New Chrysler ad debuts

Chrysler has rolled out a new ad for the 300 sedan advocating the release of imprisoned Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize for her work in promoting democracy in Myanmar (formerly Burma). Although she was elected prime minister, Myanmar’s military junta refused to surrender power and has kept Dr. Suu Kyi under house arrest for 14 of the last 20 years and refused to allow her to visit Stockholm to accept her Nobel Prize or allow her husband to be with her when he was dying of cancer.

The ad debuted yesterday on Bloomberg Television, Fox News and the Chrysler website. It shows black Chrysler 300s delivering Nobel Peace Prize winners to the 10th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates last month in Berlin. The last 300 to arrive, a white one, is empty, symbolizing the ongoing detention of Dr. Suu Kyi.

“This film is dedicated to Aung San Suu Kyi, still prisoner in Burma,” the narrator says as the spot ends. The final tag reads: “Chrysler for a World Without Walls.”

A similar ad, using Lancia automobiles, debuted in Europe after the summit ended. Lancia is a sponsor of the World Summit.

The Chrysler marketing campaign includes an opportunity for visitors to the Chrysler Web site to replace their Facebook profile photo with a picture of Suu Kyi.

The ad is part of Olivier Francois’ campaign to reposition Chrysler as a high-fashion, luxury brand. Francois is CEO of the Chrysler brand and head of marketing for all of Chrysler Group, He is also chief of Fiat’s Lancia brand.

You can view the ad in its entirety at the Chrysler website.