Can a bankrupt Chrysler sell a “bright future?”
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
One of the five television spots will be a corporate ad called “Bright Future” that covers a whole lot of ground in a very short 30 seconds:
The spot communicates that Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge…
...are forming an alliance with Fiat to produce smaller, more efficient cars
...are building cars you want like Chrysler 300, Dodge Challenger and Chrysler Town & Country
...are restructuring the organization to be lean and competitive
...have the best warranty, backed by the U.S. government
...are building electric vehicles.
The main message, Chrysler spokesman Scott Brown says, is that although Chrysler is making headlines for bankruptcy and dealership closings, it’s really just “business as usual.” Brown says that the stigma of bankruptcy is different from what it once was -- that people don’t think of it in the same negative way these days. “We firmly believe that when people get a great product -- the right car, the right package at the right time, they’ll start buying those cars.”
Many of Chrysler’s available cars are less than fuel efficient and small, but it plans to make plug-in and electric cars, many of which have been shown with no definite date of completion. The most recent was a vehicle what looked like the next-generation Chrysler 300 – an all-electric sedan concept called the Chrysler 200C EV. Also in the works -- plug-in hybrid Jeeps, a Town & Country van and a sporty electric model based on the Lotus Europa.
Chrysler wouldn’t comment on the exact amount set aside for this advertising blitz. Chrysler’s manager of marketing public relations, Jodi Tinson, said that focus groups were conducted with consumers to find out what message consumers wanted to receive from Chrysler. In the focus testing, consumers told Chrysler to “tell them why they should buy their vehicles and give them a reason why they should be confident in the future of this company.”
And perhaps there is an audience waiting for Chrysler’s message. A recent survey by Cars.com conducted to gauge how the economy and various government and manufacturer incentives have affected car shoppers, showed that only one in five consumers said the threat of bankruptcy probably would dissuade them from considering an American car with their next purchase.
Ultimately, history will write the true tag line of Chrysler’s fate, but as long as local Chrysler dealers can keep their doors open and cars in the lot, Chrysler’s marketing group is taking its best shot at helping potential car buyers justify their Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge purchase. To do so, Chrysler makes the bold and optimistic claim, “The future is not only bright – it’s electric.”
-- Joni Gray
Video of ‘Bright Future’ Credit: Chrysler