How does an automaker separate itself in one of the most important U.S. vehicle markets historically dominated by its competitor? Simple. It moves ''Heaven and Earth.'' Or at least that’s what Chrysler Group LLC is hoping to do with two new ad campaigns for its 2013 Ram 1500 pickup.
DETROIT, MI- How does an automaker separate itself in one of the most-important U.S. vehicle markets historically dominated by its competitor?
Simple. It moves “Heaven and Earth.” Or at least that’s what Chrysler Group LLC is hoping to do with two new ad campaigns for its 2013 Ram 1500 pickup, which it started producing last week.
The first campaign, titled “Moving Heaven and Earth,” will focus on the pickup’s performance and technologies, which officials say, set the vehicle apart from its competitors.
The second is a new bilingual campaign, designed to target the more than 50 million Hispanics in the U.S.
“We’re putting a significant amount of money, more money than we ever have before, into the Ram brand as well as into our Hispanic advertising efforts,” said Fred Diaz, president and CEO of Ram Truck Brand and Chrysler de Mexico, during a media event Monday in Detroit.
Diaz, along with other officials, including Chrysler Chief Marketing Officer Olivier Francois, spoke with reporters Monday inside Quicken Loans Inc. founder and chairman Dan Gilbert’s M@dison Building about the new campaigns.
Through September, officials said the brand's market share has increased to 18.4 percent, up from 16.2 percent to end 2011.
‘Moving Heaven and Earth’
The national ad campaign for the entire market will feature five television spots, along with print, radio, and digital ads.
Diaz said the new ad campaign is the “start of a whole new chapter” in the history of the Ram truck brand, which Chrysler separated from its Dodge brand three years ago.
“At the Ram truck brand, trucks and commercial vehicles is all we do,” Diaz said. “With this truck launch, we literally swung for the fences.”
A 60-second television spot, called “Road” (embedded left) will kick off the campaign Oct. 12. Officials said it will set the stage for four additional 30-second TV ads.
The campaign, which continues to include the tagline “Guts, Glory, Ram,” are narrated by actor Sam Elliott -- the voice of Ram in 2010.
“The road doesn’t end here,” Elliott says in one TV spot. “This is just the beginning.”
Ram, officials said, will have a large television presence during professional and college football games, Major League Baseball playoff games and other events.
‘A todo, can todo’
The new campaign, which will be released in Spanish and English, is the next iteration of the "A Todo, Con Todo" (To Everything, With Everything) theme, and features award-winning Latin musician Juanes.
Diaz, who is Hispanic, said it was very important for the Auburn Hills-based automaker to make sure the ad campaign, which will feature three TV ads, was authentic.
A print ad part of the brand's "A Todo, Con Todo" Hispanic advertising campaign (courtesy Chrysler).
“If you do it wrong, the Hispanic culture will see right through it,” he said. “You even risk the chance of offending or even disrespecting the Latino audience -- you don’t want to do that.”
The new ad campaign will be placed on Hispanic television networks and stations such as Telemundo and Univision; in national Hispanic magazines including Automundo and ESPN Deportes La Revista; and in Spanish language local newspapers and radio stations in key Hispanic markets.
Diaz said the campaign was designed to be used in the U.S., as well as Spanish-speaking countries, such as Mexico.
In addition, Ram is partnering with the Futbol de Primera radio network as the official partner and exclusive automaker in all World Cup broadcasts.
The "A Todo, Con Todo" campaign was created by Dallas-based Richards/Lerma agency, the Hispanic marketing arm of The Richards Group, which created the “Moving Heaven and Earth” campaign.
In coordination with the ad campaign launches, a building wrap of the Ram 1500 has been added to Chrysler's headquarters.
Wraps of the automaker's Dodge Dart, Chrysler 200 and Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT were on the building before the Ram 1500.