Stay Classy Dodge: Chrysler Delivers with New Anchorman Campaign
How do you get Millennials interested in a domestically-produced brand? How do you engage a younger consumer-base to buy something they perceive as “their Dad’s” SUV? You take one of the most-beloved pop-culture characters of their generation and you have him wax philosophical about glove boxes and gripe about ballroom dancers. It seems Chrysler is finding success with just that formula.
Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell’s fictional character from the Anchorman franchise) is the new spokesman for the Dodge Durango. A series of hilarious ads has been released featuring the bumbling Burgundy showing off a “beast of a machine” and highlighting the features of Dodge’s newest SUV.
In a brilliant move, Chrysler had Ferrell write and produce the ads in exchange for promoting the upcoming Anchorman 2 movie. Ferrell has 70 ads set to launch between now and the film’s December release date.
Chrysler really nailed it with this campaign, having already hit 3.5 million views in a matter of days. Are the videos informative? Not terribly. Are they full of typical “car effects” (whirring motors, panoramic shots, and closed course stunt driving)? Nope. It’s just typical Burgundy banter, but it is hilarious for those that have fallen in love with this character.
How do you do something similar for your dealership? Chrysler obviously has a significant budget, but it is possible for dealers to emulate this type of success on a smaller scale:
- Write blogs relevant to the market you want to attract: why smartphone users love the Cadillac ATS, 5 Things The Big Bang Theory taught me about buying a car—you get the picture. Find a relevant topic and make it about your product.
- Think outside the marketing box: Not everything is starbursts, free BBQs and balloons. Differentiate yourself from the competition with new, unique ways of targeting your buyers. Offer free breakfast at the diner across the street for your service customers. Distribute USBs with student-only sales offers at the local University. BE DIFFERENT.
- Entertain Them: Everybody wants to laugh; find a way to deliver your brand message in a funny way. Whether in videos, blogs or even in social media, if you can make them smile that’s half the battle.
Should Your Next Ad Be Funny Or Bash Your Competit
[…] and manly truck combination have already gone viral – in five days, there were more than 3.5 million views. For this campaign, timeliness, comedy and a celebrity all play a key role in the videos’ […]