Auto makers of the Sixties were by this time cognizant of the psychological bond between drivers and their cars. In his work, "Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man", Marshall McLuhan had connected automobiles to apparel, implying that people feel naked without either.
Car makers became aware that they could boost sales and beat rivals by appealing to buyer's vanity in terms of style, looks, color, and both male and female special interests. Which, taken as a whole, led Ford to introduce the Mustang model.
Then V.P. of Ford, Lee Iococca had observed the public's intrigue with sporty foreign vehicles in the beginning of the Sixties. In addition he observed that this fascination revolved around the young as well as the young at heart. This was during a period of a boom in the younger demographic from 15 - 24 years old -- the age at which cars hold the most appeal. Also during that time the number of women drivers greatly increased.
Ford company conducted market research and found that what people wanted was an economically priced and maintained, comfortable, high performance car that looked luxurious and was a lot of fun to drive. This was the buying audience that Ford developers tried to appeal to with their Ford Mustang.
After production got underway, Ford painstakingly honed its marketing to tap into the psychology of buying cars. For example, Mustang provided a lot of alternative choices. And these choices definitely appealed to a broad range of consumers.
Ford's marketing campaign wisely appealed to to this with the winning slogan, 'The car designed to be designed by you.' Consumers could opt for either a sporty car for the street or for racing, or a luxury vehicle for savings or performance. Consumers could choose from a topless or hardtop model, and from among four unique motors and three transmissions.
The Mustang certainly had a sporty look. It was designed with a low profile, close to the ground, with complete wheel wells and a hood with forward thrust. Among the sporty optional features were a Rally-Pac offering tachometer and clock, a minimal-slip differential, a uniquely maneuverable suspension, and sporty tires.
With a pair of bucket seats up front and bench seating in the rear, it could accommodate five people in comfort. The spacious trunk was perfect for athletic equipment, picnic gear, and all the "toys" for a good time.
The Mustang was the subject of intense promotion even before it rolled out of production, thus it was debuted with a ready-made audience. A lot of the Mustang marketing was certainly targeted at the psychological motivation behind buying automobiles. Being behind the wheel of a Mustang could attract a husband for a single girl in the market for one, or allow an average lonesome Joe to have his choice of gals.
The marketing yielded returns, as the vehicle quickly won over the hearts of the American public in the Sixties. As of 1966, Ford had already sold its first million Mustangs. Which led in 1966 to the opportunity to ask in an ad, "What do you do when you've sold a million?" They answered themselves: "Build a second million."
LemonFree.com - Buying or Selling a 1966 Ford Mustang? Check out LemonFree.com Cars