If you’re comparing the 2019 Ford F-150 vs 2019 Chevy Silverado, it’s important to recognize that you have plenty of anti-automaker propaganda to sift through. Despite both offerings having evolved over the last couple of model years to become more lightweight, durable and powerful than ever before, each still has its naysayers. And despite the two retaining the top spots in terms of global sales, some would have you think that their superior rankings are far from earned. But this is nothing new. For the better part of half-a-century, both Ford and Chevy trucks have found themselves the punchline of many a joke, a fact which is only emphasized in today’s meme culture. And it’s with that in mind, that they might have just found their most sympathetic (and influential) ally.
For those who have lived their life under the same rock that their grandparents crawled under, Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. is the 41-year old quarterback of the New England Patriots. Since 2001, he has led the team through 266 games thus far (232 of which were wins), five Super Bowl victories, earning Super Bowl MVP four times, NFL MVP three times while setting countless passing records throughout his near twenty-year career. And yet, despite his well-deserved $180 million net worth, Tom Brady remains the butt of many jokes, both outside of New England and online.
Which is why supermodel Gisele Bündchen appears to be coming to the rescue of Ford and Chevy. With an estimated net worth of $360 million, the 38-year old Brazilian born model, mother of two and (dare we say) ‘actress’ is poised to become the first-ever joint spokesperson for the American truck industry.
Revered by some as the last true supermodel, Ms. Bündchen is renowned for more than standing as the highest paid in her industry. Speaking five languages, she is an accomplished traveler and businesswoman. As a Goodwill Ambassador, she works actively to support environmental causes and supports a series of medical charities like the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders. And as an entertainer, you might even remember her short-lived musical career which included this cover of Blondie’s ‘Heart of Glass.’
In a joint press release, the automakers joined Ms. Bündchen’s media team in stating that, “This groundbreaking partnership acknowledges Gisele’s unique skillsets, and her willingness to defend, in the court of public opinion, those whose accomplishments are notable enough that they should never be called into question. Also, it’s not unpleasant to think of her rolling around on a truck.”
And truck enthusiasts everywhere seem to agree. Ford loyalist and Ft. Worth, Texas resident Ted Donaldson agrees. “I’d pretty much watch Tom Brady’s wife crawl across a Honda Ridgeline if I had to, and that’s saying something.”
With GM facing it’s second financial crisis in a decade (following their $17 billion bail-out) and Ford looking to revitalize their entire lineup, it’s no surprise that their management teams are looking to think outside of the box.
And to give credit where it’s due, the idea appears to be the brainchild of Kyle Murray, creator of the iconic Carls Jr commercials which displayed models such as Kate Upton and Charlotte McKinney (among countless others) eating burgers in a provocative manner. The campaign, which was discarded after 2017, left Murray unemployed and searching for a new area to prove himself.
Needless to say, the challenge laid out by the troubled automakers seemed a perfect opportunity; and Murray’s successful courtship of Ms. Bündchen over the past year might have been exactly what was needed to show Ford and GM his mettle. But how did the (somewhat) disgraced ad executive manage to score such a coveted gig, and one of the most high-profile celebrity endorsements out there?
“Let’s just say it rhymes with “Grading Rimmy Marappolo,” offers Murray, a San Francisco native and cousins of 49ers CEO Jed York, playfully. We don’t really know what that means, but whatever it is, it seems to have meant a lot to Ms. Bündchen and/or Tom Brady.
So, if you’ve ever wanted to see a Victoria’s Secret model roll around on the hood of a truck, you’re about to get exactly what you want.
