FORD MOTOR COMPANY
Only one of America’s largest automakers didn’t take a single dollar of government bailout money: the Ford Motor Company. Instead, they focused on building better cars and trucks, invested early and deeply in environmentally thoughtful technologies, and willingly learned from their sub-brands (When you own Volvo, you know a little something about safety, right?). But as policymakers, influencers and regulators went about their jobs, it was important that Ford tell their story stand-alone; it wasn’t an auto industry story, it was Ford’s story. So by creating paid media about those technological advances that were better for the environment, positioning Bill Ford, Jr. almost like a candidate running the company his grandfather started, and not being afraid to be emotional when it came to safety, Ford’s inside-the-beltway communications helped to set them apart and pave the road to continued success in the marketplace.