Letter to Ford Motor Company regarding television ad

Mr. Bill Ford
Chairman and CEO
Ford Motor Company
P.O. Box 6248
Dearborn, MI 48126

Dear Mr. Ford:

I am writing to express serious concerns regarding a current television commercial by Ford Motor Company for sedan cars that degrades the nation’s 900,000 restaurants and their 12.2 million employees. Developing creative concepts that accomplish the marketing strategies for a product should not require denigrating another industry. I respectfully request your reconsideration of the advertisement, and urge its immediate withdrawal.

The ad casts a negative and unfair image of the sanitation practices and professionalism of restaurant staff. It depicts a kitchen employee exiting a bathroom without washing his hands, while running the tag line “This is life.” I find it erroneous to suggest that this is a commonplace occurrence in eating-and-drinking places.

The National Restaurant Association and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) work aggressively to promote professionalism in food safety and sanitation. The National Restaurant Association maintains an ongoing dialogue with regulators and food safety professionals nationwide, and the NRAEF developed the ServSafe® Food Safety Training program, which has certified nearly 3 million foodservice managers worldwide. Through its International Food Safety Council, the Association and NRAEF also work year-round to underscore the industry’s commitment to food safety education—in particular during its annual national awareness campaign National Food Safety Education MonthSM (NFSEM) in September. In fact, this year’s NFSEM theme was “Keep Hands Clean with Good Hygiene,” and promoted proper hand-washing techniques.

The restaurant-and-foodservice industry is committed to professionalism, and food safety and sanitation are non-negotiable. I hope that in future advertisements, you will portray restaurants and their employees more positively. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Steven C. Anderson, CAE, IOM
President and Chief Executive Officer
National Restaurant Association