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Ford, the Premier of Ontario, considers the controversial advertising campaign -which ran in major U.S. media markets- the best ad he ever did. The advertisement, with the sound of Ronald Reagan condoning protectionist tariffs, created a diplomatic uproar that made President Donald Trump halt trade talks with Canada immediately.

Ford’s defense system is centered on the advertisement-in his view- successfully sparking an important discussion across the border, thereby bringing the long-standing trade dispute to the consciousness of the American public, an act he believes to be in the long-term interests of Ontario’s auto sector. He remains clear in his resolve: his paramount responsibility is to protect jobs in his province from the economic threats posed by American tariffs.

Political Strategy: Provoking a Tariff Debate

By giving the go-ahead for the multimillion-dollar project, reportedly in the neighborhood of $75 million CAD, Ford had politically made the best bet: to bypass the now-stalled talks by the Canadian federal government and appeal directly to Americans.

The ad used shots of Reagan, a highly revered figure among Republicans, to establish the argument that high tariffs bring trade wars and damage economies. This would give ammunition to pressure the Trump administration from within its party and voter base.

The unintended effect of the ad, however, was not to create dialogue but to trigger furious President Trump to cut off all trade talks when he termed the message “fake” and “fraudulent,” promising to levy another 10 percent tax on Canadian goods.

Measurable Impact: Global Impressions and Pause

Not unlike Ford himself, for whom the immediate, fiery reaction from the White House was held to prove the success of the ad: The campaign, he said, set off more than a billion impressions worldwide and earned hundreds of millions in media-coverage revenues-a sure way to dominate the news cycle.

After the talks fell through, Ford decided to “pause” the controversial ads, following a discussion with Prime Minister Mark Carney. However, Ford proceeded to ensure that the ads aired during the opening games of the World Series, thereby maximizing their exposure to U.S. viewers.

Ford considers this huge media footprint to be the actual measure of success: raising unprecedented awareness among Americans about the harmful economic effects of tariffs on workers and industries on both sides.

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