell it like it is, sell it, and buy something else.

@DenverMike, Just like when the 5.7L Hemi V8 came out in 02 in the 2500's. I think the 1500's will get the 6.4L Hemi V8 in 2014.

Congrats on your next truck and good to see Ram finally stepping up their game. The Ram Box is a true game changer.

F-150s have had a crew cab/6.4' bed combo for years now. Super dutys since forever.

I don't see there's too much demand for a Ford or GM mega cab fighter, but enjoy yours!

@DenverMike, Thanks. The Mega cab has storage behind the seats. I was thinking of putting some speakers back there. I don't know if it is necessary with the Alpine Ram offers.

@DenverMike, You got that right. The Ram Box allows you to put your Rifles in one side and your fishing poles on the other.
GET R DONE!

@DenverMike - 6ft 6 inch in the Ford trucks. GM is rumored to be coming out with a 6ft 6 inch box as well. Ram is 6ft 4 inch. I don't really see it as a problem unless you have something designed for a 6.5 ft box with tailgate closed and don't want to have to replace that item or don't care about having to leave the tailgate down.
@HemiV8 - I wouldn't be in the market for a new truck until you heal up and get off the opioids.

@Mike - my bad. The Sam Elliott ads were not out when we bought our vehicles. There were all sorts of ads around promoting Dodge and the Hemi with similar macho messages.
It still did not affect my purchase decision.
The "Like a Rock" ads did not affect my purchase of a used GMC van. What affected my purchase of the van was the fact that I knew the guy who owned it. I bought a used Ranger for the same reason. I knew the guy who owned it so therefore I knew the vehicle history.
My first truck was a Ranger. I bought it because I got a better deal on it than the S10. My second truck was a F250, and I bought it because I got a better deal than on a comparable Chevy. My current truck was the one that I did the most research on. My purchase criteria have changed over time but at the time I purchased any of those vehicles i felt that it was the best choice for me at that moment in time.
You do not know me, just like I do not know you so spare me the dime store psychoanalysis.

Word of mouth and seeing for one's own eyes are things that need to be combined for use as research tools. When my brother tells me the Chevy's he has for work have decent drivetrains but crappy bumpers, plastics, and interiors and then go for a ride with him in his truck - the 2 go together. Same goes for when I've ridden in his company Ford's or Dodge trucks. I know other guys that use their trucks for work too. Word of mouth from reliable guys and seeing their vehicles matter too.
@Dave - I'm talking about people I know reasonably well. They do not lie about their purchases or their problems especially if they are big problems. Like I said, I do not know anyone who has bad things to say about Honda or Toyota. Saying that one needed brakes, or routine maintenance doesn't count, or does that count in your books? What I consider bad is saying that one has tons of problems, or problems with a major component, or saying they would not buy another vehicle of that type or brand. I know only one guy who had a Tundra that needed a water pump gasket replaced. That surprised him because he had not had problems in any of his other Toyota products. Even with that being said, he did not view it as a big deal. I didn't either because that is the only problem I had heard of out of all the people I know. I know people who have had similar problems with "domestics". People will not complain about the odd event but they will complain about multiple problems.
People will talk a lot about a brand that they have had problems with if you say you are looking at that brand.
Would you lie about your Ford if it was a lemon?
Considering your comments, I'd have to say yes.
I know guys who do not like Fords, some don't like Dodges, some don't like Chevy's, and some don't like Toyota, or Honda. Some of those opinions are based only on the fact that they have only driven 1 brand. Some of it is based on negative experiences with a brand. There are those who haven't had major problems with any brand. It all depends on the person.

Using this site's blog as a shining example of reliable commentary on brands is laughable at best. Who would want to be honest with all the idiot trolls that are around?
What have I learned from this site?
I've learned that Fords are POS that catch fire and shoot out spark plugs like ICBM's looking for commies.
I've learned that Toyota's are runaway dangerous rusty unreliable POS that are unpatriotic to buy.
I've learned that GM products are also POS that require billions of government money to stay afloat, and have piston slap that would make a standing ovation at a rock concert sound lame.
I've learned that driving a Honda Ridgeline makes you less a man and is a POS that isn't really a truck.
I've learned from this site that Dodge trucks are built out of the same stuff that made superman. They are indestructible and the HEMI any HEMI is the absolute best engine that ever was created.
Have I missed anything?
(I hope that I edited out the parts that PUTC found offensive with my original post)

@HemiV8 - I wouldn't be in the market for a new truck until you heal up and get off the opioids. Posted by: Lou | Sep 7, 2012 11:57:47 PM

PHO SHO!

This was the commercial for my truck when I bought it. In fact this is my truck. 2003 Ram 1500 quad cab 4x4 black chrome 20's. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0THMwP_MXE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpL2YEcZctM&feature=relmfu

THAT THING GOT A HEMI?

I've learned from this site that Dodge trucks are built out of the same stuff that made superman. They are indestructible and the HEMI any HEMI is the absolute best engine that ever was created.
Have I missed anything?
(I hope that I edited out the parts that PUTC found offensive with my original post)

Posted by: Lou | Sep 8, 2012 12:03:28 AM

I NEW YOU WOULD COME AROUND! LMFAO!

@Hemi V8 - I liked those commercials because they were funny and didn't take themselves too seriously. I don't remember the dragster one. That was a good one too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpyweLbq1No

This one is my favorite.

@HEMI V8 that thing got a Vortec? hahaha sorry had to be a wise a@!

@hemiV8 - I had to laugh when I looked at the last one because there was a Mike Rowe Ford HD commercial that popped up and played before the Ram commercial played. Talk about product placement. LOL

Wow, it's almost like a political ad, the truth is nowhere to be found. Ford fails again, a billion plus dollar investment and a truck that doesn't come close to a 2005 Chevy Silveraldo in mpg, style, quality or durability. This will make the ford girls pee their panties but that's because they hold a I.Q. level of a village idiot.