.g.-. Mb-§’;~.‘x . u. THE INFLUENCE OF RALPH NADER'S BOOK; UNSAFE AT ANY SPEED, 0N AUTOMOBILE PRINT ADVERTISING Thesis for the Degree of M. A. MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY RICHARD LEES G'RINGHUIS 1969 IIIIIIIIIIIILIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 310515 6461 RETURNING MATERIALS: Place in book drop to remove this checkout from IASLI LIBRARIES . 4—1. your record. FINES WT” be charged if book is returned after the date stamped below. . . (a. £44316? an: I“ -~ 106203 08 I ““‘e‘ ; ,.,‘151998 I #90; yam EJLU 0 6 2010 a . \\ CIX'\ ‘ 1 w x. ‘\ no, I-; at u S “ ~ ; mglfi :012 ABSTRACT THE INFLUENCE OF RALPH NADER'S BOOK, UNSAFE AT ANY SPEED, ON AUTOMOBILE PRINT ADVERTISING By Richard Lees Gringhuis The problem under discussion in this thesis is exactly what the title says. What influence did Ralph Nader's book have on automobile print advertising? The data was gathered from articles in advertising trade publications, reports by and on the automotive in— dustry, and actual advertisements in general consumer print media. Nader's criticisms from his book formed the base of this work. The major finding of the study was that it does not appear that Ralph Nader's book had any direct in- fluence on print advertising. Rather, its influence was on those groups (largely governmental) who had the power to bring about changes or reforms, even though the auto industry would not look favorably on them. THE INFLUENCE OF RALPH NADER'S BOOK, UNSAFE AT ANY SPEED, ON AUTOMOBILE PRINT ADVERTISING By Richard Lees Gringhuis A THESIS Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS Department of Advertising 1969 ACKNOWLEDGMENT The author wishes to thank Professor John w. Crawford, Chairman, Department of Advertising, College of Communication Arts, Michigan State University, for his inspiration and help. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENT . . . . . . . . . LIST OF TABLES . . . . . . . . . . LIST OF FIGURES . . . . . . . . . . INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . .. . Chapter I. THE CORVAIR SYNDROME Design' 8 Insidious Hazards. . . The Right to See . . . . . The Vinyl Covered Killers . . . II. OUTRAGE AND APPROVAL . . . The Government Reacts III. THE 1956 FORD "SAFETY" CAMPAIGN OR SAFETY DOES NOT NECESSARILY PAY . . IV. IF IT IS SAFETY THEY WANT V. A CAR IS A CAR EXCEPT WHEN IT IS A STATUS SYMBOL . . . . . . . The Consumer, The Manufacturer and Auto Safety. . . . . . . A Big Car Is A Safe Car. . . . Some Findings . . . . . . . VI. THE AUTOMOTIVE SAFETY STANDARDS ACT VII. CONCLUSION . . . . APPENDIX 0 O O O O O O O O O O O BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . iii Page ii iv .1: \DCDN 1A 20 23 29 109 11“ 117 118 120 122 126 129 LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Leading Causes of Injury Ranked by Two MethOds I 0 O O O O O O O 0 0 11 iv Figure 1. ll. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. LIST OF FIGURES Ford Motor Company: A Positive View of Good Driving Habits, (Partial) . . American Motors 1966 Classic Cross Country Station Wagon. . . . . . . . American Motors 1966 Rambler American. Chrysler Corporation Dodge Charger. . Chrysler Corporation Dodge Polara . . Chrysler Corporation Plymouth Barracuda Chrysler Corporation Plymouth Barracudas. Ford Motor Company, Mercury Cougar Dan Gurney Special . . . . . . . Ford Motor Company, Mercury Caliente Grande. Chrysler Corporation Chrysler . . . Chrysler Corporation Imperial . . . Ford Motor Company, Ford Mustang . . Ford Motor Company, Ford . . . . . Ford Motor Company, Mustang/Galaxie 500 Better Ideas Sale . . . . . Ford Motor Company, Thunderbird. . Ford Motor Company, Lincoln Continental General Motors . . . . . . . General Motors Mark of Excellence . General Motors Mark of Excellence . . Page 31 35 37 39 41 A3 146 A8 50 52 55 57 59 61 6A 66 68 71 73 Figure 20. 21. 22. 23. 2A. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. General Motors, Chevrolet Corvair . General Motors, Chevrolet Impala General Motors, Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396 . . . . General Motors, Chevrolet Camaro General Motors, Pontiac Station Wagon (Executive Safari) General Motors, Pontiac General Motors, Pontiac: Used Car . . . . General Motors, Pontiac General Motors, Pontiac General Motors, Pontiac Catalina Value As A LeMans . GTO O O 0 Grand Prix. General Motors, Buick Riviera . . Page . . 85 . . 87 . . 96 . . 98 General Motors, Buick As a Safe Family Car . . . . . . General Motors, Oldsmobile Toronado General Motors, Cadillac . . . vi . 101 . . 103 . 105 INTRODUCTION Book titles and advertising headlines have several purposes in common. Both must serve as narrative hooks. Both must have punch. If controversy can be implied, so much the better to peak reader interest. Unsafe At Any Speed, by Ralph Nader, had them all. Nader went to Washington in 1964 to begin his cru- sade against what he saw as the tragic, almost criminal, actions of the auto industry. An article in the New York Times Magazine1 charac- terized Nader as a man who had "chosen to make society's problems his problems and as a result he exists in a state of constant, barely controlled outrage." The Times went on to say that he feels his career is one of opposition to those power centers that are in— fringing on the public interests. As a result Nader, only thirty—three years old, advanced through the Wash— ington scene and found himself transformed from crackpot to celebrity. lPatrick Aderson, "Ralph Nader, Crusader; or, The Rise of a Self-Appointed Lobbyist," The New York Times Magazine, October 29, 1967, p. 25. Nader's work stems from two basic fears. The first of these is that modern science and technology are used more often against the consumer than for him. The second fear is the way in which corporations deal with the public and their employees. Nader found that when a lawyer or scientist goes to work for a cor— poration, he must essentially give up his right of free speech. It was the first fear that prompted Nader to take on the automobile industry. When Nader was attending Harvard Law School, he became interested in the subject of auto safety. While doing research on automotive technology, he became con— vinced that modern traffic laws placed all the blame on the driver and none on the driver's vehicle. He found that it was futile to argue his convictions on the local level, and he made the decision to take his case to Washington. There he was hired as a consultant by Daniel P. Moynihan, then Assistant Secretary of Labor, to write a report on auto safety. Upon completing this report, Nader left the government, holed up in a fur- nished room, and wrote his book, Unsafe At Any Speed. The climate for government action in the area of auto safety had been improving all the while, and Nader's book contributed further to this favorable climate. However, it usually takes an event of disastrous prOportions to marshal Congressional passage of consumer— protection legislation. In Nader's case, the scales were tipped by General Motors' ill-advised use of a private detective to harass Nader. GM claimed they hired a detective to merely do a routine investigation of Nader. However, Vincent Gillen, the detective, testified he was hired to probe Nader's religion and sex life to find something that would silence him. The attempt failed miserably. GM was publicly humiliated, the auto safety bill passed, and Nader insti- tuted a $26 million invasion of privacy suit which is currently awaiting trial. Fortune reported one GM competitor as saying, "I get mad everytime I think about that stunt. They made the entire industry look bad and we're all going to pay for it."2 2Dan Cordtz, "The Face in the Mirror at General Motors," Fortune, August, 1966, p. 210. CHAPTER I THE CORVAIR SYNDROME For over half a century the automobile has brought death, injury and the most inestimable sorrow and deprivation to millions of people. With Medea-like intensity, the mass trauma began rising sharply four years ago, reflecting new and unexpected ravages by the motor vehicle.3 The principal reason why the automobile has remained the only transportation vehicle to es— cape being called to meaningful public account is that the public has never been supplied the information nor offered the quality of competi- tion to enable it to make effective demands through the marketplace (for a safe automobile). The consumer's expectations regarding automotive innovations have been deliberately held low and mostly oriented to very gradual annual style changes. This is, as Nader sees it, the basic "crime" of a monolithic industry. His book revolves around the thesis that the automobile industry has given safety a back seat to the stylists. Nader chose the Chevrolet Corvair as a prime example of the laconic attitude of the industry toward safety. 3Ralph Nader, Unsafe At Any Speed (New York: Pocket Books, a division of Simon & Shuster, Inc.), 1966, p. 5. uIbid., p. viii. "Previous to 1965 the (Corvair) was probably the . . worst all around handling car available to the American public."5 The Corvair was not a simple engineering blunder, "but rather a tragedy which began with the (idea for) the Corvair."6 In other words, the basic engineering principle employed in the design of the rear-end of the Corvair was a mistake. This mistake resulted in more than 100 suits alleging instability in the Corvair being filed around the country by October of 1965. The Corvair employed a swing axle suspension system that was touted to improve riding qualities. However, this resulted in "a peculair friskiness" in the car. With some 60 per cent of the car's weight centered over the rear, . . . body lean becomes a considerable force acting to tuck both wheels under in a cornering attitude. This results in loss of adhesion because of lowered tire surface contact. The sudden breakaway which has been experienced by every Corvair driver comes when a slight irregularity in the (road) surface destroys the small amount of adhesion remaining.7 One way to compensate for this was through the addi- tion of a stabilizer installed at the rear of the Car, thus distributing some of the roll of the front wheels. But Chevrolet did not see fit to do this until the 1964 model year. 51bid., p. 14. Ibid., p. 15. 7Ibid., p. 10. Meanwhile a small but thriving industry grew up around this need for stabilization of the rear—end of Corvair. It advertised stabilizer bars for the Corvair in special car buff magazines, which reach an admittedly limited audience. Nader said, "The absence of any corrective action year after year can be explained by bureaucratic rigidi- ties and the abject worship of that bitch goddess, cost reduction."8 When Corvair finally did add a stabilizer, one of the car magazines commented that they were glad to see this addition, and that the Corvairs of the preceding years had been one of the "nastiest" little cars ever built to drive.9 However, there were other factors contributing to the Corvair's instability. These factors resulted pri- marily from a communication breakdown between manu— facturer and dealers. It involved tire pressures for the Corvair. The manufacturer said tire pressure in the front was to be fifteen pounds per square inch (psi) and twenty—four pounds psi in the rear. What the dealers were not told, evidently, was that these tire pressures were critical to the stability of the car. Consequently, according to Nader, dealers would sluff off these Ibid., p. 28. 91bid., p. 1A. pressures when customers asked and tell them it was all right to maintain equal pressure in all tires. The driver had no course but to accept the dealer's sug- gestion. Design's Insidious Hazards Nader dealt in his second chapter with "Disaster Deferred: Studies in Automotive Time Bombs." Here, he a was primarily concerned with "design defects," which "occur on all vehicles of a make or model."10 These defects, claimed Nader, were "born of deliberate knowledge (and were) far less likely to be admitted by car makers. . . . And, of course, motorists were not warned of these hazards in owners' manuals."ll Nader cited as an example the automatic shift pat- tern used until recently on many cars. The pattern was Park, Neutral, Drive, Low and Reverse (P N D L R). "The design of automatic transmissions departed from long accepted principles of all types of mechanical controls . . . to place Neutral between the Reverse and Forward gears."l2 The placing of Reverse at the end of the series resulted in many drivers thinking they were in Reverse and then proceeding to drive through the rear of the 10 11 Ibid., p. 42. Ibid., p. A3. 12Ibid., p. 45. garage. The author has had a similar experience and can attest to the hazard of such a quadrant series. Nader told of a GM automotive engineer who was asked why this hazardous pattern had not been changed and if they intended to drOp it. Reportedly, "He re— plied, 'Never. We now have ten million cars running with it. The die is cast; the rest of you will have to adopt the pattern.”13 The pattern was finally changed "after nearly a decade of unconscionable delay," and was brought about only after "run away accidents piled up and federal government intervention loomed on the horizon."14 The Right to See Nader saw other hazards resulting from inferior designs that could have been, but had not been, corrected. From instrument panels to Windshields, the modern automobile is impressive evidence that manufacturers put appearance above safety. When it comes to vision, the car makers seem to value their concept of appearance over the right of the driver to see.1 Nader listed those things which most seriously hamper driver vision: 1. Distortions, waves, ghost images and poor surface polish on Windshields and rear and side windows. "Most blatantly hazardous is the plastic 'rear window' employed on convertibles. . . ."1 13ibid., p. 46. ~ luIbid. lSIbid. l6Ibid., p. A7. 2. Windshield wiper blades and defrosters that do not clear sufficient area. 3. Rear View mirrors with waves, irregularities and of insufficient size. A. Chromium ornamentation that can blind the driver by reflected glare. 5. Dash panel visibility often impaired by low-contrast markings, excessive shading and poor night illumination. 6. Veiling glare caused by‘dash boards using light colored paints. 7. "Front and rear turn signals, taillights, and brake lights not always visible through- out a full one hundred and eighty degrees at full effective brightness because they are often buried in bumpers, are shielded by fender or bumper extensions and/or are too small and have inadequate light distri- bution."17 Excessively thick windshield corner posts. Tinted windshields that reduce the amount of light available to the driver without actually cutting glare.18 kooo Across the entire range of vehicle-man interaction, the companies have shown little interest in systematic analysis of automotive features involving the physical and psycho— logical response of the driver.l9 The author has had personal experience with the problem of the plastic rear window in convertibles and can attest to the fact that after a time they become so badly scratched and discolored as to make seeing out of the interior rear-View mirror almost impossible. The Vinyl Covered Killers "The Second Collision: When Man Meets Car," dealt with specific aspects of interior design that can cause 18 l71bid., pp. 48-49. Ibid., p. 51. 19Ibid. 10 injuries. According to Nader, the "second collision” occurred when the . . . accident situation involved the impact of the vehicle with whatever it hit (the first collision), followed instantaneously by the im- pact of the occupants with the inside of the vehicle (the second collision). This second collision caused killing and maiming. Here is a bar chart from the book showing the "Leading Causes of Injury Ranked by Number of Injuries for Leading Causes of Injury Distributed by Impact Type and Injury Score for Leading Causes of Injury with 21 Contribution by Impact Type." It should be noted that seat belts were not present. As you will note, the leading cause of injury under the first heading is the instrument panel followed by the steering assembly. Under the second heading, this order is simply reversed. The steering assembly, according to Nader, was responsible for about 20 per cent of the "injuries . . 22 during the past decade." "For years the most common feature of crumpled automobiles has been a rearward dis— placed or arched steering column with broken spokes and 23 bent wheel rims." Nader found that the shock absorbing steering column lessening injuries was not a new idea but merely ¥ 201bid., p. 66. 21 Ibid., p. 69. 221bid., p. 68. 23Ibid., p. 70. .11 .mo-q .Umomm hc< p< pawns: .Locmz :Qme ”condom 3:0 «conic: gunman #02 than ham H.990 ‘36-. our; :3 8 . a . 3 . 8 . 3. o 88 88 8% 88 83 o . . . . . . . . . . . 5:8 .952 8:3 .55 8.x 8.53 to.) 8.2 «Eda: gin €284.64... .o .3380 .8.— 8500 EDI ta... .3. I :8 =68 .8... 3.3.8... 3 :58. 5:... 8.. U .8... a... 3 32.8.. .2225» 8.. 51! Seal .5 .2235 8.. .85..»cs:§ 35.2...» 88 8.8.3 2.2.2.5 85......» 38 8:8; 2.2.2.... , . . _. ._ . _ . .. .28............... .3532 of...» wW///////,I I . . ._ . .. .. 2...... 5683 7.8.3 .28 2.2.5.8... 1:5. 3..|I. uolwmfl. 552.. uo 3:3 5:92. 5.. :2... .3 3.33 .33. 5...... 8:22.. um»... hu0 awhaoihma >543: no lust 512:6 20.5558 Es. :52. .6 383 2:93.. :9. 3.2.2.. ._.o 5252 mum-.30 925:... can umoom 52.2. «003.51 03h >0 away-<8 \ :52: no mums—(U 923:3 .mconpoz 039 mp coxcmm hp5ncH no momsmo wCHcmoqul.H mqmqe 12 one that had not received management approval. He quoted Harry Barr, GM vice—president for engineering, as saying that Chevrolet had conducted tests "which showed to its satisfaction that there was no problem . . ." with pre— sent steering column design.2 Nader said that the instrument panel was second to the steering column in causing injury. "The stylist who has been given great leeway to determine panel shapes has devised a great variety of designs that have managed 25 to provide spectacular dangers." He noted in particular protruding, unpadded knobs, poor padding materials and sharp edges. Nader said further that when auto companies were faced with proof of the danger, they began to offer padding at Optional cost. "The windshield ranks third in frequency and fourth "26 Nader said the use in severity as a cause of injuries. of laminated safety glass presents a hazard in that even though the head may penetrate without significant injury, it sustains great injury on being withdrawn since the glass closes around the neck and head "like a razor- sharp jaw." The best way, according to Nader, to avoid this type of injury is to not hit the windshield at all. This necessitates passenger restraint devices. ‘ 25Ibid., pp. 76-77. 26Ibid., p. 82. 13 Industry opposition to seat belts stemmed from the fact that . . . the seat belt is a constant reminder . . . of the risk of accident . . . an item that alerts peOple to expect more safety in the cars they buy. GM has never viewed these as desirable expectations to elicit from customers.2 The most serious contributing factor to injuries is the passenger compartment itself. . . . when it comes to design and manufacture of such performances ('maintenance of the structural integrity of the outer shell which surrounds the restrained passenger') in collision, the automo— bile industry has either ignored the statistical evidence of the problem 05 is deliberately with- holding knowledge of it.2 "Nearly a third of all injury producing accidents involve either roof impact, caused by a car rolling over, or penetration of the side wall of the vehicle cabin."29 "In the whole area of reinforced and strengthened body and chasis structures, the industry has steadfastly avoided testing, research and change for safety."30 28 27ibid., p. 88. Ibid., p. 98. 29Ibid. 30Ibid., p. 100. CHAPTER II OUTRAGE AND APPROVAL If the amount of noise generated by critics of an author's work is any indication of the impact of that work, then Ralph Nader's book made a considerable impact. Industry was, for obvious reasons, unhappy. The govern— ment had mixed emotions. An article in the National Association of Claimant's Council of America Bar Associ— ation Journal by Nader was a harbinger of the bomb he was to drop a few months later. In this article, he criticized the auto industry in much the same manner as in his book. In response Ken Stonex, Executive Engineer of Automotive Safety Engineering at GM, wrote a four—page letter to the editor stating that Nader's article was a masterpiece in propaganda of one quarter truth or less. . . Most of the items advanced as a cure— all are in the category of wishful thinking or inexact or incomplete engineering developments. GM has responsibility for all components, and this includes the decision as to whether to use them . . . . . . The industry has a long history of developments which have contributed substanti— ally to highway safety and in these GM has played a leading part3l 31Letter of the National Association of Claimant's Council of America Bar Association dated July 9, 1963 by 14 l5 Stonex maintains that it is not so much the car that is at fault as it is the driver and the highway. In a paper presented to the 17th National Conference on Standards in 1967, Stonex said . . . I suggest that the automobile has already received appraisal as a reliable, durable, long— lived, useful and efficient tool. It has been improved over the past 60 odd years by countless small steps and many major ones. We will con- tinue to improve it. I suggest . . . that the variation of the environment in which the automobile operates offers many times the factors of possible im— provement that I can anticipate in automobile design.32 The irony of both Stonex's and Nader's arguments over auto versus highway design is that the improvement of one in no way impedes the improvement of the other. Nation's Business seemed to agree with Stonex. It called Nader's book "Inaccurate at Any Speed," and accused him of using quotes out of context to make his points.33 Ralph Isbrandt, vice—president of automotive engineering of the American Motors Corporation, was Kennith A. Stonex, then Assistant Engineer in Charge, Technical Liason Section, General Motors Engineering Staff at General Motors Technical Center, Warren, Michigan. 32Kennith A. Stonex, Safety in Automobile Trans— pgrtation, A report to the 17th Conference on Standards, Cleveland, February 13 to 15, 1967. 33"Why Cars are Getting Safer," Nation's Business, May, 1966, pp. 38—39, 76, 81-84, 86—87. l6 quoted as saying, "safety . . . isn't something that all of a sudden dawns on you after you've left the drawing board." Roy Abernathy, president of AMC, said, . . . to listen to some of the critics one would think the modern car was carelessly put together in a styling studio overnight and sprung on an innocent world. This is not true . . . I admire the great talent of the stylist but his primary task is to make the result of a team effort look as good as it actually is. B. W. Bogen, vice—president and director of engineering at Chrysler, said, "the great majority of safety items on today's automobile were deve10ped long before any laws were introduced requiring them." Nation's Business estimated that the industry spends some $500 million a year on safety. While this may at first seem a large amount, when it is broken down, however roughly, among all the producers of motor vehicles in the United States, the picture changes radically. Some estimates are as low or less than $1 million per producer. Roy Hausler, automotive safety engineer at Chrysler, said, "every step of the way we're going to put greater emphasis on the guy who helps himself by using a seat belt." Exactly what Hausler means by every step of the way is unclear. However, he seems to be driving at the point that many motorists do not use the safety features that are already in cars, like safety belts. 17 Another of the many sore spots touched on by Nader was call-backs (when a manufacturer "calls back" a number of cars to correct a defect). Ford's president Arjay Miller said in a Business Week article, "call—backs are not at an all\time high, but publicity sure is . . ." "When you make three million of something a year, human errors will creep in."3M It does not appear to the author that Nader said errors would not creep in. What he did say was that the industry did not seem to do anything about correcting them, that it did not make a concerted effort to contact all owners affected. Actually, as far as this writer can see, the ques- tion of auto safety goes back to the responsibility of the auto industry. Henry Ford II warned of "economic disaster if forthcoming legislation doesn't consider the auto in— dustry engineering, economic planning, production and time problems." Many of the industry representatives have raised the specter of cost increases for added safety features. Business Week said ". . . industry spokesmen point out that prices did rise about $60, per car when safety 3“"Detroit Strikes Back," Business Week, April 28: 1966, p. “O. 18 features that had been optional in 1965 were made standard in 1966."35 Stonex, in a paper to the General Motors 26th Annual Safety Conference concluded that, . . . the primary safety responsibility of General Motors as a car manufacturer is to provide a pro- duct that can be controlled on the highway pre- cisely and started and stopped at will by a quali- fied driver. A concurrent responsibility is to provide extended reliability and durability (of a car so that) sudden failure in the traffic stream of a car under the recommended maintenance schedule is reduced to the vanishing point.36 However, Fortune reported Fredric Donner, former president of General Motors, as making a rather unusual admission by saying that, ”we have got a tradition at General Motors of maybe too much sticking with our business problems."37 Perhaps this is where much of the problem lies. The corporation exists for one main purpose, like it or not, and that is to make money for the corporation. To make money, the product has to sell. To sell, it must appeal to the consumer. So far, the industry has found that model changes-—changes in the sheet metal-- move the product. Now, perhaps, this has changed somewhat, 35"Industries," Business Week, June 11, 1966, pp. 179-19A. 36Kennith A. Stonex, ”Building Safety Into Our Products," Paper presented to the General Motors 26th Annual Safety Conference, (October 25, 1965), Chicago. Typewritten. 37Cordtz, loc. cit. 19 not necessarily because the consumer has changed, but because of an awakening in the industry as a whole that it has a responsibility to the consumer beyond moving the goods. This responsibility exists regardless of the wishes of the consumer. Some of this awakening in the auto industry has no doubt been a result of the consumer's reaction to auto safety as reflected in auto sales for model year preceding the Nader book and immediately following it. The sales of the Corvair took an expected dip in the year following Nader's book. Production was down to 103,743 for model year 1966 from 373,066 for model year 1965. Even though Nader criticized only the Corvairs for model year 1960 to 1963, the consumer, once he is confronted with the possibility of taking his life in his hands, is not likely to forget quickly. Total passenger car production was down to 8,606,660 for model year 1966 from 8,8A2,000 for model year 1965. Passenger car registration was down from 9,012,567 in model year 1965 to 6,239,307 for model year 1966, a drop of some 3,753,280 car registrations. Ford experienced a drop in registration from 2,018,758 in model year 1965 to 1,380,279 in model year 1966. Chevrolet registration was down from 174,868 in 1965 to 390,472 in 1966. 20 Total passenger car registration had been on the rise since 1963 but dropped back in 1966 to below the 1962 high of 6,573,900. Car production lagged behind registration in 1965, while in 1966 registrations fell so far that dealers found themselves overstocked well into the 1967 model year.38 To attribute all this to Nader's book would be unwise. Certainly other considerations must be taken into account. Talk of tax increases, a cooling down of the economy, and the war in Viet Nam had their impact. However, the purchase of a 1966 vehicle could certainly be put off until the 1967 models came out with their added safety features. We have examined only the first four chapters of Nader's book because these are the chapters that directly relate to the topic of this paper. Subsequent chapters go into other areas, such as tires, which do not concern us. The Government Reacts The government, as is its wont, immediately, con- vened a committee to investigate the charges against the auto industry. ¥ 38"U. S. Passenger Car Production, 1965-1965, As Reported by The Automobile Manufacturers Association, Agtomotive Industries (March 15, 1967), p. 95. 21 John T. Conner, Secretary of Commerce, said in a statement before the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, "the American people have the right to expect their government to help assure public safety and health." Lenore K. Sullivan, of the House of Representatives, commented, . when you have to gamble . . . with the possibility of a 2— or 3- or 10-ton projectile hurtling in our general direction in the next land or across a level median strip, at 60 or more miles an hour may suddenly go out of con— trol because of mechanical deficiencies in the structure of the vehicle, I think we're entitled to more protection. Harold Katz, speaking for and with John P. Touhy, said, referring to head-on collisions, . . . the collapsible steering wheel announced by General Motors for 1967 models is decidedly a step in the right direction but is quite in- adequate when judged by either injury potential or the present state of medical and engineering competence. The difference between death and survival is frequently in the design of the car itself. The Ribicoff-Kennedy Senate subcommittee accused Detroit of "dragging (its) feet on safety." Ribicoff felt that, "the Federal Government should step in with some sort of national policy to stem the rise in acci- dents. The auto is the only thing in this country that moves which isn't regulated by the Federal Government." These statements are but a small sampling of the lengthy testimony presented to the committee. Other Congressional members made similar statements. However, 22 one thing seemed clear from all this testimony—-the legislators felt that government should have a role in auto safety. The Automotive Safety Act was the Govern— ment's answer to this role. It will be discussed in Chapter VI. CHAPTER III THE 1956 FORD "SAFETY" CAMPAIGN OR SAFETY DOES NOT NECESSARILY PAY 1956 marked the end of the Korean Conflict and a new surge in automobile purchasing. It also saw Ford take a new tack in automobile advertising. Previously, Ford, like other automobile manufacturers had empha- sized changes in styling, luxury and new power. Suddenly, however, Ford advertised safety. Ford's safety campaign was built around a concept they called (and still call) "Lifeguard Design." For the first time, an auto manufacturer was offering equip- ment billed as safety equipment. Nash, in 1999, had offered seat belts, but not as safety equipment. Instead, they tied safety belts in with their reclining seats. For example, a billboard showed a grandmotherly type sleeping peacefully in her reclining seat, held securely in place by a seat belt. In 1950, Nash removed the seat belts. They claimed that some people did not even know they were in the car and others complained that they were hidden from sight, and usually from searching hands, under the seat. 23 2A Ford was hardly another Nash. They decided to pro— mote safety. However, many of these safety items, such as padded instrument panels, sunvisors and safety belts,” were optional. The campaign was dropped the following year. It has often been cited as proof that peOple are not really that interested in safety vis-a-vis design, luxury, etc. It is also claimed that Ford lost considerable market that year. Ford said, in a report entitled "Summary of Survey Research Data Bearing on Ford's 1956 model Safety Advertising Program,"39 that is not true at all. The styling acceptance of the 1956 model Chevrolet was greater than the styling acceptance of the 1956 model Ford, reversing the situation that had existed in the 1953, 195A, and 1955 model years. In addition, Chevrolet was just getting full consumer acceptance of its new V-8 engine, offered for the first time in Chevrolet history at the beginning of the 1955 model year. To combat this competition, Ford Motor Com— pany relied primarily on the development and pro— motion of special safety features in its cars. . . . Through a massive advertising effort, 55% of all car owners became aware of these features and identified them with the Ford car. One—third of all car owners formed the opinion that com- pared to Chevrolet and Plymouth the Ford was the safest one to drive.LIO The report went on to say that: 39"Summary of Survey Research Data Bearing on Ford's 1956 Model Safety Advertising Program," Current Opinion Concerning Automobile Safety, March, 1966. Typewritten from the Marketing Research Office, Ford Motor Company, Section V. uoIbid., p. l. 25 1. Ford Motor Company penetration in the 1956 model year was unchanged from 1955. 2. General Motors Corporation market went up 0.5 penetration point as the net result of a 2.8 gain for Chevrolet, a 2.7 point de- cline for Buick—Olds—Pontiac and a .0“ gain for Cadillac Division. 3. The Ford car itself declined only .02 point of market share in spite of a 2.8 gain for Chevrolet, and a 0.8 gain for luxury car makes and a .16 gain in share of market going to foreign car makes as they began the major inroad into the US car market."I1 From this, the paper concludes, . . . far from being a failure, 1956 Ford safety advertising program was a success by every means of measurement. This finding is confirmed by the fact that in 1957, when the Ford car regained its styling advantage over Chevrolet, it obtained 25.5 percent of the market—~outselling the Chevrolet car by more than one percentage point for the model year. 2 But what of the other automobile manufacturers? Did they merely let Ford advertise safety while they ignored it and concentrated on styling, luxury, and horsepower? Hardly. They gave safety a sort of token recognition in their advertising and then dealt with styling, luxury, horsepower, etc. Here, then, was a powerful combination. They pointed out that their cars were, like the Ford, safe to drive, but that they also had the other desired qualities. General Motors ran a series of ads that year en- titled "The Key to Greater Safety." These ads stated, __ Al A2 Ibid., p. 2. Ibid. 26 . . . your security on the highway is a continuing concern with the men who design and build General Motors cars. . . . They live constantly with the job of bettering automotive safety. . . . So you get the benefit of stronger materials, greater visibility, better brakes and countless other (safety) features . . . The ads showed photographs of General Motors testing equipment. Chevrolet promoted "Horsepower that ranges clear up to 225 explodes into action to zoom you out ahead with extra seconds of safety." Pontiac billed itself as the one with "The Greatest Go—-And the Greatest Safety . . ." Chrysler Corporation proclaimed "you'll see new safety too (on Chrysler cars)." Studebaker-Packard introduced their new "Torsion— Level Suspension," which made possible a smoother, safer ride. Mr. John W. Crawford, chairman of the Michigan State University Department of Advertising, told the author that in 1956 he was hired by a Chicago advertising agency to go to the automobile show and see what peOple were interested in. He said that he stood and watched people kick tires and ogle the styling, but he heard little or nothing about Ford's safety features until he was leav- ing. In the lobby were a group of white—coated re- searchers, complete with clip-boards, asking peOple what 27 they thought was the most important thing about the new cars. Mr. Crawford said that you could see the wheels turn in their heads and they would then say something like, "Oh yeah, the new safety features."u3 Mr. Crawford suspected, and the author agrees, that they were saying this because they thought it was what they should say and what the researchers wanted to hear. This seems to indicate that safety was perhaps not of primary concern to potential purchasers. And the question of primary concern, this writer feels, is a critical one. If safety is not of primary concern, something else obviously is. If this is true, then the other automobile manufacturers who were aiming at the primary concerns of potential purchasers were hitting consumers with more potent messages. So it seems that Ford's primary error was one of misplaced emphasis rather than the commonly held view that the public is not interested in safety. The question that confronts us now is, was the Ford conclusion valid based on the information they pre— sented? The author maintains that it is highly question— able. Like it or not, Ford experienced a decline in share of market while Chevrolet experienced a consider— able gain, relative to Ford. ‘ 143Personal interview with John W. Crawford, Chair- man, Department of Advertising, College of Communication Arts, Michigan State University, June, 1967. 28 The author does not feel that Ford was valid in comparing the Ford car to the Buick-Oldsmobile-Pontiac- Cadillac divisions of General Motors. In 1956, Ford was comparable to the Chevrolet, in terms of price and prestige. Therefore, comparing the Ford car to the others is like comparing peaches and pears--they are similar but not alike. As will be discussed later in this paper, car pur- chases are closely tied to prestige and styling. There— fore, when Ford lost its styling advantage, they lost a big selling advantage. Also, Chevrolet had their new V-8 which appealed to persons wanting more powerful automobiles. The author submits that much of Ford's "success" in the 1956 model year was based on people's past associ- ation or familiarity with Ford, rather than the appeal of the safety features. This is not to dismiss any interest in safety features by potential purchasers, rather it is merely to point out that there were other more interesting features, such as styling and horsepower, to be con— sidered. Essentially, Ford maintained the status quo until 1957 when the safety campaign was dropped and Ford re- gained its styling advantage over Chevrolet. CHAPTER IV IF IT IS SAFETY THEY WANT . . . The automobile industry had made rebuttals to their critics and presented their arguments to the government, but how were they going to deal with the public-~the people who purchase their products? An article in the July 8, 1966 Printer's Ink entitled "Safety and Auto Ads: Controversy Breeds Change" said: The effectiveness of Detroit's advertising style is beyond question-—it sells cars, at an ever increasing rate, and that is the name of the game. Or was. For now the auto safety fanatics are challenging Detroit's advertising techniques.. They charge that it glorifies speed and power, encourages reckless driving and is at least in part responsible for the nation's 49,500 annual traffic death toll. . . . (Attacks like Ralph Nader's book) will probably result in a 'toning down' of auto adver— tising, especially in the enthusiast publication, (Road & Track, Car & Driver, etc.). Indeed, there is likely to be a toning down of all '67 auto advertising this fall when the new model campaigns start. This industry's re- sponse to the auto safety critics has been to COOperate. There is going to be so much c00per— ation the critics will literally be smothered in it. . Thus, safety is likely to be a major theme in '67 auto advertising. . . . As one auto 29 30 executive told Printers Ink: 'We are in business to stay in business. If it's safety they want, it's safety they'll get.' Before too long it might be difficult for the average American auto buyer to tell whether Detroit is selling safety or selling automobiles. Advertising Agg commented that, . . . the influence of the Washington hearings . . . will be felt in automobile advertising. The advertising result will be noticeable more in what is not said than in what is said. One agency executive said . . . that his copy— writers already are changing a word here and a phrase there to tone down the ads for next fall.“ Looking back to 1965 and the introduction of the new 1966 models we will see that at least in one case, quite a bit was being said. Ford ran a twelve page special section in Time entitled "A Positive View of Good Driving Habits . . . With Expert Tips on Developing Your Personal Safety Program." The section, shown in part on the following page, began with a letter from Henry Ford II exhorting the public to remember that, . . . this is not a job for one person, one company, or any single group. . . . It must be a cooperative effort. Ford Motor Company gladly accepts its share of the total responsibility. You will 1MKenneth Ford, "Safety and Auto Ads: Controversy Breeds Change," Printer's Ink, July 8, 1966, pp. 9—14. “S"Hearing on Auto Safety Brings Quick Action," Advertising Age, July 26, 1965, p. 8. mewsfism @000 no Smfi> m>wpflmom g .gnmspsmi. .mpspmm ”mumano somoz chomll.a mmDmHm 32 ...::%E& .365... 2595i :3... R/ %.....>.Nsc..\. E. ‘1. I .41.: Pic... .3... . . . 3.5:: -..~.~.~.~.-~ 2.55. m: 65.... . I estuaefi. a £2.33 a; 44275.? [up—a I g #3:. 30>. :E: .395 1.1.27.5 152.5 .53.». .335. .117. :23: 3:76.. 3:. 5:35;. 5.... 9:53 :57- 3....) 65.1.22 ‘0 7:: 15.1.3. .3 1.2.41. .z: unis—.rfé BC .555: a 1. ._ .25.: .c .55.. 3;...) a 3.5.5... o. :3... it: .5» 31252: 2: .3. .39....1. 5.5.4.35 .5 2:... :_.$ 2:: 3.19—3.53. 2:: stair: if .5533... .; 7.51.6.7... ......:1;.:. :5 c. .52 L. .3 5.2.... .15 .E: 1 £5... 1.... 5.... :5 co 7.22.7... 9:5,. .3357. ...>...:E:.:< .91 .5. ...___ES.... 5.. J... 5...? its... .1d......c_ :. in; L... 5.521 E. c. 5...; cc ,. 3...: this». 9:155... .327. 7...... ,2. : 9.1 :3» .6325. .75. .2. _....$.._........:. 2...... .53.. 2...... 11.17.. 15.1.... .E. h: 1:...2257. :2 E. 75.32.... 7.2:. .2 :35: r2: .5... :2? 3...... 35...... 1: 1.2... c712 3.: 35322.; 1:... .2... if .2 . 32:31.7... 3: f...::.. .3 'Eu....f._:..c.:t.21......it2......17:_.:..uc.3::4a. 5:2: .. I. S 1...... 312.15. is... F1; .C.. Ci: 3: 5...: ......7::E.... :. 771...; .1 :....> 5.1:... .C:......7. .595... .23.... .7...» .._...._:._:. .5. 113...; is?! 1.22:... :5: 3.17. (.11; 51:}...L. c: _..:..:..::. «E1 «Car—.7... .5. t... :.E......:... 5...... c: 7:2... 1...... .._:......:..; 35.5... it 2.».152: K. 3:7. Etna a... b... it 3:. :3; F5: .11.: 1.5 5.3.1... .5. .C: .1..z._. :13..qu 62F $11.75. .55. it 1..::.. .x. 33.... ”tziI {35:3 .1: and tank. 5...: .... 4;; 1.1.... z 3:». .35. 2. «EC. .32: .5. cost»... 12.. 1x? :5 .c .1596 .5: E (.3... 9.5.: 1......— béaf. «5.1.:— mfilmlu \e 35... B .3 I :3? lakes-23: = as $353. §2msmhuu 33 find this reflected in the design and features of our cars and in our continuing safety re- search activities. . The reader was then given sage advice from various persons concerned with auto and driving safety such as an article by a woman school bus driver, another by Amos Neyhar, "the man who trains driving instructors," and a piece on the "Best Teenage Driver" and one on the national truck roadeo champion and a statement by a highway patrol officer. The rest of this section is devoted to the intro- duction of Ford's new cars and a brief piece on the Ford Automotive Safety Center. Obviously Ford was out to make a point, namely that driving safety was a combination of hardware, skill, and state of mind. Ford even went so far as to proclaim the new models as "the safest cars in Ford Motor Company his- tory." (The author wonders how the purchasers of 1965 Fords felt about that.) This also obviously puts the burden of safety on the drivers' skill and state of mind. Ford has implied that now the car is safe, the rest is up to the driver. We will now turn to other advertisers who were per- haps not quite as extravagant as Ford in promoting the safety of their automobiles. These ads will be dis- cussed in terms of their major theme and the context of safety references. Also, we shall see if safety 3” took any dominance over the "traditional" appeals of styling, status and power. In 1966, American Motors introduced the line "American Motors . . . Where Quality is Built In, Not Added On." The accent was on quality at a reasonable price. The only reference to safety in this ad is the "Double-Safety braking system" as standard equipment. Safety is implied by the catchline which leads the reader to feel that this is a carefully crafted car and that since the car is made this carefully, it is safe (Figures 2 and 3). The Dodge Charger was new in 1966. So was the "Dodge Rebellion" campaign. This ad emphasizes the new- ness of the car, its modern styling, and its evidently reasonable price. No direct references are made to power or speed but this tends to be implied by the name of the car, the girl with the bomb and the list of standard equipment: V-8, tachometer, racing style steering wheel, bucket seats (Figures 4 and 5). The Plymouth Barracuda emphasizes performance and Sportiness. No dirct references are made to safety. An oblique reference is made to safety through mention- ing optional front-wheel disc brakes something car enthusiasts have recognized for some time as a de— sirable feature (Figure 6). 35 FIGURE 2.--American Motors 1966 Classic Cross Country Station Wagon. Zoomiest, roomiest Rambler wagon ever. (Luggage rack... standard equipment.) (Walk-in back door.) (Reclining bucket seats if you want 'em.) / ff .-‘. ’ *2. * v ry and find all them apples on Chevelle. Fairlane. Belvedere.) flee” to be serprtsed‘t Oee whet we've M lilo his ”one new '. Cteeels. line when you won‘t be b any eIIsr vegan In his elees. 1. Your chores at two 6's.. .three was Up to 270 hp. (Surprise! Even our small- est Six to bigger then the standard 6 on Ferriene. Chevelle. Coronet.) I. Surpris- ing comtort. Coil innerspring seats but" in iron! end back. You” never guess who metches the! (No kidding, it's Cadillac.) C. Surprise room More morn-room ded- roorn, kid-room, cargo-room. (Note Went even own passenger room? Add seat '3. ' Down, it gives y0u loads at cargo space Up—extre people specs ) 4. Rich. durable tebrics, Lustrovs. sow-resistant vinyls Doer-io-door carpeting—yes. even in our station wagons C. Setety package YOu'il tind one on every "Big 3" cer in '66 But leave ll to American Motors-end Cediilec —to include e vital safety teature the “Big 3" ieave Out a DOubie-Satety braking sye~ tern as standard equipment teach door. ' Side-hinged to swing out tOr convenient loading. eesy entrance and em (Step right in end metre yomselt comionebie i 7. Luggege rack We coniess This one is built on. But only by American Motors Ierprtse yen-reel. Iee the 'es leruhter Misgustyeermom-W American Motors...where quality is built in. not added on. 37 FIGURE 3.-—American Motors 1966 Rambler American. 38 Rambler’s roguis new flip-mp. More go for the dough than any other car in its class: ( The Scrappy American "Does this Rambler really come wuth rally stripes?" ‘ , - ii‘i V ‘\\I'i\.‘|\ \‘ \l i \\ ‘ i. \ \ ,—- - ‘\ \\\ -. .. "No. but wuth the new engine it drives that way." '65 Rambler American Ieedthe7weysourecrappynewuo takes on every '6 car in its lighting weight and size—end outclasses. .outmeryththgsthematl. 1. Big new standard Sll 199 (norm 0‘ power lemon and thrust partr\ l2?! horses Not even Cowa‘ir. Falcon Valiant Mustang harness that many iA new 232' l.‘i dvdilflhl” too ' Drop it in it you re sport enough 1. Shilt-Cornrnnnd ' Flashy new dual transmission puts the stick on the You [.(J'llfOl gear selection or ii shills Automatically 3. Reclining bucket sr-als ' Can mu brv sponv and romlori able" Try these' iOur secret corl inner- springs) 4. Power top. How aDOul this liom - ,4 “L in standard equipment on the sassy new American convertible (With Corvair Valiant Dart yOu pay extra for the power i I. 00ubIe-Salety braking system Wu H" inr- only U S manuiaclurer except Cad illrtt: who includns ii standard with lhv new ' safely package " (We wonder when the rest ol lhe Big 3 cars will lflLluO. it in than: i ‘. SOOIly InlO'IIOI'. Sim-it new sun-loving Vinyls m I. liw‘ly i‘i‘ilfll'. 1.3l‘m irim twaiilv Smilptumd mind Non rust- fi'i'i ”low .ilii’iiil '."(i$0 (“Infifiy "l'w whit“ “hut-1 . l \'('V(‘ ' $0. the new '66 Rambler American 440 at your triendty Olent-Kliler...your American Iotore/ Rambler Dealer. m9 solid .IlLim-niim qriilo~ American Motors...where quality is built in. not added on. 39 FIGURE M.--Chrysler Corporation Dodge Charger. ll0 . . . . . . .3. . _ , ..; T ,i....t_.. r... _. _. . . . . . . . ..._ L. 17?; .5: «‘9 axilifiasza: . _. “L2... .: ._ _. .2 .. h; . V .w W... . _. .. .1. :1 w. 21...; .. . 7.... 2 _a .a_ .rTJSL (.35: :1 «7.12.352: — ‘EC 3. ._.t. .2. 3... Li; a: 5e! ‘43; .35 3:! a E I / . :i. ., .2 . . 1.3 .. 7.3%.. . .21.. 3.32:5:— . .. ; . . ,. .sm 2. :2 :3 «3 $.25... 12:5: 7.0:. . ; .. : TEE: to... E :5. .:~.. .: “(2.2.30 n. .9325 :~:=::._; .32 3:2. :9:on yucca 2: .53 2 8m $82 2 c2 : 258 295.368 Si 2:48:38 22 395:: on :3 .6 3.8» a .9: .8: «38 5 33:5 .8 e .293 us :5 a; so. 82: om 05:5 2: E .8. .2. £33 5: 3:: a... 8.28. so: 2: =~ .28. .2. 2: =~i E to. 22.3.3: 2: =~ 5:: .2326 .3» 8 98.. «Seen 2: Ea; :. 35: 5: .8 .25 .2: m. sf. .8. .3 «as 5: Sm v.3 so: .2; 5:9: a: :25... 5332 can... :3 .0 cc... w 5335 .94 _ 5.30... 3:. .8. .3 95 case; .2. :3» 7.325 .223 2.32,. 0.51332 .52 m.) .o... w 532.: w..::: E: .3 as: v.3 22 c no: .3: $3 :5 8... 3.62 :2: .3 a a. 63:: Mac... a v.3 «>2 0 so. 32 73 .aliiiiuS'iaziip Ml FIGURE 5.--Chrysler Corporation Dodge Polara. If you're not content to string along with the herd. tells a long look at the big Dodge Polara above. Your lirst thought may be, "lice . . . but out of ray class." Don't you believe it. For that's what the Dodge Rebellion is all about. Giving you more go. show. spice tor the sane price 142 you've always paid. Check the price tags on smaller cars. By the time you add a law oi the things Polara's got standard—383 cu. in. V8. loam-padded seats. carpets— you can end up paying Polara's price and still be a long way lrotn Polara's class. (Yes. even an outside mirror is standard.) So. march right down to your Dodge Dealer's. the Dodge Rebellion wants you. '86 Dodge Polara CHRYSLER ooooc DIVISION v morons conroamou 43 h y Sler . . LE All Plymouth Barracuda What’s a high-performance fastback doing with a 7-foot-long utility space? Making sport of utility. After all the applause for Barracuda's sporty fastback styling, there was only one way to go. . . and Barracuda went. it went with an optional Formula '8' performance pack. One that gives you a 273-cu.-in. Commando V-8. a tachometer. Wide-rim wheels. special Blue Streak tires. heavy—duty shocks, springs and sway bar. and simulated bolt-on wheel covers. And a new option for '66: front-wheel disc brakes. And you get all this new power and still get room for five. with individual bucket seats up front. Or. you can put two in front and flip down the rear seat to get a fully carpeted 7-loot-Iong cargo space. A fastback feature you get only in Barracuda. Why don't you take some action. . . and get some? G l harter Membership in l'ltmiiuth Satin-mil llurrm-uula l'luli “pvt. in ,-.n "When. 5". l’lynmuth In ICUIIII all NCAA and A“. Fulfil-all and 'l hr- lluli Iliipr Show, NBC-TV. mm CHRYSLER Let yourself go Plymouth MOM! ”MAM \ll' iiin llll\llllhl \uisst muutxu 45 In 1967 Plymouth started its ". . . win you over this year," campaign. The Barracudas had been completely restyled and was featured with young people in "mod" dress. The stress was on the European styling and two new models of the Barracuda. Again there were no references to safety (Figure 7). Mercury introduced the Cougar in 1967. Cougar advertising COpy makes no direct reference to power or speed. However, the tie—in with Dan Gurney and image creating phrases like, "concealed headlamps that open cat-like at night," imply something more than Just transportation. The only reference to safety is the last item which groups them all under "Ford Motor Com- pany Lifeguard Design safety features" (Figure 8). "Mercury, The Man's Car," heralded the 1967 Mer- cury. The appeal is masculine. To the male it means power, toughness. To the female it means security, dependability. Safety is only implied (Figure 9). The 1967 Chrysler aims at the prestige image, yet puts equal stress on the fact that you can own a Chrysler for only a "few dollars a month more than most popular smaller cars comparably equipped.” This is not a new theme for Chrysler. Chrysler ads make no direct reference to safety (Figure 10). 146 FIGURE 7.—-Chrysler Corporation Plymouth Barracuda. ll7 ... . ... ......z... «In .E... .....c; . .....CCC... 5). ._ .21....7. at... messes DE. 55 .5521... cc» 5»: . _ .. . . r. _ _... .. ......._._w.¢”....‘nu._nx..... .25.... sec: ccEcE. cc.ac.._:a... .1920 S3. c»: 3.5.13 a... S... of?» 2°:‘CEKDD WCOFOS 2 . . . . ._ ... L ... ... . . . ...w (037...; ED. ecécni are... ureter. 2:900. (00:23:. Banistm Ema—gmxo 80-; if. ... . _ . .. ... .... ... i.) .95: reg... .... E... _. . 3:7 E... .... SC in; me «coca ......u :5 ...: . 3.0. ‘V : .....c::;..: .5 .Do 0:. .5... 26 aoaméa 5:0; 1:... ceoooBm c .o .5626... cc. ...—coco... . . _. : A .. .31.}, 7.1.155 ....ES 652m 0:. 39.: :36 of .c ...: < .5: 3030 so: :53 of a... .32.» .... .. ,. . ._ : .... ... _ c. .; ... 7:213...» .. ......E o. .5; so» we ...:ofcc an .aieen 39.9% 63330 ...o 53:: .c .9505 no... it 50» .0 ea. in... eea on set... M =um= :QE .9 2:... .e ...:se :. 5...: .5 ...s go..... .20: 3:. £30» SEE 2 Eco :69. .52.: Son- wee: ..eae £91004 .3033 n.» E :c 3... 93:89 n c. a: :5. 9.: ._< canoes 8:0 .5... 3:09:23. o...» 50. ... 2 39.... as fine: 50; :o 2.638 . 7...: :c» :3? EC??? oz. :63 End no; 47.5.3. oc— c. «co—09.5.5 x..{p..zc.c:o 5.. 8. 00.30.53- ig 66.100. :9: {£53. :3 E: oo 0. ES: 39. ._ ed 20... ....qu.0 access. :5. .3; .:.IO acne-en 63332.50 5.293... / . ‘ I. .. a i ‘ . VI , . . . . ... . .0” . t. . ‘t' n7..‘..¢ . . .~.rs....ll§..w~.;..vr. tat 1., .. gala-1393‘; e: . . .. . .. . .11. ab - r 3»?! . V .dl...2.i...a.£ .- ... -.i... .. ......T 5. up .. . -.u .. .e. ..ee. - Sofia—=8. use 3.3% 3...... want—..., «hacwsggcie .22. En magnets: 32. ...? 2: H8 FIGURE 8.-—Ford Motor Company, Mercury Cougar Dan Gurney Special. “9 Merc C011 31' Dan Guli'lr'iey Sp gcial Sale-priced now! Morruryis hotter idea in personal sports cars. It's Motor Trend Magazine’s “Car of the Year”...\vith special extras inspired by racing charnp Dan Gurney. Plus the unique set of persuasion. that put Cougar in a league by itself to start with. Drive something special. Mercury Cougar Dan Gurney Special. Specially equipped with: ' Turbine wheel covers ' F7014 wide-oval nylon cord whilewall tires ' ' Chromed engine dress-up kit 0 Dan Gurney signature decal ' Cougar ”9 cu. in. V8 Plus these lee Coupe features: ' Concealed headlamps that open, cat-like, at night ' Sequential rear turn signals ' Foam-padded front buckets ' Simulated wood-grain V \ steering wheel l 0 Choice of 16 colors ' I Pleated vinyl upholstery O Wall-to-wall carpeting _ I Sound insulation package ' Ford Motor Gar-pany Lifeguard Design safety features 50 FIGURE 9.-—Ford Motor Company, Mercury Caliente Grande. “ERCURY CALIENTE Causate Gran“ interior has blue Gossamer nylon or Chambrey nylon in black or parchment. Both framed with crinkle vinyl. Mercury knows how a woman is about upholstery and decor. So we fingered a lot of fabrics before we ran across the Gossamer for the optional Grande interior of this Caliente 4—door. It has 3-way stretch. feels soft as silk, but wears like jeans. All this. over nearly two easy-sitting inches of foam. Mercury also took special pains with Caliente's appointments. The vinyl inserts on doors and dash have the hand-rubbed look of choice walnut. Knobs. handles. dial frames are beautifully simple. E’ A Man’s Car is a woman’s best friend. Elsewhere in the Caliente. a man has had the last word. The engine choice ranges up to a surg- ing 390 \'-8 that thrives on regular gas. Our optional Selecr-Shift Merc-O-Matic lets a man run 'it through the gears manually. even if his wife prefers an automatic. Mercury believes that better ideas make a better Man's Car. And that these ideas ought to in- clude a lot of comfort for women. If the battle of the sexes starts again. don't blame us. Or your Mercury dealer. LINCOLN Mercury, the Man’s Car. 52 FIGU RE 1 O .—-Chr ysl er Corporati on Ch rysle r. 53 Ever try to stop a landslide! That's as hard as keeping people from buying Chryslers. There must be a reason. Reasons is more like it. A fresh. proud Take Charge look. An optional 4-10 cubic inch \"-8. The biggest in the price class. So are the brakes. A new Iloin-l front seat for some models. Room forthree when you need it. Converts to individually adjustable seats for two. Illa-Md»! It)" We N- nrvvvt -’ u L!" .‘ 0.1-3! Ha liar» “ Strf" “PJ. Yum .- 5:0 yup. vsprm-uh an! an Imam finely. ..HBCYV. And the passenger side reclines. As for price. {our Chrysler Newport models (all full-size) are now priced just a few dollars a month more than the most popular smaller cars. comparably equipped. Moving up is catching on. Small wonder. Take Charge . . . move up to a (‘l l lllSllill coma moron a CHRYSLER 54 Chrysler Imperial emphasizes engineering excel- lence. No references are made to safety. The idea of excellence in engineering is reinforced by the repro- duction of the five year/50,000 mile warranty in the ad. This also has safety connotations. A car that offers a warranty like that and has the reputation of the Imperial must be a safe car (Figure 11). Ford Motor Company reverted to its 1956 "Lifeguard Design." All safety items are grouped under this head- ing rather than enumerated. The Mustang on page 58 primarily relied on visual appeal. Copy stressed new style and options. Safety features are not mentioned save under the heading of Lifeguard Design (Figure 12). Note, however, that Ford maintained the basic "quiet man" theme of 1965 as well. The example shown on page 60 (Figure 13) ties all three together. The emphasis is on strength and durability as well as a quiet ride, luxury and distinctiveness. Safety is implied through the image of the strong car. Late in 1967 Ford started their "'68 Ideas at '67 Prices," cam— paign. This series began about the time when dealers were having sales to get ready for the new models (Figure 14). In 1968, all automobiles will have the safety equipment required by the new auto safety bill. Ford's FIGURE ll.--Chrysler Corporation Imperial. 56 m arm a CHRYSLER neurone conmnoe There are three American luxury cars. Significantly, only Imperial carries the assurance of a 5-year/50,00Gmile warranty.* Imperial engineers have always been known for their ingenuity. Which is why we aren't the least bit reluctant to back their achievements in engine and drive train compo- nents for 5 years or some miles. Imperial's completely new 440 cubic inch V8 is a prime example. it now pro- vides a 10% increase in per- formance with only a 1% increase in weight. What's the secret? A thimbleful of elemental tin which strengthens the alloy of the engine block. For this discovery. our en- gineers earned scientific recognition around the world. 3 front seats in 1 The pursuit of uncommon excellence extends throughout the Imperial. ln 4-door models the front seat is actually 3 in one. A 5-foot sectional sofa that converts to twin armchairs. side by side. And when the passenger's seatback is re- clined to any angle within a 227,’ arc. the front seat becomes armchair plus chaise lounge. Judge for yourself The 1966 imperial offers many such ingenious luxu- ries throughout. Discover them firsthand in our dealer's showroom. Or write for Our full-color. 20-page catalog. Imperial Division. Office No. 5A-2. PO. Box 1658. Detroit. Michigan 48253. TH E INCOM PARABLE I M PERIAL Finest of the fine cars buitt by Chrysler Corporation ’Here's how lmperial's Swear] Sam-mile engine and drive train warranty protects you: Chrysler Corporation warrants. tor 5 years or 50.00:) miles, whichever curries first. against defects in mate- rials and workmanship and will re- place or repair at a Chrysler Motors Corporation Authorized Dealer's place of business, without charge for required parts and labor, the engine block, head and internal parts. intake manifold. water pump. transmission case and internal parts. torque con~ verter, drive shaft. universal joints. rear axle and differential. and rear wheel bearings of its 1966 Imperial automobiles. provided the owner has the engine oil changed every 3 months or moo miles. whichever comes first. the oil filter replaced every second oil change and the carburetor air filter cleaned every 6 months and replaced every 2 years. and every 6 months for nishes to such a dealer evidence of performance of the required servrce. and requests the dealer to certify «l.i receipt of such evidence and .2; the car's then current mileage. YIME. OCTOBER 22. 1965 57 O l . 58 Ihflfle three all-new ways to answer the call of Mustang. Start with the Lawton. setback or gogveflible. All longer. wider, sportier. (Standard features galore include bucket seats. floor-mounted shift. Ford Motor Company Lifeguard- Design safety features.) You take over from there with op- tions like new Tilt-Away steering wheel, front power disc brakes. SelectShift automatic transmission that also works manually, V-B's up t0390cu. in.. Stereo-Sonic Tape System. Mustang's call may be loud and clear but the cost is only a whisper. Listening? it ’67 MUSTANG Bred first...to be first 59 FIGURE l3.--Ford Motor Company, Ford. 60 The FORD quiet story- proved year after yea r. I " .. V ’ * trill-ran I . #1::i'lliilllllf‘E’ my: “5. A qorel strong Ford rode qureter m. Aquretstrong Ford rodeqoieterthan . than a $17000 Rolls-Rche An a Jaguar.Mercedes-BenzandCitroen amazing claim but Ford pr0ved it electronically Ford's OUlel Man proved it all over Europe. .m . A qoiet strong Ford again proved landing, still drove away duretly (NOTE~ Our Ski We its strength— leaped oil a 40-meter Jump Ford was a showroom model wrth nothing Olympic Ski Jump soared 50 met to a boneiarring added but a skrdplate to protect the Oil pan) Ouieter because it’s stronger-stronger because it’s better built. 61 FIGURE 14.--Ford Motor Company, Mustang/Galaxie 500 Better Ideas Sale. 62 Your Ford Dealer has ideas for sale right now that other cars won't have until next year—if then. ideas like: SelectShift Cruise-O-Matic transmis- sion. the automatic that works as a manual. too. even on 6-cylinder cars. Tilt-Away steering wheel swings aside, adjusts 9 ways. Convenience Control Panel warns if fuel is low or door's ajar. Lots more. Get these exclusives on hot-selling '67s like the Mustang Sports Sprint! Mustang Sports Sprints, hardtop and convertible. come with special equipment at a special low price: 0 Sporty hood vents wrth recessed turn indicators 0 Whitewalls 0 Full wheel covers 0 Bright rocker panel moldings - Chrome air cleaner - Vinyl-covered shift lever—if you choose SelectShift - Plus Mustang's long list of standard features No wonder Mustang resale value is so high . . . no wonder it outsells all its imitators combined! NOW! Special Savings on SelectAire Conditioner! Here's an airconditionrng unit that isn't just “hung on." it's handsomely built into the instrument panel. Sort saves space. and looks as good as it keeps you feeling You can get SelectAire right now at a specral low price on a Mustang Sports Sprint or specral Ford Galaxie models. see voun rono DEALER TODAY! .1. V 63 theme implied that the 1967's had all these features but they did not cost extra. They would not cost "extra" in 1968 either, but the sticker price of the car will probably have gone up because of them. This theme also implied that Ford is modern and forward looking——a desirable image. A 1966 Ford Thunderbird ad shows what we assume to be an airline pilot looking at new new "Safety- Convenience Panel." The ad does not mention safety directly. The "pilot" though, does imply safety. Pilots fly modern airplanes which have numerous safety devices. Few planes crash. Therefore, the Thunderbird must be a safe car since a pilot is driving one (Figure 15). The Lincoln Continental makes no reference to safety in any way. It relies completely on the image of being an auto for the elite. As will be shown later, this image in itself carries certain safety ' connotations (Figure 16). A 1966 corporate ad for General Motors showed various testing procedures at the GM proving grounds. This is not a new idea for GM, and an earlier example is described in Chapter III. What the ad is striving for is to help build an image in the public's mind that all GM cars are thoroughly tested before being offered on the market and are therefore very safe cars, very reliable cars (Figure 17). 6“ FIGURE 15.-—Ford Motor Company, Thunderbird. 65 The Thunderbird Time/t: An overhead Safely Convmzefce Panel \ Look! Thunderbird for l966 has a unique Safety-Convenience Panel. mounted overhead on 'Iiiwn Hardtop and Landau mod- els. Tap a switch and the Emer- gency Flasher System sets four exterior lights blinking. Other lights remind you to fasten seat belts, tell you when fuel is low. ltllili I liiiinlcrliiul limit latulau with new fuinial llNIflllll‘ or doors ajar. Other personal Thunderbird touches for 1966 include the Optional AM Radio/ Stereo-sonic Tape system to give you ox er 70 minutes of music on an easy- -t-o load tape cartridge. Completely automatic! Four speakers! New. too. are: an auto matic Highway Pilot speed con- ww trol option; more powerful standard \’-8—plus a 428 cubic inch optional V-8. And all the craftsmanship that has made this car a classic in its own time. Thunderbird U~IQUC ~~ ALL he! WO'LO M3 . 66 FIGURE l6.--Ford Motor Company, Lincoln Continental. 67 Lincoln Continental reflects your way of life. ”. '~ I I . I, . I. . JI—I’ - wa‘. Jr‘o- :11 - - - — - /’ “ ..4m-u .- '1 ‘ ‘ I ’ . - . ‘ ‘3‘ ‘-\‘ ./ Hlinun ll‘l\\\‘ the ('untinrnml (auric- lwnitl-xmny; yum iiuitiliim tn i-“m'luliip Also _i\.til.tlvlt‘ the Milan and Antenna \ only flint-duo] .nnycrtilVlr int [000 A new to: l“ in engine and .I completely new ff.|fl~f“l§§|0n, New luxury options include JUIOMJIH temperature control system, stereo tape AM radio. and manv others Lincoln Continental distinguishes you among fine car owners. It is the luxury motor- car that stands apart from all other cars. As an expression of individuality, good taste, accomplishment. As the reflection of a way of life. Come take a closer look: drive it, experience it, and discover for yourself how close you may be to owning a Continental. 49' l I Illl Lg/(k/xz/fl/ America's most distinguished motorcar. 68 FIGURE l7.—-General Motors. 69 8208. 039595 a... 61.655.- uIEBt 6803 3.9.6.5 .3... 2603 .33. .338 :33 3.2.60 9X: .2... 2 :3 tiraafifis masmziaséaa .30.. 9.30.2 3.22% {Biggito‘SoSn-Eso no); ”Mg: figs; g...3§...u..§..uh8§i§ ....h 333...}... Has...» starfish 1.3-23-3... ii... 5...... no.3 m3 0 20:0 ii... . ...... a s: GEO... {0.305330 305:3. Jae—025:0 08—. 2:. .252- :- azaleas-.30 a... 3.2.5 #0. a 8W0 :NU 30> 70 In 1967 GM began promoting the "GM Mark of Excel- lence." This is an institutional campaign involving a metal tag on the interior post of the door. According to the c0py, this tag, "means the uncommon kind of quality you've come to expect of General Motors . . ." The campaign seeks to build an image in the consumer's mind that all GM cars are crafted by experts. It is an oblique reference to the safety of GM cars: if a car is built by craftsmen, it is a safe car (Figures 18 and 19). It is interesting to note the paucity of Corvair advertising in 1965, 1966 and 1967. Corvair seemed to follow the pattern of most products in a severe sales slump-~cut the advertising budget. This may actually be due to a rumor that Chevrolet would like to drop the Corvair line. As far as this author knows, Chevrolet has made no concrete announcements. Corvair advertising stressed price. It mentioned all the 1967 GM safety features, but did not address it- self to any of the specifically alleged deficiencies cited by Nader (Figure 20). In 1967 Corvair began an "I Love My Corvair" cam— paign. This campaign made use of billboards, television, radio testimonials and bumper stickers. The purpose of this campaign was to convince what Chevrolet believed to be a skeptical public that Corvair 71 FIGURE 18.——General Motors Mark of Excellence. 72 An extra you don’t pay extra fo r. '7 GM.- IARK 0‘ [ICELLEHCI Which surprises most people. Particularly when they see that the cars that have it are the same care that have such things as front wheel drive, hidden windshield wipers, factorywaxed finish and auto- matic level control as standard equipment, too. But then, isn't that what you expect from GM? A little more quality and car for the money? LooktotheGeneralMotorsmerkofexoelience Chevrolet - Pontiac 0 Oldsmobile . Buick 0 Cadillac 73 FIGURE 19.--General Motors Mark of Excellence. 71! u l . >. 3 . ~J w 3 ii _‘..J..J.. This is our mark of excellence. You’ll see it when you open the door of any ’67 GM car. And hear it when you close the door. That's one of the things our mark means—the uncommon kind of the new Chevrolets. Pontiacs. Oldsmobiles, Buicks and Cadillacs quality you've come to expect from General Motors. And when are the finest ever built by General Motors. Look for the mark. you look at our '67 cars. you‘ll see that our mark means more You'll find it on every new GM car. More important, you'll find it than just quality, too. In style. comfort. safety and convenience. where it has always been. In every GM car. Look to the General Motors mark of excellence 75 FIGURE 20.--General Motors, Chevrolet Corvair. To you drivers who really love driving, this could be the most welcome new car of the year ’ 76 Corvair 500 Sport Coupe, America’s lowest priced hardtop—$2129 New dual master cylinder brakes—Separate hydraulic systems. one for front l‘rJth and one for rear brakes. iiican fit." one sct kcciu \U‘fLIii‘.’ men If the other ducsti't .iii lliiliLL‘l\ cit-iii . Red light tin Itistriimclit paticl \\.IYii\ «if my f‘fi."~llft.‘ illil‘JlJlitc‘ l‘c'fuc‘cli file "\\\| usictlis. New oval steering wheel—This casv-to-erip wheel sits atop the GM-devcluped energy- absorbing steering column—one of many new standard safety features. Others include 4«u-av hazard warning flasher and a lancachanuc feature incorporated in direction signal control. ’67 Corvair The rear-engine road car 'Munu/ucturer'y~ thunk-d list price [or Conttir 500 Sport Coupe lmodcl lUl37i. To this price add uhitc- ttafl rim 528.20. and uhccl mt‘m $21.“). which are illustrated on Madam Maroon Cimuir in forcg'nmiul. All prices include Fctimil Excise Tu: and Sldut'qt'sl dealer delitery and handling clung.- ltninctxntutimi charges. accessories. other optional equipment. stoic and local taxes additional). Here it is—with its steering as crisp and precise as ever, its independent suspension as poised and flat—riding as ever, its styling as clean and sweet as ever. Plus new safety and conve— nience features that’ll add to your delight in driving it. We who build Corvair wouldn't have it any other way. And we know you drivers who really love driving I wouldn’t, either. 77 was a good automobile and that people who owned them were satisfied. The best advertisement is a satisfied customer. As far as this writer knows, the campaign died a quiet death. As to why, the author can only guess that it was due in part to the fact that people thought Chevrolet was trying to smoke-screen the truth about the Corvair, and also due to the fact that people driving old, "Junk" cars were putting the bumper stickers on them. While this may have been humorous, it is not the most effective means of correcting a bad image for Corvair. This Chevrolet ad promotes the "Dream Ride." Major emphasis is placed on ride, the solidness of the car and the comfort. The picture of the child sleeping comfortably clutching a doll leads the reader to think in terms of security. If the child is secure, then the car must be safe. The ad has a pervasive sense of security. Safety is only mentioned, in a direct way, by a tag line listing "8 new standard features for your added safety. . ." and finally admonishes the reader to ”always buckle up” (Figure 21). The Chevrolet Chevelle stresses sportiness. The Chevelle SS (Super Sport) emphasizes power more directly than does the Malibu. The only reference to safety is the last line of the copy for the Malibu, "buckle your— self into one at your Chevrolet dealer's" (Figure 22). 78 FIGUR .E 21 .-—Gener al Motors Ch , evrol et lm .pala 79 a! as: seas.» es assesses sees as .8395. iota its. sot-cu } .8315 52.36 ..I ~33. unis-‘1 ...-v. ‘3' 30% at; ‘3 ‘33:}... £943 is“. sash 50‘ nun-:34 fissile is: 3n?lu.¢....e Iona. ‘13; -@ Ill-ll ii III“ in nll‘.‘ n ‘ - ll4 . ill 0 . . x I — .\x ‘ o “I \\\ a. O . , \\,\ 6.50101 .8956 .50» .u z .0: 56> $333 40:... net. .800.— III ll ls: ‘ .58.. no. .9 3:0 ‘1 . .88. tax—2.1.6.525 . . coin. 2 ram 3.1.3.5338 < B. 6.2.562:- eou too—...... ..n> inc.- :o F53. as... 3506—. 6:0 :5... o... o- ...zEco o»:1.=< .853. no 55% 95..- ...—30.. 9:0 40!. o... o. .1555 ..av...a=< ...—5 a... 52.952: ooze..- Coaao: 3:5. a... 4021 2K ..o>O 6.33.52.- 43... meta-.0253. 30m 490...: To; 3 net... :90 30.5 < assignaon 3.3.52.0 .082: ...—3 ea sea 80 81 I -