Hello All + Ranger Advertising Question(s)

[RetiredCop2160]

Hi Everyone,

My wife and I just purchased a used 2020 Ranger XLT 4x4 in white. We (mostly me) love it so far. Stepping up, literally and figuratively, from a Honda HR-V is a real advantage for us as a couple. We live in the Tampa area and with the crazy West Central Florida drivers, we are happy to have the improved driver's positioning.

We haven't made any changes as yet, except for adding a pair of side steps. What an improvement on entering and exiting the cab! I'll attach a pic of the steps below.

My question is this: Why doesn't Ford advertise the Ranger on television or print media, for that matter? I cannot remember seeing even one ad for the truck. The only reason that I can come up with would be that Mother Ford does not have any difficulty in selling all that they can produce.

This is my fifth Ranger, starting with a brand new 1988. It was a bare-bones truck. No radio, no air, no power steering, five-speed manual, no carpet - absolutely ZERO options. I loved that little truck.

Thanks for reading...

Tom

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[IdahoRanger]

Welcome Tom. You will find this forum gives you ideas for the truck you didn't even know you needed and you will have some fun along the way.

 

[RetiredCop2160]

Thanks!

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

Welcome Tom.

Ford’s lack of advertising is a real mystery around here. I have side steps too and they’re handy. I’ve never heard of the brand you bought. Mine are from Westin, so I guess they are non-Binary.

 

[TxOTRRanger]

Welcome Tom! As Steve said you'll find stuff for your truck on here that you had no idea that you need or want for it lol.
Have Fun and Enjoy It!

 

[NotBudule2]

With the addition of the "Faverick" the Ranger is the middle child that gets ignored , think Jan Brady , and of course the F150 is...

 

[paval3]

When I was looking for a mid-size 4x4 pickup truck in 2021, in the back of my head I knew Ford was making the Ranger again but I never gave them a thought as I hadn't seen any, was looking at the Colorado which just didn't click for me. Then my one brother (who sees a lot of trucks first hand in our business... mfg. of truck caps) told me to go look at the Ranger, he liked what he's seen of the ones that have been in for cap installs.

My husband's first pickup was a basic 1986 Ford Ranger, black (not even a pinstripe), stick shift. It wasn't even 4x4. Great little truck for his long commute to and from work.

 

[Glocker]

I think the game in vehicle advertising is to show you the aspirational products tobget you looking, and then you'll buy either the vehicle that works out for you best or that you can afford.

 

[JimJa]

Suspect there are several things at play when it comes to Ford's lack of advertising for the Ranger (and Maverick). I'm verbose so hang with me.

To recover the huge losses in the government's push for EVs and EV battery manufacturing, prices of existing ICE trucks had to increase. The big profit makers for both Ford and GM are their full-size pickups. Very likely there is also an ingrained mentality within Ford for keeping the "F" series trucks as the #1 seller so the advertisement effort is there. The F-150 is also Ford's biggest profit maker. Given the current state of vehicle sales in the U.S., that may not be best way for the company to move forward. Although it's nice to have bragging rights, how many buyers are actually influenced by Ford being #1 in full-size truck sales for almost 50 years? In the words of Alan Mulally (Ford needs him back now), make the best product in every segment and let the customer decide - and they will.

Getting the first time truck buyer into a truck he/she NEEDS at a lower price with the future prospect of moving them up to a "F" series the next time will keep them in a Ford. By not pushing the Ranger and Maverick as a lower cost entry point that customer may be lost in the future.

After the initial "new truck ads" when the Ranger first hit the U.S. I've never seen a Ranger ad. Same for Maverick. I have no inside information but suspect Ford would have to sell more than a dozen Mavericks to make the profit of one F-150. The Ranger's metric should be a little better. For a huge percentage of the population that want a truck, the Maverick would suit them just fine. If I didn't tow a couple of times a year, a Maverick would work fine for me so I purchased a Ranger - again, my third.

 

[kentuckyboy]

Welcome Tom. You will find this forum gives you ideas for the truck you didn't even know you needed and you will have some fun along the way.

 

[kentuckyboy]

Hello All. I am on my third Ranger. First one a new 1983 four banger,straight shift. Sold it to a friend in 1995. Unbelievable but still had the original battery. Tires and brakes only parts replaced. Bought a new 1995. Basic features. Never had any issues but battery, brakes and tires. Sold to a friend and bought a new 2020 Fx4 xlt. Currently at 53,000 miles and just replaced tires, transmission fluid and filter,differential and transfer case fluid and brake fluid flush. Will change coolant at 60,000. All my vehicles get serviced at 5,000 miles no matter what the manufacturer says. Hope to get another 15 or 20 years.
Keep on truckin.

 

[21rangerCactus]

Because they dont have to. Tbh I don't see many commercials for the Maverick, colorado or the canyon. I do see f150, ram, silverado and gmc.

You advertise the halo and people come to the lot. Then you go from there.

 

[midwayfordranger2021]

I would tend to agree with all the guys on the above posts. With Ford, as well as GM...it's all about the full-size trucks. They are the big profit makers. and, especially this year for the F-150...they're about to make it to 50 years as the " World's Best Selling Truck" They are going to do everything they can to make sure this happens. When I needed a new truck in 2021, I didn't really want a full-size, so I looked into Ranger and Colorado/Canyon...[wasn't even considering a Toyota Tacoma].. but didn't really know much about them and was dismayed by both Ford and GM's seeming lack of interest in them by not advertising them. At the time..NOBODY had any of them on their lots and ended up driving hundreds of miles just to find some to test drive. I think they are all good products, and I decided on the Ranger [obviously]..but Ford certainly didn't make it easy for me !! The Maverick has the same problem.... I've driven them... I like them....they're very well thought out...and would consider buying, except I need the Ranger's towing capacity... and Ford doesn't market them either. But, anyway, I'm proud of my Ranger....super glad I bought it...but it would be nice to see it in advertising sometimes.

 

[LB'sTremor]

Welcome Tom! I think the advertising delima has been covered, and WOW them's some serious steps!!!

LB

 

[RetiredCop2160]

Suspect there are several things at play when it comes to Ford's lack of advertising for the Ranger (and Maverick). I'm verbose so hang with me.

To recover the huge losses in the government's push for EVs and EV battery manufacturing, prices of existing ICE trucks had to increase. The big profit makers for both Ford and GM are their full-size pickups. Very likely there is also an ingrained mentality within Ford for keeping the "F" series trucks as the #1 seller so the advertisement effort is there. The F-150 is also Ford's biggest profit maker. Given the current state of vehicle sales in the U.S., that may not be best way for the company to move forward. Although it's nice to have bragging rights, how many buyers are actually influenced by Ford being #1 in full-size truck sales for almost 50 years? In the words of Alan Mulally (Ford needs him back now), make the best product in every segment and let the customer decide - and they will.

Getting the first time truck buyer into a truck he/she NEEDS at a lower price with the future prospect of moving them up to a "F" series the next time will keep them in a Ford. By not pushing the Ranger and Maverick as a lower cost entry point that customer may be lost in the future.

After the initial "new truck ads" when the Ranger first hit the U.S. I've never seen a Ranger ad. Same for Maverick. I have no inside information but suspect Ford would have to sell more than a dozen Mavericks to make the profit of one F-150. The Ranger's metric should be a little better. For a huge percentage of the population that want a truck, the Maverick would suit them just fine. If I didn't tow a couple of times a year, a Maverick would work fine for me so I purchased a Ranger - again, my third.

Thanks for the very informative "essay" detailing the merits for, or lack thereof, any real advertising for the F-Series' little brothers. I really appreciate the time and effort it took to for you write your response.

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