# @sterling_voth on Instagram

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DWhKYqnGViJ
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/63580775-sterling-voth-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/69d9a5fb91.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-03-30T18:11:30.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Sterling Voth (@Sterling_Voth) — https://gondola.cc/Sterling_Voth

## Caption

In 1997, Ford made an ad starring Steve McQueen.
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There was just one problem.
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He’d been dead for 17 years.
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Ford wanted to position the new Puma as sharp and sporty, and they figured there was no better symbol of cool than McQueen himself.
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So they did something completely wild for the time.
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They digitally inserted him into the ad.
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This was 1997. No modern CGI or AI shortcuts.
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It took five days of painstaking work to make it happen, and it paid off.
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The result looked so real that people genuinely questioned whether the footage was authentic.
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It sparked controversy, debate, and nonstop conversation.
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Whether people loved it or hated it, everyone was talking about it.
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The ad went on to win a Cannes Lions Gold award, and Ford doubled down, spending roughly $150 million on the campaign.
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Here’s the real lesson.
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Shock value creates attention.
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Attention creates conversation.
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Conversation creates momentum.
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And even though the tools have changed, the core principles of going viral haven’t.
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They’re the same today as they were decades ago.
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Bold ideas still win.

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 359
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 2

## Credits

| Name | Username | Profile | Role |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sterling Voth | @Sterling_Voth | https://gondola.cc/Sterling_Voth | Director of Photography |

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