Ford recently recalled 3.6 million passenger cars, trucks, sport-utility vehicles and vans to fix a cruise-control switch that led to previous recalls based on reports of fires. The recall covered more than a dozen models from 1992 to 2004. This comes on the heels of Ford recalling almost 6 million vehicles in January. How could they possibly win back customers who need to return their cars to avoid the risk of fire? They need Lee Ivy…and the Spin-Cycle.

---

Give them a parade



The kind people at Ford need to think about what they can do, quickly, to please their upset customers. What’s one thing people always love? Parades. Ford already has the cars necessary for on-the-lot, round-the-clock parades. All they need now is the candy. Buy hundreds and hundreds of bags of candy, organize a few cars, and have nonstop parades when customers come around. Shower them with candy, the affection of the business world.

---

Give them better cars



People treat their cars like family and you can’t just get rid of a family member. The only exception is if you’re getting a better family member in exchange, so Ford can win back public approval by giving their wronged customers even better cars; cars that truly become members of the family. Cars that will ask how your day was, talk to you when you’re down, help out around the house, act as a mentor for the kids, teach them life lessons, lighten tense moments with a joke, etc. If Ford can’t make a car that does all of that, well, then maybe they got into the wrong business. And Ford, you can’t just hide a person in the car to do all of that, that’s taking the easy way out and it’s how you got in this dilemma to start with.

---

Give them a Transformer



If Ford is too lazy to make cars that mentor children, then when a customer brings back a faulty vehicle, Ford can make up for it by giving them a Transformer. Sweet car and I know they already make them (I saw the “Bumblebee” version in a movie this summer).

---

Change their name



If the fire from your faulty cruise-control switch gets too hot, it’s time to get away from the brand. Let’s be honest, everyone buying a Ford car is stupid to begin with. All you need to do to get away from all this trouble is simply change your name to Flord. It will be a simple change for company letterhead and current merchandise and just like that, poof, all your troubles are gone. It worked for McBonald’s.

Lee Ivy is a self-proclaimed PR guru. He can be reached at lee.ledbetter.ivy@gmail.com