Ford's latest set of commercials promoting their cars and trucks has me worried about the future of advertising and marketing.  [Click the image to the right to view the video.]

They have a Huey Lewis-looking guy talking to the camera and asking the rhetorical question "Why Ford?  Why now?"  Then he goes into the virtues of buying from your local Ford and Mercury dealer before asking his two questions again, then adding a third: "Why Ford?  Why now?  ... Why not?" 

Is it just me, or is that an extremely weak argument for me to go out and buy a Ford?  Come on, Huey -- I mean, Mike -- can you give me a little more incentive than just "Hey, I got nothing better to do today.  I might as well buy a Ford."  Tell us it's made in America (even if it's not); tell us Ford didn't take any Federal bailout money (which is admirable); or tell us that Ford is built to last (even if it is only designed to last until the warranty expires).  But please, give me something more than "Why not!"

I'm trying to invision the meeting where the Ford advertising department was sitting around the boardroom table, listening to the pitch from the ad agency. 

Ford's VP of Advertising says, "Let me get this straight.  We get a guy in his 40s with a deep voice and let him connect directly with the viewers by asking 'Why Ford?  Why now?'  He tells them how great Ford is, and then ends with a final question 'Why not?'"? 

The ad agency pitchman reassuredly answers, "Yeah, that's the commercial." 

Ford's VP:  "Are you crazy?  That's not a convincing commercial!  You have to give them a reason to buy Ford, not just 'Why not'."

Pitchman:  "Oh, but that's not all!  The guy talking to the camera will also be wearing a ball cap!"

Ford's VP responds excitedly as if the light bulb in his head has come on, "Oh, I see!  Why didn't you say so?  That's a great idea!  Everybody will be believe a guy in a ball cap.  Congratulations, you've got the contract."

If that's not how the negotiations went, it must have been the boss's nephew who came up with that weak idea.  As for the guy in the ad, it's not just some Huey Lewis-looking guy.  After hours of extensive research online, I discovered he is Mike Rowe, host of the Discovery Channel's show Dirty Jobs.  I've never seen the program, but if he's wearing his ball cap, it must be a great show!