On April 13th 1964 the Ford Motor Company hosted 150 journalists at the New York World’s fair, Lee Iacocca led them through the Ford Pavilion and explained the history of their new car. The program included lunch after which the surprised journalist’s were presented with the keys to 75 Mustangs to drive back to Dearborn. All part of an elaborate advertising campaign that Ford had planned for the Mustang. Teaser photos were released to the press. Bill Ford drove a convertible through downtown Detroit in March and the Detroit Free press syndicated a photo all over the country.




On Thursday night April 16th Ford ran commercials on all three TV networks. But the commercials only hinted, and suggested by showing close ups of the styled steel wheels but only distance shots of the full car. By the end of the weekend, 2600 articles and advertisements appeared in newspapers all across the country. When Ford dealers opened on Friday the 17th, crowds surrounded their lots. In Pittsburgh, a dealers only Mustang was up on the wash rack and remained there all day because the crowd never thinned out enough to bring it down.

The very first Mustang commercial ran. This was Ford’s “Teaser” ad which ran on ABC, NBC and CBS in March of 1964. They intentionally only show glimpses of the car.

Written by David Cox and MustangMadam