Toyota loses another: Jim Farley heads to Ford
Sure, the loss of Jim Press to Chrysler was probably a bigger blow, but news today that one of Toyota's marketing gurus, Jim Farley, has been hired awar by Alan Mulally to be Ford's group vice president of marketing and communication implies that the Japanese automaker's North American operation is experiencing a bit of a brain drain. Farley will start at Ford in mid-November and report directly to Mulally. His resume includes overseeing the launch of Scion, general manager of Lexus and group VP of marketing of Toyota. In addition to Farley and Press, Toyota also lost Deborah Wahl Meyer two months ago when Chrysler hired her to be its chief marketing officer. What we're seeing is a dream team of executives groomed by Toyota going out and testing the free agent market. It remains to be seen, however, whether Team Toyota will ultimately suffer for not keeping these execs in their positions.
NOTE: A few of us couldn't help but notice that along with his marketing acumen, Farley will bring another mullet to the Ford fold. He'll need a month or so of missed haircuts to reach Mark Fields' level of mulletocity, but he'll get there.
[Source: Ford, Automotive News, sub. req'd]
PRESS RELEASE:
FORD MOTOR COMPANY NAMES JIM FARLEY TO LEAD MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 11 - Ford Motor Company President and Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally today announced the appointment of Jim Farley as Group Vice President of Marketing and Communications.
Farley joins Ford in mid-November, after nearly two decades at Toyota and Lexus.
"We are thrilled to welcome one of the most successful and talented leaders in the industry to the Ford Motor Company team," said Mulally. "Jim Farley is well known for innovative marketing strategies that connect great products to today's and tomorrow's customers. Ford's quality and vehicles are now on par with the best of the competition. We look forward to Jim's leadership to combine world-class marketing with our world-class products worldwide."
Farley will be the company's most senior marketing leader and will report directly to Mulally.
Working with the company's worldwide business unit leaders and global product development organization, Farley will lead Ford's drive to connect even more closely with customers through integrated marketing, advertising, digital communications, brand development, product planning, research, product communications and public relations. In line with that vision, Ford's global Communications and public relations team also now will report to Farley.
Farley, 45, most recently was Group Vice President and General Manager of Lexus, responsible for all sales, marketing and customer satisfaction activities for Toyota's luxury brand. He joined Toyota in 1990 in the strategic-planning department after receiving his MBA from the UCLA Anderson School. Since then, he has served in such senior leadership positions as Vice President and General Manager of Toyota's Scion brand, Group Vice President of Marketing for the Toyota Division, General Manager of Product Management for Toyota Europe and a variety of product planning, marketing and advertising roles.
Farley says he is passionate about joining Ford in this global leadership role and is eager to help lead the company's transformation plan toward automotive leadership and profitable growth.
"My connection with Ford goes way back to my first car, a 1966 Ford Mustang. I bought it when I was 15, restored it and drove it from California to Michigan. I am excited to make that trip once again," said Farley. "Ford is one of the world's most admired companies because of its ability to develop iconic products that connect with customers. I look forward to building on that strength by engaging customers and introducing even more of them to the great family of Ford."
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With about 260,000 employees and about 100 plants worldwide, the company's core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.fordvehicles.com.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Hamburglar 6:10PM (10/11/2007)
cool hair, farley.
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Ben 6:23PM (10/11/2007)
Yea go Ford.. glad to see American companies grabbing Toyota's top dogs...maybe Toyota will go downhill from this and Ford and Chrysler will get some much needed product genius.
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SuperSkyline89 7:20PM (10/11/2007)
Ya, keep dreaming. Toyota will shrug this off as if nothing happened and the only way for Ford to do better is to stop making crappy cars. Good marketing doesn't sell bad cars, unless you're selling them to idiots.
MKIV 7:54PM (10/11/2007)
Jim Press, Deborah, and Farly didn't make Toyota. Toyota made them.
geo.stewart 6:19PM (10/11/2007)
I knew Chris Farley and Jim, you are no Chris Farley
sorry, just had to in light of the election atmosphere...
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Vivek 6:25PM (10/11/2007)
Is this guy in anyway responsible for all the "machoism" being displayed in the Tundra ads?
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AlexP 7:28PM (10/11/2007)
Know what's amusing? I was told the Tundra's engine was GM-sourced, and I found out that the Sierra/Silverado combo both had smaller panel gaps than the Tundra (and need I mention the amount of body flex...).
Gardiner Westbound 6:28PM (10/11/2007)
Chrysler and Ford recently poached Toyota marketing executives confirming they still think good marketing sells lousy cars.
Autoextremist's Peter M. De Lorenzo recently wrote, "There is no strategic marketing plan or brilliant advertising campaign on earth that can bail Chrysler out of the mess they're in. Chrysler's problems originated with the serial incompetence laid down by the previous regime. Product planning by chaos, in case you didn't already know, is not a recipe for success in this business, and Chrysler managed to take it to a new level of stupidity. Chrysler has so many products stepping on each other in the market now that it's a flat-out embarrassment."
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whofan 6:42PM (10/11/2007)
I have to disagree with you.
I think Chrysler has a nicer line up of vehicles than Ford does.
I do agree in one respect. Chrysler`s interiors are bad. Chrysler has more choices than Ford currently does, at least cars that I personally find interesting.
Fords use of big chrome grills is starting to get ridiculess.
Ford needs to bring over their European designers. That is something Chrysler doesn`t have.
MasterCKO 6:47PM (10/11/2007)
that might be true of Chrysler, but I don't think that it is the case with Ford. Mullaly has a clear idea of what to do with the company as a whole (which to me makes sense), Ford is increasing in most notable areas (auto quality -- real and perceived -- cool features, design, though that's not so quantifiable) and now he needs a good marketing guy to get that stuff across. I personally think that this is a very shrewd move by Mullaly.
Tagg 9:53PM (10/11/2007)
Sorry Whofan, I must disagree with you. While neither has a great line of cars Ford has at least a credible if not solid mid-size car in the Fusion. Chrysler/Dodge offer the two worst mid-size entries in perhaps history given the competiton. Aside from minivans Chrysler offers very little that would attract buyers without heavy incentives.
geo.stewart 10:13PM (10/11/2007)
good marketing DOES sell lousy cars.
Anyone who thinks a toyota is anything more than an appliance is a tool. YET, millions are sold every year in the US.
US mftrs have cars on both sides of Toyota; true duds and truly inspired vehicles.
So good marketing will help get the public to concentrate on the inspired product while others in the company will have to concentrate on getting the duds up to snuff.
Cameron 6:46PM (10/11/2007)
Thank you, thank you autoblog. mulletocity is brilliant.
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willem 7:26PM (10/11/2007)
Great work, Ford. Seems too many talented people hit the proverbial glass ceiling at ToyMoCo. Americans ought to be working for American companies, anyway.
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MKIV 7:58PM (10/11/2007)
Did you come up with that statement all by your self or did you get some help from the neighboring trailer?
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Robert 8:23PM (10/11/2007)
Everyone knows the names of American car company icons throughout the years. Can anyone name a single Toyota or Honda icon? Individual personalities are unimportant to those companies, so if someone wants out, it's "Don't let the door hit you on the way out."
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Stratojet 9:45PM (10/11/2007)
Toyota is a strong corporation and has a plethora of candidates who will be more than happy to get those jobs. Real power is in Japan, not USA. Marketing, sales pitch and Mullaly will not sell Ford.
Bad management at Ford produced an evolution of products which customers do not really want. It,ll take many many years to revive it.
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Frank 8:35PM (10/11/2007)
Smart hire by Ford. I wonder if the glass ceiling at Toyota is leading to all these American defections. It seems Americans only get so high up in Toyota USA and never run anything in other parts of the world.
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DesiAuto 8:48PM (10/11/2007)
I am not sure if this is a good move. You want the best marketing guy ONLY when you have solved all your product problems and the only thing to improve now is company's perception in the eyes of customers.
IF Mullaly thinks that all product problems are solved, all power to him, but from outside and what we know about Ford's North America line up it doesn't look like it.
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Richard Warren 6:50AM (10/12/2007)
What's that old saying. Oh, yes, something about rats and ships.
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