It seems as if the Ford Motor Company is trying to do away with its Mercury line of automobiles.

The automaker’s recent decision confirms this suspicion, as it reallocated its Mercury advertising resources to its other line of Ford vehicles. As a result, Mercury vehicles are getting the proverbial boot from national TV commercials and other media spots.

Dwindling sales of these models probably led to this decision.  This year, the line’s sales dropped about seven percent. Ford has also announced that it won’t create any new Mercury models after the 2009 season. Instead, the Lincoln line will get the Mercury dollars.

According to Ford spokesman Mark Schirmer, the company’s recent move is something it has been considering “for a while.” He added that there’s just not enough money to do traditional TV commercials for Mercury because they haven’t been effective in the past. A small group of folks buy the Mercury models, and Ford will continue to reach those few people through online ads and advertising at local Ford dealerships. The automakr has also asked dealers to chip in some money to advertise the Mercury line at their facilities.

By now, you might be wondering who is the target audience for Mercury vehicles. Many dealers report they have sold most of their Mercury inventory to women. They also get the most interest from women. If this is true, why would Ford reduce its mainstream advertising? Statistics show that women make more than half of all car-buying decisions. Do you, the reader, have any ideas about this new decision? Do you know anybody who has bought a Ford Mercury lately? Feel free to comment and give us your thoughts.

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