Ford Fairmont: Traditional Automobile Advertisements | The Every day Drive

July 12, 2025

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Promoting within the consolation zone.

1981 Ford Fairmont, blue — 1981 Ford Fairmont

Again in 1978, had been you to ask a five-year outdated little one to attract a automotive, she or he would seemingly—and fairly by accident—draw one thing that appeared lots like a Ford Fairmont. This isn’t as a result of children knew what a Fairmont was, however as a result of the Fairmont was the only most anonymous-looking car ever retailed within the U.S. by Ford.

Ford Fairmont: Traditional Automobile Advertisements

I’ve written in regards to the hubris of Seventies Ford Granada adverts, adverts that in contrast the small Ford to the likes of the Cadillac Seville, Volkswagen Rabbit, and even the Mercedes-Benz SLC sporty coupe. You’ll be able to test these adverts out right here.

Ford took a really totally different tack with the Fairmont, which slotted under the Granada within the model’s lineup. New for 1978, the Fairmont—together with it’s Mercury clone the Zephyr—was the primary Ford mannequin constructed on the maker’s Fox Physique structure. In comparison with the dated Granada, the Fairmont was smaller exterior, roomier inside, and was additionally considerably lighter.

The Fairmont was additionally, frankly, boring. And surprisingly, promoting for the automotive appear to replicate that actuality. Provided as 2-door sedan, 4-door sedan, station wagon, and barely rakish coupe, the Fairmont appeared plain and easy, and that appeared OK with each Ford and the shopping for public.

The Fairmont hit showrooms throughout a interval of world political unrest, excessive inflation, and rising gasoline prices. And the brand new Ford’s uninteresting however acquainted profile appealed to buyers uninterested in change and turmoil.

Although new, the Fairmont’s structure was fairly standard. Ford did make use of unibody development, however the automotive featured rear-wheel drive, and, as famous above, standard physique sorts.

This was in distinction to Common Motors’ new “X-Automobiles” which arrive early in 1979 as 1980 fashions. Each GM division however Cadillac acquired an X, together with Chevrolet (Quotation), Pontiac (Phoenix), Oldsmobile (Omega), and Buick (Skylark).

In comparison with the Fairmont, the X Automobiles had been radical, with unusual physique sorts, together with a 4-door hatchback, front-wheel drive, and transverse-mounted engines. Whereas the X Automobiles had been forward of their time, many consumers weren’t prepared for that a lot change.

Trying again, the Fairmont may be thought of a half step between relics just like the Granada, and paradigm changers just like the Quotation.

Ford offered a LOT of Fairmonts, a testomony to the automotive’s approachable simplicity. Mixed, the Fairmont and Zephyr racked up virtually 1.6 million gross sales in the course of the automobiles’ six-year run. So, yeah, the uninteresting and boxy Fairmont might have appeared like a baby’s drawing, however it precisely met the wants of a number of Individuals throughout a turbulent time.