<VV> Bordering Comical...

[Secular]

  ....Ralph didn't have to hunt hard to find the Corvair as an easy target for his slings and arrows. Ford Motor Company started the whole ball rolling with their anti-Corvair marketing campaign in support of their traditionally designed Falcon in 1960. 

  Ford unleashed TV ads that featured an arrow with a moveable head. The head was supposed to be the engine. When the head was at the front of the arrow, it shot straight and true. When the head was moved to the back of the arrow, it was erratic. This brilliant piece of advertising nonsense implied that a front engine car was the right way, and the Ford way. A rear engine car was the wrong way, and the Corvair way.

  General Motors reacted to Nader's attacks with an amazing amount of corporate stupidity that bordered on the comical. 

  They hired private investigators to look into Nader's private life and tried to corner him in a compromising situation. Nader rightfully struck back with an invasion of privacy law suit that he eventually won. He used his cash settlement to bankroll his PI (Perpetually Indignant) efforts. 

  This David versus Goliath battle elevated Ralph to national prominence. It also lent credibility to his book. After all, if GM tried these nasty measures, Ralph must be telling the truth, don't you think? This question was answered seven years after Unsafe At Any Speed was published....

    Source:

    http://www.calconnect.com/cars/nader_affair/nader_affair.htm


    http://www.calconnect.com/cars/nader_affair/FalconClip.jpg


  Tony