Though a recent study found that Ford has one of the lowest female representations of any automotive brand in terms of the percentage of people that own and drive its vehicles, when it comes to sheer volume, it has fourth-most female owners of any brand. As such, The Blue Oval takes time each year to celebrate International Women’s Day, oftentimes with inspiring stories or special edition models. This year, however, the company is doing something a little bit different – it has debuted a Ford Explorer “Men’s Only Edition,” which is a unique way to celebrate the contributions women have made to the automotive industry over the years.
The Ford Explorer Men’s Only Edition is somewhat of a tongue-in-cheek commercial of sorts, though it’s also a clever way of enlightening the masses about just how big of a role women have played in the automotive business for decades to this point. It does that by introducing a “new” model that’s missing all of the features women have come up with over the years, including heaters, GPS, Wi-Fi, rearview mirrors, brake lights, turn signals, and windshield wipers.
In addition to this new ad spot, Ford is also spending this month celebrating the women who developed these now-essential features that we’ve come to rely on in modern automobiles. That list includes Hedy Lamarr, innovator of the communication system used in cellular technology, Wi-Fi, and GPS; Florence Lawrence, pioneer of brake and turn signals; Dorothy Levitt, creator of the rearview mirror; Dorothée Pullinger, innovator of the rearview mirror; and Dr. Gladys West, pioneer of the modern-day GPS.
In addition to these groundbreaking women and the folks that make Ford’s social media channels tick, the Ford Heritage Vault is also celebrating Women’s History Month with a selection of products designed and engineered by women, including the 1994 Ford Mustang, the 1975 Ford Granada, and the 1999 Ford Windstar.
We’ll have more on Ford’s efforts to celebrate women soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for 24/7 Ford news coverage.
A literal case of digging themselves a hole.
This one has received a respray, however.
Good thing they didn't overreact.
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Are you ok, sir? Simply acknowledging the contributions of women doesn't take away anything from the contributions of men. Furthermore, women have never been encouraged to join the automotive industry, so it's no surprise that their contributions are limited.
I understand your ego is fragile, but please do us all a favor and get over yourself.
Way to piss off 50% of the buying public!
which 50% do you have in mind?
Hey RWFA, I thought you knew everything. Why don't you know what Harley K is thinking?????????????????
A headline of "men's only" in this day and age? More the 50% of the population will immediately be up in arms before taking the time to watch the video.
This condescension in marketing is getting tedious.
LoL it's an awesome send up. Too bad it flew over your head.
Oh Ford your walking a fine wire with this.
This reminds me of when they tried to appeal to the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month, specifically their Europe division. I heard that strategy went over like a lead balloon. Wouldn’t be surprised if this much pandering to one base has the opposite effect.
LoL the pride themed paint jobs were very popular. In Western Europe well-adjusted folks don't get all flaky over L+ topics.
My own maternal grandmother was somewhat of. pioneer involving women and cars. No, she didn't invent or develop anything; what she did seems minor today.
In the late 1920s through the mid-30s, she'd pile my mother and my uncle into the car each summer and drive to where my grandfather was in his travels as a clothing salesman. They'd catch up with him, and then for a couple of weeks, drive him to his sales calls rather than him taking the train. Then, as school opening day came closer, they'd head back to New York.
This was all done on steeply crowned two-lane roads, and into some states that still were not licensing women to drive. No rest stops, no fuel and food plazas, no chains of hotels. She drove Durants, Oldsmobiles, Chevys, and Buicks. They had a roll-over crash in the Buick, and as luck would have it. it was one of the first all-steel cars. That likely saved their lives.
This right here is enough to make me sell my Explorer ST today!........Hey ladies guess what, the school you went to to get your FREE degree was built by a MAN!......the road you drove to get to school was built by a MAN! so seriously STFU!
The only reason i'm not going to buy an Explorer is because of the "ride Height" is that of a car chassis! It sit's to low for our need's & desires! Also the Ford Explorers body shell replicates a Subaru Outback, The Torque of the drivetrain does not have the same distribution as the Subaru in 4wd.
Poor Tigger. No matter what Ford does, Tigger tries to denigrate it with an appeal to Q, as if the marketing team can fix mechanical TGW.