Ford is back with its first global brand campaign in over 15 years: “Ready, Set, Ford.” Created with Wieden+Kennedy and voiced by Bryan Cranston, the platform shifts the spotlight from vehicles to the lifestyles they empower — from doers and creators to thrill-seekers and explorers.
With bold storytelling and high-energy spots like “To Those Who Can,” Ford signals its commitment to a new generation of drivers while reinforcing the passion, community, and trust that have defined the brand for more than a century.
Here’s what iSpot’s Creative Assessment platform revealed on actual viewer response to Ford’s “Ready, Set, Ford” campaign.
The Details:
- Across the “Ready Set Ford” launch creatives, the :30 “To Those Who Can” stood apart as the most persuasive to the American gen pop audience:
- Although the :30 “To Those Who Can” did not resonate as positively with viewers 50+, the younger target was very receptive to this creative, leading to consideration rates outpacing that seen for the more broadly resonant :15 “Take the Road Less Paved.”
- Both Cinematic ads were visually compelling to American viewers, sparking Curiosity as well as excitement:
- Comments on the “To Those Who Can” :30 praised the ad’s visuals, sense of adventure, and its ability to inspire.
- While not the intent of this particular campaign, some missed particulars on the vehicles themselves, finding the messaging vague or the lifestyle portrayed not a good personal fit.
- Comments on the “To Those Who Can” :30 praised the ad’s visuals, sense of adventure, and its ability to inspire.
Sample comments on “To Those Who Can” :30
“This is a very well done ad. It shows a variety of people from a variety of backgrounds coming together on Ford and I find that to be very true to life.”
Male 36-49
“I really like this ad & the visual scenes of what Ford stands for! It shows that Ford is built tough! It really had me intrigued! Good job!”
Female 21-35
“It grabs attention and draws you in. The diverse situations are interesting to watch. The message is very relatable and inspiring.”
Female 36-49
“I found the ad appealing and informative, which made me feel more interested and confident in the brand and its message.”
Male 36-49
“Bunch of people doing stupid things. Didn’t know it was Ford ‘til ending. Didn’t understand the message at all.”
Female 50+
“I really like that ad it was legit an action movie and got me excited. Very entertaining.”
Female 21-35
“Loved the tagline at the end. Some of the imagery was stressful, but I felt the footage of the runner was uplifting.”
Female 36-49
“Wasn’t sure what it was selling.”
Male 50+
“This ad showed a vehicle, Ford, taking up all kinds of terrain and being adventurous and trying to encourage people to do whatever they feel they can. The ad was exciting.”
Female 50+
“It’s energetic and like wow…and wow again. I loved it. There was a familiar face in there driving and steering away from a cliff. It was suspenseful and fast. But not too fast. It left me with a feeling like ‘Wow this is so cool.’ It was exciting and fun. Loved it.”
Female 21-35
“I thought it was cool and well done. I prefer this ad over deprecating or infantilising humor or attempts to poke fun at ‘relatable’ human scenarios. This action, kind-of, commercial is pretty cool.”
Male 21-35
- Both ads met or exceeded non lux auto norm performance across auto intender classifications, confirming overall appeal with both long- and short-term potential customers:
- Among viewers 21-49 specifically, “To Those Who Can” was clearly the most persuasive of the new campaign with six in ten willing to consider a Ford.
Among 21-49 only:
- iSpot media measurement reflects a slight favoring of “To Those Who Can” in Impression delivery over the two weeks 9/3/25-9/16/25 on linear, with only the :60 anthem also receiving support to date:
- Above-average Attention Indices in-market reflect strong media placements to date for the new campaign spots.
- The anthem :60 appears to have been confusing to some viewers and trailed non lux auto one-year norms across most performance metrics:
- The visual appeal was still isolated as the strongest aspect but the spot did not compel higher consideration.
- Ford branding was very successful and some Curiosity was sparked despite the lack of clarity. Some viewers felt the ad might have been trying to do too much or speak to too many different audiences, pointing to the opportunity to focus Spend on the individual shorter creatives.
- The visual appeal was still isolated as the strongest aspect but the spot did not compel higher consideration.
Sample comments on “Ready, Set, Ford” :60
“Honestly, I was kinda confused. The only reason I knew it was a car ad near the beginning was because of all the weird stuff happening at once. I don’t know anything about the cars other than they can apparently do some off-roading and racing. For a brand commercial it’s fine I guess, but I learn nothing from it.”
Male 21-35
“This ad was all over the place! Didn’t really know until the end it was for Ford once the white truck started being shown. It had me thinking it was some energy drink, or something like Gatorade.”
Female 21-35
“Standard Ford ad, but the subject matter was convoluted at best. Race cars, athletes, love, relationships, and cowboys. I say pick one and go with that.”
Male 50+
“I thought it was for a sports brand or racing car. It didn’t really seem like a car ad for everyday people, which I thought Ford caters for.”
Male 21-35
- The top performers of the “Ready Set Ford” campaign at launch also showed above-average response across followers of many sports, offering media flexibility:
Ford’s “Ready Set Ford” campaign shows the brand leaning into bold visuals, emotional storytelling, and a lifestyle-first mindset to reintroduce itself to a global audience. While there’s room to sharpen messaging and highlight product specifics, the work is already resonating with younger viewers and sparking curiosity across demographics. With strong early momentum and a strategy built on passion, trust, and possibility, Ford is positioning itself not just to compete in today’s crowded market, but to lead with confidence into its next century.
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Creative Agency: Wieden+Kennedy