As rivals chase the same milestone, Ford is staking its marketing moment on credibility over spectacle — and offering real discounts to back it up.
Ford Motor Company has launched a new campaign, titled “American Value. For American Values,” combining a television advertisement, an employee pricing promotion, and a series of charitable activations nationwide. The effort was announced on May 1 and timed to the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence.
The campaign positions Ford as a company that shares the values it associates with America: the dignity of hard work, community solidarity, and the independent spirit that, in the company’s telling, built the middle class.
“We’ve seen America at its best, and we’ve seen it through its greatest challenges. We know that the spirit of the American people is enduring, and it shines very bright even during hard times,” said Lisa Materazzo, Ford’s global chief marketing officer. “As the country approaches the significant milestone, we believe it’s the right time to reaffirm our role, not just as an automaker, but as a trusted, long-standing partner to America and the American people.”
As part of the promotion, Ford is extending employee pricing to customers at participating dealerships on most new 2025 and 2026 Ford and Lincoln vehicles through July 6. The company says the offer can save buyers anywhere from several hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on the model, with no rebate, coupon, or negotiation required.
“We’re not talking about a traditional promotion. We’re talking about aligning what we say with what we do — we wanted to bring those values to life,” Materazzo said.
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The campaign’s 30-second centerpiece advertisement features a montage of still images depicting workers across construction, emergency services, and manufacturing, including inside a Ford plant. Created by agency Wieden+Kennedy, the spot began airing this weekend around the Kentucky Derby.
“From a marketing standpoint, this is also a shift in tone to the messaging that’s currently flooding the airwaves: big, loud, bold gestures rather than action-oriented service,” Materazzo said. “Less telling people who we are, and more recognizing who they are. Credibility matters more than ever. Ford has always believed that American values are more than words — they’re actions.”
Local roots
Beyond the national campaign, Ford is taking its message to the community level. Through its Ford Building Together program, 250 dealers will partner with local nonprofits on initiatives such as blood and food drives.
Founded in 1903, Ford has been part of the American story for roughly half the nation’s existence. The company points to past commitments — including an early push to popularise the concept of a minimum wage — as evidence that its values predate the current marketing moment. Ford says it now employs more workers in the United States and assembles more vehicles domestically than any other automaker.
“Ford has consistently stepped up when America needed it most, and as America looks ahead to this next chapter, we’re very clear about our commitment. We are here, we are invested, and we are standing with the people who keep this country moving forward,” Materazzo said.
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A crowded field
Ford is not alone in staking a claim to the anniversary. Chevrolet has revived its classic “See the USA in Your Chevrolet” campaign for the occasion, while official America250 sponsor Stellantis, along with its Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram brands, launched its own campaign last month. Ford is not an official sponsor of the America250 initiative.
The campaign arrives on the back of a strong first quarter. Ford this week reported a 6 percent year-over-year increase in revenue to $43.3 billion. The underlying business came in roughly $2.2 billion ahead of expectations — even after accounting for a $1.3 billion tariff-related benefit — prompting the company to raise its full-year guidance to a range of $8.5 billion to $10.5 billion, up from $8 billion to $10 billion.
Asked whether the stronger financial results would affect marketing and advertising spending for the rest of the year, Materazzo declined to comment directly, but said the campaign had been planned well in advance and fits within Ford’s existing annual budget.
“We could plan for this,” she said. “We knew it was coming, and we were looking forward to helping celebrate this big milestone for America.”