Therefore, striving to keep pace with GM, Ford aimed to institute the same sort of hierarchy. This strategy of establishing a ladder of consumption for their vehicle brands had already been done by market leader General Motors, and Chrysler was also following suit. The price gap between the highest trimmed Ford and the base Lincoln model was quite substantial and Edsel hoped to fill that gap with a new entry-level luxury car aimed at this subsection of reliability, luxury, and affordability. In 1937, Edsel Ford came up with the idea of marketing and selling cars that were a level or two higher than mainstream Ford branded models in terms of luxury, but a step below the upscale Lincoln models. The marque was phased out in 2011 as a result of lackluster sales and the Ford Motor Company deciding to refocus its efforts on its more profitable and appealing core Ford and upscale Lincoln brands. Mercury vehicles were sold for over 70 years, with the majority of them being based on Ford platforms with some unique styling details and special features that were meant to try and differentiate them and enhance their desirability relative to their Ford counterparts. Mercury was an automobile brand of the Ford Motor Company started in 1937 and launched in 1938 by Edsel Ford, the son of Henry Ford.
While no longer in production, the Mercury name continues on in the many Mercury vehicles still on the road today. Its lack of differentiation resulted in a muddy brand identity, declining sales, and its ultimate demise. However, a marque that once stood for innovation and speed eventually became the “me too” division of the Ford Motor Company. For over 70 years, the Mercury brand churned out vehicles that were amongst the finest on the road.
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