Ford Motor Company has faced backlash over a woke advertisement for its popular mid-size pickup truck, the Ford Ranger Raptor. An advertisement from 2022 highlights the company’s goal to redefine “tough.” The commercial began circulating throughout conservative circles on social media in mid-2023, receiving criticism amid the palpable energy from the Bud Light boycott as Americans were growing tired of overt wokeness from mainstream brands.
The advertisement shows two Ford Ranger Raptors racing through rugged terrain, showcasing their off-road capabilities. Covered in mud, the vehicles pass through a pool of water, washing off the dirt and revealing one of the trucks to have a pride-themed rainbow paint job. The design featured a massive rainbow that covered the hood and extended down the side of the vehicle.
Conservatives on social media predictably criticized the company, with some suggesting it had damaged the brand reputation that Ford spent over a century building. The popular X account I Meme Therfore I Am shared the clip of the commercial, writing, “Ford: How to destroy 120 years of American car history in one minute. I’m so sick of woke companies.”
Explaining the company’s goal with the ad, Ford Media released a statement in June 2022 titled “FORD’S ‘VERY GAY RAPTOR’ SET TO REDEFINE ‘TOUGH’ AT GOODWOOD” that reads, “Ford will continue demonstrating its allyship with the LGBTQ+ community at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this week, bringing “Very Gay Raptor” and the Next-Gen Ranger Raptor along for the ride.”
The statement further noted, “The appearance of “Very Gay Raptor” at the event near Chichester, UK, will be used to further initiate important discussions and aimed at driving out discrimination in the automotive industry, and beyond. As part of this, Ford will be presenting live sessions of its new “Tough Talks” series at Goodwood from the truck bed of “Very Gay Raptor”, hosted by Welsh rugby legend Gareth Thomas, the first openly-gay rugby union player.”
Building on that point, it continued, ” The sessions will explore how the automotive industry can foster a culture of inclusion and allyship for the LGBTQ+ community, covering a range of topics and featuring guests such as racing driver Abbie Eaton, comedian Catherine Bohart, and Lord March – the son of the Duke of Richmond, who founded the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Goodwood Revival. Created in 2021, “Very Gay Raptor” was born in response to a negative comment on social media, with Ford rendering its most badass nameplate in sparkling gold adorned with rainbow graphics. The positive response online was so overwhelming the manufacturer decided to make it real, and has been using it as a tool to help drive out discrimination ever since.”
Addressing the controversial commercial, the statement read, “In a video teasing the appearance of “Very Gay Raptor” and Next-Gen Ranger Raptor at the event, both vehicles speed through off-road trails covered in mud – at times taking different paths, facing off, yet displaying their equally impressive and tough abilities, regardless of their differing identities.”
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Watch the ad for the “very gay Raptor” below:
Note: The featured image is a screenshot from the embedded video.