More Examples:
I see this everywhere. Hidden or transparent monochrome American black flags on large trucks or 4-Runners. Usually speeding or driving aggressively on the highway.
I found this:
The black and white American flag originated during the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865. It was created as an opposing symbol to the white flag, which symbolizes surrender. Confederate army soldiers flew the black flag to demonstrate they would not give in or surrender to the enemy. It showed that they would rather be killed than taken in as prisoner.
And this:
Sometimes soldiers show respect for their country by using the black version on their vehicles
My question is for the people doing this. What message are you trying to send? Are you openly telling your coworkers and neighbors that you are still supporting the South in a war that ended long ago? Are you low key showing your support for Trump? Are you ex military showing support for your country? I ask because at least for me, the message is unclear.
Starting at 60k mrsp, the f150 tremor is not intended for blue collar.
It’s target is moderately wealthy people- usually white, and usually rednecks.
Signed: somebody whose actually blue collar and not that.
Also targeted at lower middle class people willing to put the majority of their paycheck towards a truck for 30 years
None of whom are trade or labor :)
The only reason to buy a big truck is for a fifth wheel rig. Big campers are pretty much the only reason to need a fifth wheel outside of work, and companies buy through fleet programs, so none of this is marketing for them.
F150 was only referenced as OP posted a F150 tag. Im refering to trucks and utility vehicles in general. You hyper focused on a single aspect there unfortunately and mis-understood my statement as a whole. Though i likely could have expanded on that thought a bit better.
But lets be real for a second and put personal anecdotes aside; trucks and utility vehicles are marketed to blue collar trades folk and labours.
And that’s my point that you completely ignored.
No. They’re not marketed to labor or trade. I took the first vehicle on OPs post, partly because it’d the only one that’s a specific model. It’s a starting price at 60k. Add in options and it’ll break 80-90. Might break a 100k with fees and loan-addons.
Mustang models start at 40-80k msrp. Explorers at 30-60. This is all base packages not including more or less common upgrades.
This is mostly outside the price range of the vast majority of trades or labor. Ford is not so dumb as to do that. Throw in the custom/limited edition decals and the prices go way up.
The marketing is selling an image of being blue collar to office professionals, the kind of people who are insecure about being office professionals and not working with their hands, just as how back in the 90’s SUVs were sold to insecure men who needed a family car but didn’t want to drive a minivan.
Then im wrong. Up here in Canada, when i go to a site for work (mainly mines, farms, and grain/feed elevators) we don’t see people rolling up in prius’, kia souls and honda civics. It’s all f150s, tundras and 1500s loaded with equipment. I know thats anecdotal experience, but we also constantly are bombarded by marketing towards our blue collar trades people. Most of these people leam conservative politically. Most of us make really good wages. So that’s been my perspective.
Now im not saying trades workers and labours are their only marketing audiance, im saying its part of a wide array of audiences they try and market to.
I think the issue with the OP is equating specifically truck and utility vehicle owners to the flag styles = douche bag drivers. When the flag could be on any vehicle. While theres plenty of douche bag drivers in other vehicle’s.
Are there racists that use the flag as a statement, yes. Are there veteran’s who use is mourning in remembrance for fallen service members, yes. Are there people who just buy shit because they like USA and the color “looks cool”,yes. Now again, im not even from the USA, this is just whats projected out to us, and what information we have.
It really comes down to the individual who has the flag, and what it represents to them. One would need to ask the individual the “why”, which didn’t happen in OPs original post pre-edits.
But we’ll just have to agree to disagree on tradies and labours being one of the target demographics for truck/utility vehicle marketing.
Thanks for your addtional perspective on the topic buddy.
So? A lot of tradesmen pull in good money. Hell, a good electrician can make 6 figures if they work a lot. And a GC, they make gobs of money.
and tradesmen who pull in that kind of cash are usually smart enough to spend their money wisely on a more practical work vehicle than to waste their money on a pretty one.
rich office dude doesn’t have to worry about his little-dick-compensator getting all beat-up on the job.
Have you seen constryction workers? Or driven past a site? Half of them roll up in clapped out toyota corrollas, and some roll up in 100k trucks.
I’ve seen the beat-up Toyotas. haven’t seen any 100k trucks except, sometimes, one that’s not actually being used for work. all shiny because it belongs to the big boss who doesn’t lift a finger because he sits in an office all day. they’re all for show.