Ford's EVs Celebrate Their ICE Ancestors In Olympics Commercial

Ford tapped Academy Award-winner Chloé Zhao to direct the ad that focuses on its new EVs and their iconic lineage.

By: Dan Mihalascu

Jul 30, 2021 at 12:48pm ET

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With the Mustang Mach-E already on the road and the F-150 Lightning and E-Transit arriving soon, Ford needs the public to be aware of its growing EV family.

And what better way to do that than a commercial directed by an Academy Award winner? Ford tapped director Chloé Zhao to tell the story of how the electric versions of some of its most popular and famous vehicles are shaping the brand’s future.

In the new “Make It Revolutionary” ad released during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, Zhao shows how the Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning and E-Transit help improve the lives of Americans in new ways while retaining some of the defining traits of their "predecessors," particularly the Mustang pony car and the F-150 pickup.

Gallery: 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning

According to the carmaker, this new commercial marks a shift in Ford’s marketing and brand positioning, from the types of stories it tells to how it tells them. The ad is the latest iteration of Ford’s “Built for America” platform and focuses on the brand’s sustainability and technology efforts.

It also places more emphasis on the human part, which is why Ford selected Zhao, whose film “Nomadland” earned six Oscars this year, including for Best Picture and Best Director. Ford says Chloé Zhao brings a “human-centric” approach to storytelling, which allowed her to bring out the performances from the cast consisting largely of non-actors.

The automaker also notes the Zhao has a personal connection to the brand. She often travels in and works from a Ford Transit-based camper van, and the characters in her movies are often driving Ford vehicles.

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The video was posted on YouTube on July 23 and is yet to become viral, amassing more than 36,000 views in seven days. Check it out for yourself and let us know if you like it.