US state attorneys general on Monday announced a $US27 million ad campaign to coax SUV owners to drive safely and to convince them they are not invulnerable when they get behind the wheel one of the big vehicles.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more


According to the Associated Press, the campaign, funded through a settlement with Ford, is targeted at men 18 to 34, a group of drivers who are involved in a disproportionate number of SUV rollover accidents.


The campaign reportedly features a monster named Esuvee that resembles a woolly mammoth with headlights. In one 30-second spot, men ride the beast as they would a bucking bronco. A narrator says: “Anybody can ride an Esuvee, but not everybody rides it right.”


The campaign is the result of a 2002 nationwide settlement with Ford, AP said, noting that the states accused Ford of running deceptive ads promoting the safety of SUVs.


Susan Ferguson, senior vice president of research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, reportedly questioned whether the ads would produce the desired effect.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

“There’s been a ton of research to suggest that people don’t change their behaviour just through education,” Ferguson told the Associated Press. “Just exhorting people to do the right thing does not have the effect of changing their behaviour.”


AP said that National Highway Traffic Safety Administration figures show that in 2002 there were 2,448 deaths and 58,000 injuries from SUV rollover crashes in the United States.


The study reportedly found that 67% of adults involved in fatal SUV rollovers were men and 61% of fatal SUV rollovers involved people 20 to 39 years old.