Chrysler Group is rolling out a new U.S. advertising
campaign to try to gain some momentum in sales of the
Dodge Journey minivan which has only managed small gains
since it was recently given a facelift. The Journey,
which is built at the Chrysler Group's factory at Toluca
in Mexico, is now imported to Europe where it is rebadged as the
Fiat Freemont.
Despite a facelift that included a refreshed interior, a
new front clip and new engine options, the Journey has
struggled to gain much traction with Stateside
customers: year-to-date sales for the minivan stand at
36,304 units on the U.S. market, that is up just 6 percent on the same
period last year, when it sold 34,157 units. However for
the most recent full month of the year - August - the picture
is better,
and Journey sales here were up 34 percent year-on-year to
5,019 units.
The
new advertising campaign for the Journey "encourages
people to get out and explore the world instead of just
reading about it," according to Dodge and offers the chance to win one of three
Journey vehicles left hidden across America.
Television and digital spots began over the weekend
positioning the Journey as the Search Engine for the
Real World, claiming it to be "the perfect vehicle
for people looking for adventure, flexibility and
affordability". The campaign takes viewers on a tour of
some of America’s most picturesque landscapes while
showcasing the Journey.
"The Dodge Journey is the ‘Swiss Army knife’ of
vehicles," believes Reid Bigland, President and CEO –
Dodge Brand, Chrysler Group. "America’s most versatile
crossover is also now the most affordable in its class,
starting at $18,995 MSRP. Part compact car, due to its
affordable pricing, part SUV with available all-wheel
drive, and part van with available seven-passenger
seating, the Journey offers best-in-class versatility,
driving range and value, allowing Journey drivers to
explore all that America has to offer."
The initial 30-second TV spot, Search Engine,
shows a montage of three Journeys on various adventures
across America – kayakers headed out for a trip, a group
of friends on a road trip and a family ready to camp.
The spot ends with the viewer being told the vehicle
they’ve just seen headed somewhere beautiful is in fact
still sitting in that final real world location waiting
to be discovered. The first person to find the Dodge
Journey, wins it. In all, three vehicles are positioned
in the continental United States waiting to be found,
one each in the West, Midwest and East.
Subsequently, three additional TV spots – West Coast
(which debuted yesterday), Midwest (debuting
Sept. 16) and East (debuting Sept. 23) – each
reveal details on where one of the Journey vehicles is
headed and where it can be found. If viewers look close
enough, in nearly every frame of each of these 30-second
spots are clues to the Dodge Journey vehicle’s ultimate
destination. The idea is that the more consumers get to
know about the Journey and its features, the more clues
they’ll uncover about where one is waiting to be
discovered. The contest ends Sept. 27.
ItaliaspeedTV:
Dodge Journey "Search" competition
explained /
"West Coast" (TV Advert)
