Ford 888 Response... believe it or not!

[petebendon]

over at central 8's they posted this and albertm -- a ford guy -- said it was real.......................could be bs but if it's true a pretty poor xcuse from them! a silver/orange falcon with FORD on the screen winning is better than losing blue ones

Employee Announcement



July 30 2009





Team,



I thought it was important that you should hear directly from me about yesterday's announcement that the Triple 8 race team and its drivers, including Craig Lowndes, will be racing Commodores next year. There is a lot of speculation and some negative commentary around about the decision so I’m giving you the facts.



Firstly, we spent a considerable amount of money sponsoring Triple 8 for a number of years. We honoured every single aspect of our sponsorship arrangement with them and in return, we asked for one thing – that they respect our brand by painting their cars blue. This wasn’t just a simple request, it was written into their contracts every single year – and each year Triple 8 chose to defy that contractual obligation and paint their cars red. That may seem relatively minor but it’s not. We’re running a business here and investing significant sums of money in supporting motorsport. If someone continues to take large sums of money from us every year while continuing to blatantly defy the obligations they’ve agreed to in order to obtain that money, then we have no choice but to end that arrangement.



Make no mistake – Triple 8 was given every opportunity to live up to the contractual arrangements they agreed to. Eventually we said enough – as any responsible company would do. I make no apologies for doing that. It’s not just about the cars being painted blue, it’s about whether or not we have an open and trusting relationship with an organisation that significantly benefits from their involvement with us. That wasn’t there and, in the market environment we’ve been facing over the last few years, we simply cannot afford to continue giving money to a team that does not respect our brand.



Secondly, we are hugely disappointed that Craig Lowndes will be returning to Holden at the end of this year. We’re disappointed because he’s a great talent and we’re disappointed because we have gone out of our way to welcome Craig into the Ford family since he moved to us in 2001. We’re also disappointed because we found out this was happening on Tuesday evening. Our sponsorship of Craig has hugely benefited him financially since 2001 and I have yet to receive a phone call from Craig himself telling me of his decision to re-sign with Triple 8 and subsequently return to Holden. We had every intention of continuing our relationship with Craig into next year but this is now not possible.



We continue to support motorsport in Australia through our direct sponsorship of FPR and SBR and we also continue to provide significant in-kind support to other teams such as DJR. Motorsport continues to be a useful tool for us to communicate our brand promise to our customers. You can rest assured that we will continue to be involved in motorsport in Australia in the future and are completely focussed on delivering winning results.



Thanks for your ongoing passion and support.





Marin

[Micklegend]

Thats pretty shortsighted if you think every other ford on the track is a loser mate.

I dont support fords actions but i still support the brand and the remaining teams.

I'll continue to support 888 until they go red.....they have given ford fans much joy over the last few years and will win this year too, enjoy what they deliver to the ford fans while you can.

The other teams have my support to and will now continue to enjoy it for the years to come.

To CL and JW, bring home bathurst and another championship in 2009!!!!

[Chatters]

Remind me again how a team, getting more money from their RED sponsor (Vodafone) then their BLUE sponsor (Ford), can justify painting their car blue...

[Micklegend]

Im sure a lot of people in here will be talking the same rubbish about Roland Dane as they did about Walkinshaw soon enough too....

[wechy]

I think theres a lot more to this than the colour! DJR`s cars are mainly white not RED & still no $$$ from ford!

[ForumNick]

Originally Posted by Chatters

Remind me again how a team, getting more money from their RED sponsor (Vodafone) then their BLUE sponsor (Ford), can justify painting their car blue...

Well, according to the OP, the team (T8 Racing) agreed to that stipulation (blue car) as a condition of the Ford sponsorship agreement.
Then they sought & obtained further (larger) sponsorship from a company that required their corporate colour (red) to be predominate on the car.
The team (T8 Racing) decided that they would ignore the agreed stipulation and breach their original agreement (with Ford).

It's simple contract law.

Ford's only failing was, that they didn't serve T8 Racing with a Breach Notice when the Vodafone Livery was first released.

[petebendon]

foremnick..........so t8 reneged on there ford contract in 07 with a red car and broadmedows paid them, then right a new contract and let them reneg again in 08 and paid again??????? who could be so stupid to right new contracts and pay someone for reneging then right another and have them reneg and pay again??? and if ford were upset that t8 reneged why wouldnt they cancel before last year???? the big question is -- will ford stop selling red falcons??????????????? was craig's fpr falcon blue?????? what about alan moffat's phase 3 falcon--the most famous falcon??????

[yap]

Originally Posted by petebendon

foremnick..........so t8 reneged on there ford contract in 07 with a red car and broadmedows paid them, then right a new contract and let them reneg again in 08 and paid again??????? who could be so stupid to right new contracts and pay someone for reneging then right another and have them reneg and pay again??? and if ford were upset that t8 reneged why wouldnt they cancel before last year???? the big question is -- will ford stop selling red falcons??????????????? was craig's fpr falcon blue?????? what about alan moffat's phase 3 falcon--the most famous falcon??????

Moffats car was Red yes

How many years ago, must be nearly 40 years ago

Don't try and compare what happened 40 years ago to what is happening now

[Falcon GT]

Got a question for you Pete.

If you were sponsoring a team and you had a contract that stipulated that the car must be predominately blue and they painted it the same colour as you oppositions car and coporate colours would you be ****ed off.

How about a few facts.
Dane was caught out trying to get Toyota.
He didn't live up to the stipulations in the contract.
He carries on like cut cat after Ford doesn't renew it's contract. Just remember this bit. Ford never ripped up or cancelled their contract, even though Dane broke it.
They simply said enough. We are not renewing your contract
Then one of his driver starts dissing Ford while they still are recieving funds from Ford for racing and development of the FG.
The same driver then goes cap in hand to Ford after his championship win trying to get a car and to get his ego stroked by promoting a Ford product.
The same driver left Oran Park last year driving a HSV
Ford after the bagging they've copped from the said driver, don't want to know about it and rightly so.
All Ford have done is not renew the contract. They haven't screwed 888. if anything it's the opposite.
Whincup has acted as Danes hand puppet and mouth piece and bagged Ford.
Dane has bagged Ford and given them the middle finger as well with his picture on the grill badge.

The only winners out of this are Holden fans as they now have two top line teams.
The sport hasn't won.
A lot of fans won't like the lopsided competition next year
Enjoy it while it lasts

[TheDarkShadow]

So it would seem Ford and its motorsport "department" would have preferred one of their key teams be sponsorless, and painted blue, rather than healthy and successful and reflecting a global motorsport identity created by Vodafone, which undoubtedly helped their Ford brand gain recognition, rather than take away from it.

Ford states they honoured every part of their contract with 888. I wonder if that includes the "Indian call centre" payment plan Ford implemented in 2007 which meant payments to suppliers and probably teams were months behind where they should be.

It was a poor decision to pull out the funding in 2007, and the Ford brand, and the sport as a whole, are going to suffer.

[Falcon GT]

Totally agree with Dark Shadow that it was a poor decision by Ford.

I'd rather see a red and silver Falcon with a blue windscreen banner than a predominately blue one wiyh bits of red and green crashing into all and sundry.

There's another bit in that email that doesn't bode to well for the relationship and i'd have to say it probably has something to do with Dane courting toyota while being a Ford contracted team.

It’s not just about the cars being painted blue, it’s about whether or not we have an open and trusting relationship with an organisation that significantly benefits from their involvement with us. That wasn’t there and, in the market environment we’ve been facing over the last few years, we simply cannot afford to continue giving money to a team that does not respect our brand.

[manwell]

The whole corporate colour thing is rubbish in my opinion.
I dont care if a car is painted Ford Blue, Castrol Green and Red, Caterpillar Yellow and Black, Vodafone Red and Silver, Pirtek Blue Yellow and Red.
As long as they are racing Fods and winning for Ford who cares about the colour...... really?
Well....... apart from Ford...... who got their knickers in a knot about it...... dropped the best team in the championship...... current championship and triple Bathurst crown holders...... and gave them an opportunity to defect to Holden. Yeah, REALLY great move!!!
Isnt a Ford winning wearing Silver and Red better than a Holden winning?

[aussiefveeracer]

It is interesting this purely from a marketing perspective. Sponsorship is always about two things - getting your brand out there; AND leveraging someone else's brand to benefit your own. The latter being the difference between advertising and sponsorship. In advertising you are promoting your brand and as such are in control. In sponsorship you are promoting your brand by linking it to another entity that you believe its followers are more loyal to. Therefore your brand benefits from being associated with them. In this case you benefit by their success.

The message above from Ford, ignoring the contract obligations (which whilst well intentioned, can rightfully be overlooked if T8's brand and success is of significant enough benefit - which it obviously was in some Ford people's eyes at some time), indicates Ford saw the arrangement only as advertising. Hence the absence of blue got in the way of them seeking other benefits from the sponsorship.

Of course Ford may well have done its homework via some market research, and to the average guy and gal on the street, T8 winning wasn't helping the Ford brand/image because T8 wasn't easily recognised as Ford. If that was the case and dollars were truly tight, then Ford quite justifiably thinks it has done the right thing.

That's my 1.5 cents anyway.

[davester]

Hmmm...Ford don't appear to have the same "blue" clause in NASCAR, an environment just as tribal as V8 Supercars, or in WRC either. Surely after about 5 Ford Aust CEO's, someone there can correct the stupidity of the policy (too late now).

BTW, Jimmie Johnson just won NASCAR at the Brickyard in a Blue Chevy Impala SS...I wonder if the fans got confused and rushed out to buy Ford Fusions...oh, and a factory Ford "Greg Biffle" was 3rd in a white/red/yellow car...not a blue Ford in sight.

FYI, in NASCAR, Hendrick (Chevy) has Johnson (Blue/yelow/silver) Gordon (Rainbow) Martin (Yellow) Earnhardt (white/green), and Roush (Ford) has Edwards (seems to change each week), Biffle (white/yellow/red) Kenseth (Black/yellow) McMurray (Purple/yellow).

I wonder if the same person at Ford Aust who created the "blue" clause, has been the same person overseeing some very lame product marketing over the last 5 years.

Roland Dane deserves the highest accolades from Ford Aust for the results he's brought to the brand. Motorsport is all about performance, and 888 delivered better than anyone else across both marques. Why wouldn't he explore the Toyota option...any team owner would explore a possible relationship with the world's largest manufacturer.

[nomad_n]

Okay I'm confused about this email from FORD.... they are saying that their sponsered cars must be blue.... Mmmmmmm okay what about Jason Brights car - I haven't seen any blue on it.

Oh what when Team BOC were with ford there cars were mostly red and white.....

As for CL and ford he went where he is going to get the best car.... and that is with T888

[porsche91722]

I wonder where Ray Price is these days. (Fords, not Parramattas)
Flogging clapped out Capris in outer mongolia perhaps

[Driver TBA]

Originally Posted by nomad_n

Okay I'm confused about this email from FORD.... they are saying that their sponsered cars must be blue.... Mmmmmmm okay what about Jason Brights car - I haven't seen any blue on it.

Oh what when Team BOC were with ford there cars were mostly red and white.....

As for CL and ford he went where he is going to get the best car.... and that is with T888

Jason Bright recieves zero Ford $'s, he is a customer of SBR.

The BJR BOC Falcon's were mainly white and blue from memory.

In a radio interview with CL yesterday, Craig did'nt seem overly happy with the move to Holden.
But I guess contractualy he can't be happy until 1/1/10.

[NewsStalker]

IF this email is factual and true, then it sonds more like sour grapes than anything else. They have to come up with some excues/story as to why the most successfull current V8 team is switching brands. Jones was understandable - he wasn't winning, but when a team that is consistently at the pointy end AND winning - then there is more to this than the colour of the car!

And the colour on Moffats cars was officially known, and sold, as 'Ford Track Red'

[Driver TBA]

I'm not buying the 'cars arn't blue' excuse.

But if Ford want to stick with that excuse and try to save face. Maybe offer GRM some $$$'s and the promise of some SBR grunt. After all the GRM cars are mainly blue!

[St00ge]

Originally Posted by davester

Hmmm...Ford don't appear to have the same "blue" clause in NASCAR, an environment just as tribal as V8 Supercars, or in WRC either. Surely after about 5 Ford Aust CEO's, someone there can correct the stupidity of the policy (too late now).

BTW, Jimmie Johnson just won NASCAR at the Brickyard in a Blue Chevy Impala SS...I wonder if the fans got confused and rushed out to buy Ford Fusions...oh, and a factory Ford "Greg Biffle" was 3rd in a white/red/yellow car...not a blue Ford in sight.

FYI, in NASCAR, Hendrick (Chevy) has Johnson (Blue/yelow/silver) Gordon (Rainbow) Martin (Yellow) Earnhardt (white/green), and Roush (Ford) has Edwards (seems to change each week), Biffle (white/yellow/red) Kenseth (Black/yellow) McMurray (Purple/yellow).

Nascar is alot less reliant on the manufactures supporting teams, and is all about branding so the major sponsor has the call on colour mate, apples and oranges in this example. Same excuse for people saying Moffat raced red, you are a clown we are talking about the present and not the 70s.

Originally Posted by Facon GT

If you were sponsoring a team and you had a contract that stipulated that the car must be predominately blue and they painted it the same colour as you oppositions car and coporate colours would you be ****ed off.

How about a few facts.
Dane was caught out trying to get Toyota.
He didn't live up to the stipulations in the contract.
He carries on like cut cat after Ford doesn't renew it's contract. Just remember this bit. Ford never ripped up or cancelled their contract, even though Dane broke it.
They simply said enough. We are not renewing your contract
Then one of his driver starts dissing Ford while they still are recieving funds from Ford for racing and development of the FG.
The same driver then goes cap in hand to Ford after his championship win trying to get a car and to get his ego stroked by promoting a Ford product.
The same driver left Oran Park last year driving a HSV
Ford after the bagging they've copped from the said driver, don't want to know about it and rightly so.
All Ford have done is not renew the contract. They haven't screwed 888. if anything it's the opposite.
Whincup has acted as Danes hand puppet and mouth piece and bagged Ford.
Dane has bagged Ford and given them the middle finger as well with his picture on the grill badge.

The only winners out of this are Holden fans as they now have two top line teams.
The sport hasn't won.
A lot of fans won't like the lopsided competition next year
Enjoy it while it lasts

Well said

I think Ford was well within their right to stop sponsoring 888, they can do what ever they want with their sponsorship dollars.. It seems 888 didn't adhere to their contract with Ford and Ford walked, I would of too if the millions I had been spending on sponsorship and support was taken while they (888) did what ever they wanted. 888 showed little respect or loyalty to Ford, so why should Ford just roll over and take it while costing them $1mill a year...

[sizzle]

One of course presumes all of you have in fact read the contract and can attest to the conditions of the sponsorship?

[davester]

[QUOTE=St00ge;2512870]Nascar is alot less reliant on the manufactures supporting teams, and is all about branding so the major sponsor has the call on colour mate, apples and oranges in this example. Same excuse for people saying Moffat raced red, you are a clown we are talking about the present and not the 70s.

Read my post in it's correct context. The NASCAR teams I refer to are the "factory supported" teams...yet not a colour branding issue in sight for either Chevy or Ford. Yet Ford Australia, some outpost often forgotten by its parent, refuses to bury recalcitrant policies irrelevant to the rest of its international peers.

It doesn't matter what colour your glasses are, bad policy is bad policy, period, and Ford Racing Aust have put their faith in dud's. 888 was the only Ford team that stepped forward in recent history to challenge for the title and Bathurst bragging rights. SBR was a spent force when Little left, and FPR I wont comment on because its very close to home.

The best thing Ford could do right now is headhunt Campbell Little and Andre Klug, the one's who are closest to replicating recent 888 DNA into it's funded teams.

[V8 Fireworks]

Plainly it's not a coincidence that Betta Electrical yellow was marginalised on the shiny new predominantly blue livery raced by Radisich & Wilson...

That the blue was increasing replaced by other sponsors like LG, goes to show the greed of 888 as they leverage the Ford brand to sell their own merchandise surely whilst not recognizing that they need the global might of the Ford brand more than Ford needs some small-time racing team.

[sizzle]

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

Plainly it's not a coincidence that Betta Electrical yellow was marginalised on the shiny new predominantly blue livery raced by Radisich & Wilson...

That the blue was increasing replaced by other sponsors like LG, goes to show the greed of 888 as they leverage the Ford brand to sell their own merchandise surely whilst not recognizing that they need the global might of the Ford brand more than Ford needs some small-time racing team.

[rik]

Originally Posted by Falcon GT

I'd rather see a red and silver Falcon with a blue windscreen banner than a predominately blue one wiyh bits of red and green crashing into all and sundry.

Gotta agree with this... if you're not winning races, championships and bathurst, then it doesn't really matter what colour you point it.

The fact that Ford hasn't bothered to appoint a new motorsport manager since Ray Price quit would probably be a factor in letting things go off the rails.