Though Ford hasn't yet begun gay marketing in the U.S., it has had presence in European gay media for a few years. In this Cologne Europride parade guide that recalls a 1999 U.S. ad from Bud Light, Ford's ad features two men holding hands (one with a leather strap), and a headline that reads, "As if we only think about cars."
Next to the hands, it says, "Anhangerkupplung?" which has a double meaning as it refers to the tow bar in the back of a car as well as meaning "hook up" or "hitched."
The English translation: "If we do not always think of cars, then we gladly celebrate in the name of love -- all love. And what better place to do that than Cologne? A city that is above all about diversity, tolerance and a party groove. As a small proof of our love to Cologne, we of course again take part in the Christopher Street Day (Gay Pride). Because in the meantime the event, like the Cologne cathedral, will not disappear. Neither will we."
Ford Motor Co. arrived in Germany in 1925, well before BMW or VW started to think about industrial production.