Ford aggressively pursued the station wagon market throughout the ’50s, as in this promotion for the complete 1956 Ford station wagon line.

Ford Motor Company founder Henry Ford could be stubbornly conservative in his approach to marketing. Often it seemed like the products and messaging were aimed directly at Ma and Pa Kettle. For example, all through the ’30s, Ford insisted that his vehicle’s trunks be tall and large enough to carry two bushel baskets, so farmers could carry their goods to market. But in this department his grandson, Henry Ford II, was the direct opposite, as he and his team were quick to seize on the latest consumer trends, with shrewd promotions like “the two-Ford family” (read about it here) and the company’s aggressive pursuit of the postwar station wagon market, as suburban residential development exploded across the American landscape.

Ford didn’t have the manufacturing or marketing horsepower to compete with General Motors in every segment of the passenger car business, but in station wagons the Dearborn automaker could more than hold its own. For 1956, Ford offered a complete line of wagons in both two and four-door body styles, and in three trim levels: Ranch Wagon, Country Sedan, and Country Squire. Additionally, there was a super-deluxe two-door wagon called the Parklane, intended to compete with the Chevy Nomad. All are featured in this 1956 commercial spot, where the theme is versatility: The modern American male of the ’50s was expected to wear many hats, and so should his car. Video below.

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