Ford's image improves, study finds

Americans' perception of Ford Motor Co. has improved because of the automaker's decision not to ask Washington for financial aid, according to an independent study conducted by the Aloft Group Inc.

The brand consulting firm found that 63 percent of U.S. consumers now have a "positive perception" of Ford, compared to 41 percent before its domestic rivals, General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC, asked the federal government for bridge loans last fall.

"The fact that Ford did not take government loan money appears to have had a significant positive impact on how consumers perceive the Ford brand," said Matt Bowen, the firm's president and CEO. "Changing consumers' perception of a brand is typically a slow and uphill process. This is very unusual in that this positive brand perception upswing occurred in a relatively short time frame and under intense global scrutiny of the auto industry. This could considerably impact Ford's long term brand value."

The Aloft study also found that 33 percent of those surveyed said they "are more willing to consider buying a Ford since Ford chose to not take the bailout money."

But 24 percent believed that Ford does not actually need federal money.

Aloft conducted the online survey from Apr. 25-29 to better understand the impact of government intervention into the private sector on brand image. Its error margin was 5.3 percentage points.

"Recent economic events are unprecedented in the context of modern marketing and, as an agency that focuses on both domestic and international brand work, we are dedicated to understanding the effects that these events have had on brand perceptions, especially regarding some of America's oldest, blue chip brands such as Ford," Bowen said.