🚗 Ford's Media Strategy

🚙 Hybrids Surge, Apple Goes Big, and Staying Ahead

February 25, 2025

TOGETHER WITH

 

Good morning, and welcome to a Terrific Tuesday!

Fun fact: Terrible and Terrific share the same Latin root "terrere"—which means to frighten.

So, in a way, terrific is just terrible that got an attitude upgrade.

Flip some words today, Friend, and of course …

Keep Pushing Back,
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

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February’s Green Light, DOGE Cuts NHTSA, and Ford Taps Storytellers

February Auto Sales Rebound—But Will the Momentum Hold?

After a sluggish January, new-vehicle sales are bouncing back. Cox Automotive forecasts a 16.3M SAAR for February, marking the sixth straight month of YOY growth. But with policy uncertainties and economic shifts on the horizon, will the market keep up the pace?

What’s driving the rebound?
Buyers who delayed purchases in January—thanks to bad weather, California fires, and post-election uncertainty—are back in the game.

🔹 February’s projected SAAR: 16.3M, up from January’s 15.6M
🔹 Sales volume expected to hit 1.25M, up 11.3% from January
🔹 2025 forecast: Modest 2% sales growth—unless tariffs or EV policy shifts shake things up

"New-vehicle sales have remained relatively strong since the election...but policy changes could have significant negative effects." —Charlie Chesbrough, Cox Automotive

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Regulation Rollback or Conflict of Interest?

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is making big cuts at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)—specifically, nearly half of the team overseeing autonomous vehicle safety.

Why does this matter?
Because as Tesla’s robotaxi service gears up in Austin, the agency regulating it is shrinking. Coincidence? Maybe. Strategic? Probably.

🔹 DOGE is reducing NHTSA’s workforce by 10%, hitting its AV oversight team hardest.
🔹 The timing aligns with Tesla’s push to scale up its autonomous fleet, despite ongoing safety scrutiny.
🔹 Industry watchers are questioning whether this is a policy shift toward innovation or a potential regulatory gap that could impact public trust.

The NHTSA says, “We need smart regulation that keeps up with technology, not regulation that gets left in the dust.”

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📢 Ford’s Media Makeover: Built for Creators, Not Just Journalists

Ford just overhauled its press room, swapping old-school corporate comms for a creator-friendly content hub. From the Road is Ford’s new media center designed for influencers, employees, and brand enthusiasts who shape narratives online.

Why the shift?
Traditional press kits weren’t cutting it—so Ford built a space where creators can easily access and repurpose brand content.

🔹 New Hub, New Approach: A mix of Ford-produced and user-generated content replaces dry press releases.
🔹 Data-Driven Move: More consumers trust influencers than mainstream media for brand news.
🔹 Dealer Relevance: Expect more organic, community-driven storytelling that shapes how customers perceive Ford.

"We’re entering this era of people building their own content ecosystems," said Ford’s Ian Cohen.

More on This from The Automotive Troublemakers

🥊 Quick Hits

  • Uh, they’re making a sequel to Groundhog Day. Which is kinda poetic if you remember what the original movie was about. 🦫

  • Volkswagen ID.Buzz faces steep discounts up to $15K as EV demand softens and federal incentives face uncertainty. 🐝

  • Apple’s $500B U.S. investment, including 20K jobs and a Texas factory, aims to counter Trump’s tariffs and secure supply chain stability. 🍏

  • Lotlinx’s Q4 Vincensus Report highlights hybrid sales surging 23% QoQ, EV growth, rising inventory challenges, and AI-driven dealership strategies.🔋

Cox Auto Is Keeping Dealers Ahead of the Curve

At NADA 2025, we caught up with Derek Hansen of Cox Automotive to talk about what’s coming for dealers this year. The industry’s got momentum—new and used car sales are up, but sourcing inventory is still a challenge. That’s where Cox is stepping in with enhanced appraisal tools, better group performance tracking, and smarter strategies to help dealers stay competitive.

Hansen also reflected on Dale Pollak’s lasting impact on the industry and how Cox is carrying that legacy forward.

Check out the full conversation above, and if you want more insights from the JD Power Summit, here’s the full playlist.

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

🗓️ Coming Soon

  • 🦀 May 13-16th — ASOTU CON in Baltimore, Maryland. Get the app! (check a few things you can expect below!)

    • May 13: Welcome Reception

    • May 14: Full Day of Content and Night 1 Happy Hour by Reunion Marketing

    • May 15: Full Day of Content and Night 2 Happy Hour by Foureyes

    • May 16: Go Home Energized To Win With Your Team

🔁 Today in History

  • 1836: Samuel Colt is granted a United States patent for his revolver firearm. 🔫 

  • 1919: Oregon became the first state to implement a fuel tax. ⛽️ 

  • 1964: 22-year-old Cassius Clay (Later called Muhammad Ali) shocks the odds-makers by dethroning world heavyweight boxing champ Sonny Liston in a seventh-round technical knockout. 🥊 

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