Stellantis pulls Jeep, Ram and Dodge tariff-response ads after built-in-USA scrutiny

In the wake of the Trump administration implementing new 25% tariffs on foreign-made autos, Stellantis in recent days began running patriotic ads for Jeep, Ram and Dodge that tout the models as being built in America, as well as new discount programs. However, the automaker is now altering the campaign in response to scrutiny from an ad watchdog that alleges Stellantis engaged in deceptive marketing because some of the parts used in the vehicles are imported. Truth in Advertising, a nonprofit known as TINA that tracks misleading marketing, cites Federal Trade Commission rules that state products marketed as “Made in the USA” be “all or virtually all” made in the U.S. The matter shows how brands of all kinds must be careful with Made in the USA claims as they put out messaging related to President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff program. “Stellantis has every right to boast of its brands’ assembly plants in the United States that create American jobs and strengthen the U.S. economy, but it cannot illegally embellish the amount of manufacturing that takes place domestically,” Truth in Advertising wrote in a letter dated April 8 addressed to Stellantis Global Chief Marketing Officer Olivier François and Giorgio Fossati, the automaker’s general counsel. Stellantis has since pulled the ads from YouTube and is planning to make adjustments while prematurely ending a TV campaign. The Jeep ad began running on TV on Sunday, while the Ram spot began airing Monday, according to iSpot.tv. Both ads also ran on Tuesday. The TV campaign was originally planned to run for about a week but will end a day early “to address specific concerns brought to its attention regarding language,” according to a Stellantis spokesperson. “The campaign will continue its run on social media channels once concerns [are] addressed.” On its website, TINA states that the Stellantis models in the campaign “are made with engine, motor or transmission parts sourced from all over the world, from Mexico to Italy to the Philippines. The bottom line: The cars are not made or built in the USA but rather assembled in the USA using a significant amount of imported parts.” The FTC rules stipulate that to make a Made in the USA claim, products should “contain no—or negligible—foreign content.” Virtually all U.S.-assembled vehicles include at least some imported parts. “U.S.-made cars with all U.S. parts is a fictional tale,” Dan Ives, the global head of technology research at Wedbush Securities, recently told NBC News. Made in the USA marketing often comes down to subtleties. The FTC rules note that a claim “can be express or implied.” Even “U.S. symbols or geographic references” can be scrutinized if they “convey a claim of U.S. origin either by themselves, or in conjunction with other phrases or images,” according to the FTC. Stellantis seemingly erred by using the phrases “build” and “built” in its ads, which come from Doner. The Jeep TV ad, called “American Freedom,” recalls the brand’s history as a vehicle used by the U.S. military in World War II before pivoting to describe how the Wrangler and Gladiator are built in Toledo, Ohio, and the Grand Cherokee and Grand Wagoneer are built in Michigan. In the Ram ad, a voiceover describes the brand as “built from the ground up in America,” while showing a scene of an assembly plant in Michigan for the Ram 1500. Both ads end by plugging a new “Freedom of Choice” pricing program that gives buyers the option to choose cash incentives or to pay the same price for vehicles that employees pay. Ford and Hyundai have also introduced limited-time pricing programs in recent days in response to the tariffs, which experts predict will soften demand in the automotive industry as brands weigh increasing prices to deal with the rising supply chain costs. Hyundai pledged not to raise the manufacturer’s suggested retail price on vehicles, while Ford is offering employee pricing for regular buyers. President Trump proposed the tariffs to incentivize more U.S. manufacturing, but setting up car plants in the States is a long process. Tariffs will also apply to imported major auto parts, such as engines and transmissions, with those duties set to take effect no later than May 3. Ford in a campaign released last week promotes its “employee pricing” with an ad from Wieden+Kennedy called “From America, For America” that touts its vast U.S. manufacturing footprint. But TINA does not take issue with the Ford ad, saying in a separate web post that it does not include “any misleading or deceptive reference to being built or made in America.” The Ford ad avoids phrases such as “built,” instead stating that Ford “assembled the most vehicles in the country.” Ford imports 20% of its vehicles sold here, fewer than all other major automakers, according to 2024 data from S&P Global Mobility, which specializes in automotive data. Stellantis imports 41% of its vehicles. Jeep has long engaged in patriotic marketing, and there is some merit to its flag-waving claims, which often tout its World War II history. The Jeep Gladiator ranks eighth on Cars.com’s 2024 American Made Index, while the Wrangler is 30th. The index factors in assembly location, parts content, engine origin, transmission origin and U.S. manufacturing workforce. Tesla’s Model Y ranks first, followed by the Honda Passport. The highest-ranked Ram ad in the index is the 1500 pickup, which comes in at No. 19.

Stellantis pulls Jeep, Ram and Dodge tariff-response ads after built-in-USA scrutiny

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