Ford drops an epic pep talk ad to salute the Detroit Lions playoff run

January 29, 2024

The Detroit Lions hadn’t been to a NFC championship game since 1991. They had a 24-7 lead over the San Francisco 49ers in the first half. Things were looking great. Eminem was flipping off the hometown Niners fans. All was right in the Motor City world.

Then the second half happened.

TLDR: The Lions dropped their 17-point lead and eventually lost to the Niners 34-31, missing out on a chance to play in the Super Bowl for the very first time.

The Detroit-based Ford Motor Company felt their pain and late last night dropped a pretty epic pep talk salute to the brand’s favorite NFL team.

Created by Wieden+Kennedy New York, and narrated by Michigan native Jeff Daniels, “Pride Is Built” is not just a play on the brand tagline “Built Ford Proud,” but a tribute to the grit of this team and city.

“Here’s what you need to know. Up here we don’t have the luxury of stumbling into a winning season. We aren’t handed easy victories. We aren’t handed anything. We have to reach and grab and fight because there are no shortcuts here.

Are you kidding me? Have you been here? To Dearborn? To Flat Rock? To Ypsilanti? This is a land where you can’t fake it. No quick fixes here. No gimmicks.

We are Detroit. We aren’t going anywhere. We are knocking at the door again and again—made for January and February. We will be back. We are the people, the town and the team who know that pride is built.”

It’s no surprise that the brand has come out with something to support the team that plays in Ford Field, and is owned by Sheila Ford Hamp. But for what is typically a quick social post situation for brands, the level of craft and quality here is notable.

But again, not surprising. W+K have become masters of the sports reaction ad. From quick hits like Nike’s tribute to Tiger Woods after the two parted ways earlier this month, to the wonderful Nike spot that was the first thing to air on Fox as soon as the 2016 World Series broadcast cut to commercial following out number three and the Cubs’ victory.

The new Ford ad might be the best spot to tap into the hard-luck charm of Detroit itself since the 2011 Super Bowl, when Chrysler dropped “Born of Fire,” widely considered one of the best big game ads ever made.