Ford Has Europe's Trust

Trust me, I am a Doctor

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Recently read about a survey that deserves a mention. 24,000 European Reader's Digest readers from 15 different countries were asked to rate "trust" among all vehicle brands, and for the seventh consecutive year, Ford was the winner.

Points covered were value for money, image, quality, and the reader's relationship between trust in the brand and criteria such as environmental responsibility and ethical standards.

Pretty heady stuff, and it made my wheels spin on the potential results of such a survey among U.S. drivers. First off, would trust be impacted by the company's ethics and environmental standards? Unfortunately, not likely. This is where we have a lot to learn from Europe, as chasing the all-mighty dollar or bargain is still much too strong of a creed in the US. But we are getting better.

So...who would fare well on this side of the Pond? Not sure why, but my initial thoughts fall to the European luxury brands. But I have a sneaking suspicion that these luxury car owners might not feel the same as the rest of us. You see, it is an 'inconvenient truth' that many BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, etc., owners are saddled with heavy regular maintenance and parts invoices when their rides exceed warranty coverage.

But maybe "trust" among car brands is something all together different? Maybe more a measure of the affinity we have with our chosen favorite...our "soul mate", if you will? The brand we decide to purchase is often a reflection of our view of ourselves. What do we deserve? What do we want to project? Who do we want to be? After living in the U.K. for two years, I can understand Ford's success in this survey as their reliable and 'no-surprises' image plays very well among an English population that generally rewards such behavior among the citizenry. And the recent Ford design renaissance in Europe has kick started new appeal among the Continentals.

But what brand do you trust? Good chance it is the brand sitting in your garage or driveway right now.

Posted on 2007-05-07 | Permalink | |

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