Situation – McCollum Ford had been a presence in the Spokane Valley for years, however it had been a long time since the dealership had solid leadership and direction. In 1998, the dealership changed to “Gus Johnson Ford”. However, two years later the change wasn’t penetrating the marketplace as projected.

Objective – Put Gus on the map. Do something radically different that’s memorable and consistent with the character of the dealership.

Creative Strategy – GUS Antenna Balls
We identified the greatest attribute working in favor for the Gus Johnson Ford brand was Gus himself. Gus is an all-American guy, the perfect Ford Expert spokesperson; approachable, knowledgeable and well-admired who has a longstanding history with Ford Motor Company. He’s the kind of guy you’d want to invite to Thanksgiving dinner. Gus himself represented the personality of the brand. Therefore, the smiling face antenna ball, GUS baseball cap included, became a specialty advertising tool to help drive home the character of our “GUS” brand. This little happy face has proved to be one of the most popular specialty advertising tools we’ve ever encountered and has helped position the “GUS” brand uniquely. In 2004, Gus received the President’s Award from Ford Motor Company partly for a 40% increase in new vehicle sales.