Ford is running a (pretty funny) campaign centered on the idea that “and” is better than “or.” In the ad below, for example, Ford asserts that their Fusion hybrid gets better mileage AND looks better than Toyota’s Prius V. (The humorous element focuses on what the world would look like if a boss was in charge but not large – see below.)
On its face, this makes sense. Logically, it’s better to have two positive attributes than to have one but not the other. The problem, however, is that some consumers put a lot of value on advertising their “eco cred.” That is, they go out of their way to select a car that looks environmentally friendly.
By emphasizing that the Fusion looks better than the Prius, Ford may be inadvertently advertising for the competition.
