The other posts are getting lengthy. Just a visual, what the car advertisements looked like when you opened your morning (or evening, remember those days, two or three editions). What I'm trying to show is how advertised in comparison with other automakers of "the day".
In most of the ads, Ford, like the other auto makers, open with "the big car" in their lineup.
Above should say "how Ford advertised compared with other automakers".
Rob
I was under the understanding that Ford wasn't real big on advertising. Guess I was wrong
Will,
Seems a lot of what we've "consumed" (been fed) may have inaccuracies. I think part of the problem is that instead of checking accounts of the day, people writing books about Ford rely on the stories and myths handed down by those a few generations removed from the actual events.
Also, in "historians" defense, they couldn't research online from their notebook/iPad while driving down the road (after pulling over, of course ).
Rob
I think it was the agencies (dealers) that did most of the advertising. Henry didn't feel he had to when times were good and when demand fell off he just pushed off excess inventory onto dealers to get rid of. If dealers complained he'd open another dealership across the street.
Remember 40-50 years ago when you set type in your Junior High School printing class, and you had to memorize where each letter went. I know the ads were pre-set, but look at all the print on each of those pages that was set by hand.
Em quads, En quads, we had to memorize the California job case before we got to use the composing sticks. Then there was setting it all up in the galley. Then if we were really good, we got to run the BIG press with open gears. Slip the sheet or card in and get your mitts out before the press came in and got you. My first "business card" introduced me as "nesnetroM nerraW". Mr. Petter, the instructor had several other names for me when he saw my proof.
I would have bought a Thomas hands down, nobody else compared.
Jeff,
I agree, and so did more contestants than for any other auto.
I have tried to find out who won, and what car they chose.
Rob
In one of my many past lives, when I was about twelve, an older cousin of mine started using his dad's printing press to earn extra money (his dad had recently been killed in a plane crash). So I was an experienced typesetter before I was in high school. And Yes I did take "graphic arts" (printing) for one year. I was pretty fast in those days. I am sure I couldn't do it today. But I sure wish I had that old press set up here today!
A lot more facts and truths are known about history today than was known forty years ago. Certainly that is true about the early automobile. I remember a lot of the things that were simply not known about the model T when I got into this hobby. Most of what was thought to be known was what people with faulty memories had said. I wish to thank Floyd Clymer for all he did to further the antique automobile hobby. But so much of what he published was in error. So much more is correctly known today than was known then.
Thank you again, Rob H, for sharing this and including us in your effort to correct some of the earlier misconceptions.
Do drive carefully, and have a very HAPPY NEW YEAR! W2
Pic of a 1907 Thomas and Ford Six (K) during a contest (I think the 1907 Glidden Tour).