Automobile manufacturing and Michigan have always gone hand in hand. Even when the big car makers were not highlighting this fact everyone was aware that Detroit was the Motor City. Though recently Chrysler has been highlighting its Michigan heritage with its "Imported for Detroit" advertising campaign. It was the advertisement on behalf of General Motors however that has sparked a dispute between GM and Ford.

If you watched the Giants win the Super Bowl yesterday you may have seen the post-apocalyptic commercial for the Chevrolet Silverado. Ford reportedly sent GM a formal letter requesting that they not run the advertisement. The letter indicated that Ford will take all appropriate steps to protect its reputation. It is not clear whether Ford would actually file a lawsuit in this commercial dispute.

In case you missed the commercial it was a take-off on the Mayan apocalypse predictions. It showed massive destruction from meteors and aliens among other things. But a group of Silverado owners survives, apparently due to the toughness of their trucks. At one point the note that one of their friends apparently did not make it because he drove a Ford truck.

Ford demanded that Chevrolet immediately cease and desist from making any disparaging claims against its vehicles. Ford also argued that that its truck is the market leader and an IIHS Top Safety Pick.

A spokesman for Chevrolet has responded but refused to apologize, "We can wait until the world ends, and if we need to, we will apologize. In the meantime, people who are really worried about the Mayan calendar coming true should buy a Silverado right away."

Source: Detroit News, "GM doesn't pull Super Bowl ad that tweaks Ford," David Shepardson and Bryce G. Hoffman, Feb 5, 2012