A rousing two-minute anthem uses Eminem and his song "Lose Yourself" to put Detroit, and Chrysler, back on the map.
The rapper had reportedly been approached more than 100 times to license "Lose Yourself," but only agreed for his hometown auto industry and at a fraction of previously offers' value. Eminem was perfect for the spot, Chrysler brand managers told Ad Age, because he "symbolizes the city's history, its stumble and recovery." The message from the campaign is that "you no longer have to cross oceans to get what you can have from these shores."
Wieden & Kennedy was praised for the work, which won an Emmy later that year for best commercial and four Gold Lions plus a Brozne at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. It was a far cry from an earlier Chrysler excursion with celebrity at the Super Bowl, the 2003 ad starring Celine Dion ("Brand Anthem").
Directed by Samuel Bayer, who also directed Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video, the spot made history as the longest Super Bowl commercial to date.
Under pressure to repeat the feat of great advertising, Chrysler and Wieden came up with the bold "Halftime in America" for the following year's Super Bowl. Wieden would continue on Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' account until 2016, when the two would split after a six-year run.
Eminem, for his part, in 2011 broke his previous resistance to endorsement deals in spectacular fashion, joining not just Chrysler's great "Born of Fire" for Super XLV but a Lipton Brisk ad in the same game.
Creative directors: Aaron Allen, Joe Staples. Copywriters: Joe Staples, Mark Fitzloff, Kevin Jones, Greg Rutter, Dan Kroeger. Art director: Jimm Lasser. Producer: Bob Wendt. Executive creative directors: Mark Fitzloff, Susan Hoffman. Agency executive producer: Ben Grylewicz.
Production company: Serial Pictures. Executive producer: Violaine Etienne. Line Producer: Martha English. Director of Photography: Samuel Bayer.
Editing: Joint. Editor: Tommy Harden. Post producer: Jennifer Patterson. Post executive producer: Patty Brebner. VFX: Method.
BRAND: Chrysler
YEAR: 2011
AGENCY: Wieden & Kennedy
SUPERBOWL: XLV
QUARTER AIRED: Q3
