The Chrysler Group LLC National Dealer Council would like to make a statement in our support of the “Halftime in America” Super Bowl ad run by our manufacturer Chrysler Group on behalf of our over 2300 franchised dealers.
This ad was simply a recount of the achievement of Chrysler Group, and its dealers who sacrificed and drove to take this American icon from depths during the national economic downturn to the success we have accomplished to date. Further, it highlights our collective resolve to continue to drive to make Chrysler Group the greatest car company in the world, going forward in what will be our “second half.”
Moreover, it was designed to relate to those still suffering the effects of the recession, that they may be buoyed by our example and they may find the courage to endure through to similar success going forward.
We stand unified with Chrysler Group in our collaborative drive to continue to create and retail great cars and trucks and to give our clients a world class sales experience on our showroom floor.
We have no doubt that this ad had no political agenda of any kind but rather a statement of fact and hope for the future for all of us and America.
If, for some reason, you missed the new Chrysler ad, “Halftime in America,” that aired during Super Bowl XLVI, it is linked from our 2012 Super Bowl ad page along with stills, the transcript, and commentary.
Yesterday, CNN’s Patricia Wu spoke with Mark Stevens, soi disant marketing expert and author of the book Your Marketing Sucks, who questioned the money spent on these spots.
“It has nothing to do with cars, nothing to do with cars,” said Stevens. “It has everything to do with the Beavis and Buttheads of the agency trying to be cool and trying to win an award. And let me tell you business owners who are not playing with corporate treasury dolls would never, ever give their own money for that. That to me is the acid test.”
Sounds like the only marketing at which Mr. Stevens might be an expert involves shopping carts and groceries. Apparently, he doesn’t have a good grasp of successful corporate advertising. The “Born of Fire” ad Chrysler ran last year was a phenomenal success, creating such a positive response from viewers that imitations sprang up almost instantly and generating millions of views of the ad itself on YouTube. Beyond that, it created a positive buzz for Chrysler Group, which was the entire point and goal of the ad.
This year, building on the “Imported from Detroit” theme, Clint Eastwood took the message nationwide.
Automotive News is already calling the ad a “Hit” among the many automotive ads that aired tonight. Larry Vellequette’s report from the NADA convention describes the scene when the ad was shown to dealers yesterday: “A packed room of Chrysler Group dealers were described as ‘visibly emotional’ and ‘misty-eyed’ after watching a preview of the automaker’s two-minute Super Bowl commercial Sunday morning during their make meeting led, unexpectedly, by Chrysler-Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne.
“People had to compose themselves after seeing it,” said David Kelleher, chairman of the National Chrysler Dealer Council. “It blows people away.”
As for the rest of us, “Yeah, it’s halftime America. And, our second half is about to begin.”
Fiat’s “Seduction” ad, featuring Catrinel Menghia and Matthew Rocheleau, aired during the 2012 NFL Championship Game. The ad, which has already aired on VH1 and generated a huge volume of hits on YouTube, has generated its own buzz and was considered possibly too racy for broadcast television.
Within Italy, Fiat has started to promote the new Panda in a way that echoes recent Chrysler and Jeep ads, more than traditional Italian or Fiat ads. The new 90-second Fiat Panda spot started airing yesterday.
In the ad, Fiat is shown as leading a new era of growth and development, calling on Italians to join. A release from the company says,
… there are many Italys in the collective imagination: a nation of art, invention and creative talent not to mention great industrial and technological enterprise. To dispel the quaint image of Italy and the negative stereotypes that are still often portrayed today, the spot shows powerful images of workers at the Pomigliano d’Arco plant where the new Fiat Panda is made.
These workers are symbolic of the Italy that never gives up, even in the most difficult moments, but rather has the will to take its future into its own hands with unquestionable dedication. They are proud and determined men and women who every day devote talent, passion and creativity and above all desire into making a product of the highest quality: the new Fiat Panda.
The narrative does not, after the first line, mention Fiat or the Panda itself, but uses the new Jeep tagline, “The things we make, make us”. The key message of the campaign is “This is the Italy we like,” echoing the recent Chrysler ads which show a nation that works and overcomes challenges, doesn’t give up, but strives to make and achieve.
Fiat, Europe’s leader in the city car segment for many years, claims that it has “focused on attaining the highest levels of quality throughout the development and production process” of the Panda, which is made at the Pomigliano d’Arco plant near Naples, Italy. The plant was completely retooled and has new body welding and assembly technologies; Fiat says it is “not only the most advanced Fiat facility, but also among the most advanced in the world.”
Olivier François, head of the Fiat brand (and until recently head of the Chrysler brand), said: “The new Panda is a symbol of Fiat’s know-how in the city car segment and this spot celebrates the return of production to Italy of the icon of Italian city cars : the Panda, the most sold city car in Europe. The upgraded plant in Pomigliano has introduced a radical new approach to quality and the campaign tells the story of this special place, a place where an industrious Italy has been reborn. An Italy where a job well done is a matter of personal pride. A place where people’s desire to produce a car of the highest quality is stronger every day. A place where innovation, research and passion are alive, where the relaunch of an Italy that the entire world believes in has begun.”
The language appears to echo that of the Chrysler 200 Super Bowl ad, which focused on Detroit rather than Italy.
The new campaign – which encompasses TV, press, billboards and web – was conceived and developed by the advertising agency Kube Libre, under the creative direction of Luciano Nardi. Shot in and around Naples, the TV spot was directed by Luca Maroni and produced by Movie Magic. The people appearing in the spot are workers at the plant and the soundtrack is from Flavio Ibba. The text is:
New Fiat Panda. This is the Italy we like.
How many types of Italy are there?
A nation of art?
A nation of great invention?
A nation of creative talent?
A nation of quaint images?
A nation of youth in search of a better future?
Or a nation capable of great industrial and technological enterprise?
We can choose which Italy to be.
It’s time to decide whether we want to be ourselves
or to be what others think we are.
Now is the moment to start afresh
To start the only way we know how: with our work
and rise to the occasion
Because, everyday, in Italy,
there is someone who wakes up
and puts their talent,
passion,
creativity,
and above all desire
into doing something well.
The things we make, make us
Chrysler has just announced a 42-month, $199/month lease with no money due at signing on a 2012 Fiat 500 Pop with manual transmission. The program is available to well-qualified consumers who take retail delivery by January 3, 2012. The lease covers 12,000 miles per year and tax, title and license are extra.
“Customers who have been considering a Fiat 500 purchase or lease now have even more reason to check one out today,” said Reid Bigland, President and CEO – Dodge Brand and Head of U.S. Sales. “The Fiat 500 line is attracting a new wave of customers that have not considered a Chrysler Group product in the past. The brand is here to offer true Italian style and design at an affordable price. You no longer need six figures to buy an Italian car.”
The “Jeep Arctic Yeti Dig” sweepstakes will give six lucky people the chance to win a new 2012 Wrangler Arctic edition at the Winter X Games 16 that run from January 26-29, 2012 in Aspen, Colorado. The contest is now underway on Jeep’s Facebook page, Twitter and blog sites. The sweepstakes runs through Tuesday, January 3, 2012.
Six sweepstakes participants will be randomly selected to attend the Winter X games and on Friday, January 27, they will dig in a giant pile of snow to find the “Jeep Yeti.” The first to find it will win an all-new Jeep Wrangler Arctic.
“The extreme winter conditions of the arctic are the inspiration behind the new 2012 Jeep Wrangler Arctic edition,” said Jeep CEO Mike Manley. “The new Wrangler Arctic edition features a unique winter-themed exterior and interior design and the ‘Jeep Arctic Yeti Dig’ at the ‘2012 Winter X Games 16’ is the perfect setting for one of our Jeep fans and followers to win one of these vehicles for their very own.”
There are three ways to enter:: Facebook – “Like” the brand and visit the sweepstakes page to submit a registration form and play the Jeep Arctic Yeti Dig game to receive entrance to the sweepstakes. Participants can receive up to three entries per day and an opportunity to double their entries by sharing the sweepstakes with their Facebook friends.
Twitter – Follow “@Jeep” and, when prompted, tweet back to the brand (include the Jeep handle “@Jeep” and #yetidig). Participants will receive one sweepstakes entry, per a 24-hour time period, for their tweet during the promotion period.
Two people each from Facebook, Twitter and the Jeep blog will be randomly selected to attend the games with a guest and participate in the snow dig for the 2012 Jeep Wrangler Arctic edition.
For more information and complete sweepstakes rules click here. The sweepstakes is for U. S. residents only.
Chrysler has recently applied for or renewed various trademarks, according to analyst Jim Choate. Of note is Cherokee, for “Motor vehicles, namely, passenger automobiles, their structural parts, trim and badges.” This could indicate that the Jeep Cherokee name will return, replacing Liberty — which was originally to be simply the next generation Cherokee. It also may be a move on Chrysler’s part to simplify things; trademarking Cherokee would also protect “Grand Cherokee,” which is currently registered to Chrysler LLC, the company Cerberus created when it acquired control of Chrysler from Daimler and is good through 2014. The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) notes that ownership of the mark was not automatically transferred to Chrysler Group LLC, the current entity.
While the Plymouth logo was renewed for the fifth time, this does not indicate that Plymouth is to return; numerous classic names are frequently renewed and used in displays, special editions, and parts sales.
Other trademark actions include:
Detonator. Application filed. This could be a Dodge trim level or special model.
Mojave: Registration granted. Mojave isn’t new; the original filing was date was October 9, 2009 and date of first use was listed as February 2011. “Jeep Mojave” is also being applied for but the USPTO has been waiting for a Statement of Use since last year.
Outdoorsman,Yellow Jacket, and Latitude are already in use by Ram, Dodge, and Jeep, respectively.
Powered by Natural Gas. In this case, the trademark applied for is a particular graphic with a blue flame; Chrysler has already announced its intention to explore Fiat’s natural gas technology, and has made CNG cars in the past.
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