Both came from the 50s. By the late 60s, marketers were learning there were easier and cheaper ways to liven up sales meetings, promote the brand and even connect with young audiences.
Today's LP is one of the notable examples of that trend. It is the last of the three albums recorded by the Going Thing, a musical group founded by the Ford Motor Co. to promote its products. The LPs were apparently internal giveaways.
From reading various accounts on the web, it seems likely that The Going Thing was the creation of Ford's ad agency, J. Walter Thompson, who contracted with the young studio singers John and Tom Bahler to put the group together in 1967 or 1968.
The Bahler brothers put out three LPs as the Love Generation, a pop-rock ensemble whose music, not surprisingly, resembles that of the Going Thing. It's what today would be termed "sunshine pop" - optimistic lyrics, simple melodies and soaring harmonies.
Adapting that musical formula to industry was designed to appeal to young people. The agency used the Going Thing to promote such models as the sporty Mustang, which is front and center in this ad showing the group in performance. Thompson also used the phraseology as a tagline ("Ford Is the Going Thing") in addition to the existing "Ford Has a Better Idea" campaign. The ad weaves the two together, including both the "Going Thing" and "Better Idea" tunes.
The ad is contained on the LP at hand as the last cut, and it is certainly the best thing on the record. The other selections include what is very likely the opening song that the group used at sales presentations and other appearances - "Hey, You in the Crowd" - followed by a version of Sly Stone's "Dance to the Music," which allows the vocalist (I believe it is John Bahler) to introduce the members of the ensemble. Or at least the male members. The women are only identified by their first names.
The men are Mitch Gordon, drummer, Terry Shannon, guitar (a Love Generation alumnus), Tom Bahler, bass, Larry Carlton, guitar (he has become a well-known musician), and Steve Flanagan. The women are only identified as Susie, Jackie, Janis and Carolyn. Janis is Janis Hansen, who had been in Sergio Mendes and Brazil '66, and who sang lead on "The Look of Love." Susie and Jackie are probably Susan Teague and Jackie Berry.
The rest of the LP is largely composed of material the group may have performed to entertain at sales meetings and perhaps other promotional events - "Hey Jude," "For Once in My Life" and "The Sound of the Sixties," which pays tribute to everyone from the Beatles to Ray Charles.
Only one cut was apparently aimed directly at an internal sales and management audience - "Happiness Is," which I quote in full:
Happiness is selling a T-Bird, loaded with options
At the list price!
Happiness is "he wants a Mustang," "she wants a wagon" -
Selling 'em twice!
Happiness is no covered service on warranty
And stamping out those bugs from overseas.
Happiness is a 10-day report that gives Chevrolet a stroke!
Yes, happiness is on the day, the very day we learn
That GM went broke!
