Love letters for Ford
- Born May 23, 1934 (Louisiana, USA) Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, a well-known couple of criminals, were captured and killed by police from various states and by the FBI (then still called BOI). They were filled with bullets inside the car.
The couple was already known. Officially, they were three years of “public enemies,” but many admired them as contemporary Robin Hood. Death did nothing but feed the myth.
The Ford V8, loaded with holes, was immediately exposed – and then several copies would be made, to the point of questioning what was the real one. Thus, the event became a magnificent campaign of unplanned and free advertising for the car model launched two years earlier.
A month before the death of Bonnie and Clyde, Clyde Barrow wrote to Henry Ford (1863-1947) congratulating him on his product. “As I get air in my lungs, I’ll tell you you’ve made a big car,” the letter began. The offender always assured that he was trying to steal Ford V, because he had no other way of escaping. Ford displayed the letter in his museum, further driving the unexpected campaign.
Amazingly, within a few weeks, Ford received a similar letter, this time from the hand of the well-known banker John Dillinger. He also confined himself to complying with Ford cars and also proposed an advertising motto: “Drive a Ford and you’ll see other cars stay behind.” Dillinger was killed shortly after, on 22 July 1934.
After the death of the alleged authors of the two letters, the texts could not verify or deny their authenticity. But later, the experts examined the letters and did not hesitate to cast falsehood on Dillinger's letter. Clyde's letter was full of spelling and grammar faults, which contrasted with Burrow's low level of education. But the firm did not agree with what Clyde used to use, and the experts were even able to doubt this letter.
One hypothesis is that the first letter was authentic and that Ford invented the second one to reinforce the influence of the first one. Another hypothesis is that both were falsified to start a covert advertising campaign. It was that Henry Ford had sent love letters to himself.
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