Chrysler today unveiled three new TV spots for its 2012 Chrysler 300 series, using the New York Auto Show to portray the vehicle as something to aspire to.
"Luxury feels better earned, don't you think?" Olivier Francois, president-CEO, Chrysler Brand and lead executive for marketing, Chrysler Group, told the crowd at Chrysler's presentation at the Auto Show. "The 300 is the most luxurious car in its class. It's remained authentic, a star that's down to earth."
The spots, which piggyback off Chrysler's acclaimed "Imported From Detroit" campaign introduced during the Super Bowl in February, feature National Football League star Ndamukong Suh, fashion designer John Varvatos and rapper-producer Dr. Dre. Detroit remains the central theme of the spots, and all three men have some sort of tie to the Motor City -- Mr. Suh plays for the Detroit Lions, Mr. Varvatos is from Detroit and Dr. Dre is the longtime producer for Detroit native Eminem, who appeared in Chrysler's initial "Imported From Detroit" spot two months ago.
Chrysler previewed the spots, from Wieden & Kennedy, at the auto show but declined to make them available for viewing before the May 4 TV launch.
In the first, Mr. Suh is shown driving a 300 back to his native Oregon to see his mother. A voice-over to the spot intones, "Humble beginnings are true beginnings. They're 'character-building' beginnings. They're 'hard work-ethic' beginnings." And then, as Mr. Suh reaches his destination and gets out of the car to hug his mother, the narrators says, "The most wonderful thing about humble beginnings is that they are humbling. They show where you're going without forgetting where you're from."
"He's the perfect example of working hard and earning your place without forgetting where you're from," Mr. Francis said. "It's not about making it great for a segment, but making it great for an individual."
In the second spot, Mr. Varvatos is shown working late into the night and driving his 300 as the voice-over says, "When you come to New York from a place like Detroit, nobody expects you to influence the world of fashion. But when you do, it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone ... When you start sending those influences down the runways of the world, that's when you just might make a name for yourself. That's what a blue-collar attitude can do in a white-collar world."
"That's the true story of John Varvatos," Mr. Francis said. "He's not a celebrity. He's someone who came from Detroit and went to New York and climbed to the top of the fashion industry. Real stories from bold beginnings."
Finally, the Dr. Dre spot only briefly shows glimpses of the rapper as the voice-over says, "Some people say good things come to those who wait. Truth is, good things come to those who work. Who work later, and work harder. They're willing to go farther than anything else to get there. If you're waiting for good things to come to you, you'll be waiting for a pretty long time." The Chrysler 300 then comes to a stop in Los Angeles and Dr. Dre pops out, saying, "This is L.A. This is what we do," a riff on Eminem's Chrysler 300 Super Bowl commercial in which he says "This is Detroit. This is what we do."
