With coronavirus cases expected to surge after the holidays, Ford is trading car commercials for an ad urging Americans to “Finish Strong.”
Billed as a “public call to action,” the campaign calls on Americans to remain vigilant until COVID-19 vaccines are more widely available.
The centerpiece of the campaign is a 30-second commercial that was created by Peter Berg, who is best known for his work on Friday Night Lights, Lone Survivor and Patriots Day. The ad is narrated by Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston and highlights the difficult job healthcare workers have faced for most of the year. It will be aired during this weekend’s Peach, Rose and Sugar Bowls.
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While the video doesn’t go into specifics, it’s effectively telling people to continue wearing masks and practice social distancing. Ford noted these moves could potentially save 50,000 lives by the end of March, according to estimates from health officials at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine.
While automakers embraced coronavirus-inspired ads early in the pandemic, they’ve largely become a thing of the past. However, Ford’s President of the Americas & International Markets Group said “We’re in this together and Ford’s goal since the pandemic started has been to try to help save lives.” Kumar Galhotra went on to say “While many are weary from the challenges 2020 has thrown at us, now is the time for us to pull together, protect each other and finish strong until COVID-19 vaccines arrive more broadly. Lives are on the line.”
Like other automakers, Ford stepped up during the pandemic and transitioned to building personal protective equipment and ventilators. So far, the company has built 55 million masks, 20 million face shields, 1.4 million washable gowns, 50,000 ventilators and more than 32,000 powered respirators.