The 1980s was a time when having the right TV advertising jingle that would get caught in everyone’s ears was key, and Ford was no stranger to cooking up some proper earworms.
Back in the ’60s, it had “Going Ford is the Going Thing” which was even released as a vinyl single, but the late ’80s brought along a different approach to Ford’s marketing as it posited the question: “Have you driven a Ford… lately?”
As ever, it was a true earworm; you can take a listen for yourself below. Like many other Ford (and Holden) commercials, it was borrowed from the brand’s American counterpart. But unlike many other classic jingles, this question begs many more questions of its own…
The Australian version was rolled out right at the end of the ’80s, while the American original (see below) hit screens back in 1984, admittedly with a very different kind of choral-pop tune to the dancier Aussie version.
Naturally, the verses of this jingle are quite self-explanatory: “Here’s the car that you’ve been waiting for / It’s a great way of driving, and a whole lot more.”
Yet still, that catchy chorus and strap-line does make you wonder… when it appears on the screen, with that ominous ellipsis at the end, surely it begs a response more negative than positive? Does it not read with more irony than positive surprise? How do you even answer to a question like that? In ’80s dance track form, it undeniably sounds great, but spelled out, it’s arguably a bit meaningless.
Either way, if you’re still singing the ever-catchy Aussie to yourself a week from now, you’ll know that it worked. “Have you, have you, have you, have you…”
