Marketing

How Toby Keith helped Ford stay afloat during 2008 financial crisis

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Toby Keith, who passed away last week, and former Ford executive Mark Fields show off a redesigned F-150 at the 2008 Detroit auto show. (REUTERS)
February 14, 2024 03:42 PM

During the Great Recession in 2008, Ford Motor Co. was canceling many of its sponsorships and promotional deals to help avoid going bankrupt. But when the automaker told country music singer Toby Keith it might need to cancel his multimillion-dollar contract, he offered to keep pitching Ford trucks for a fraction of the pay instead.

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