automotive

Chrysler's Super Bowl Ad Keeps Bringing 'Em In

Eminem

Chrysler has had a big hit with its two-minute "Imported from Detroit" TV spot that aired during the Super Bowl. It helped things that the spot, featuring rapper Eminem driving around the city in a Chrysler 200, broke into the airwaves days before Eminem took the Grammy Awards by storm.

Edmunds.com, which has been tracking traffic to its site since the Bowl game for each of the auto brands that advertised during the game broadcast, found that Chrysler's spot has lifted consideration for the brand by 87% compared to the brand's average on Edmunds.com during the four weeks prior to the game.

Just so there's no mistaking the effectiveness of the spot, Edmunds says the surge was driven by interest in the Chrysler 200, Chrysler's replacement for the Sebring. Consumer interest in the vehicle rose 463% after the Super Bowl game, according to the site. The company also says interest in the redesigned Chrysler 300 doubled in the last week, even though the vehicle was not mentioned in the Super Bowl ad.

advertisement

advertisement

Chrysler was the leader among all other auto brands that shelled out the $3 million on average for 30 seconds. A very distant second place is Kia, which has seen a 13% lift, then sibling Hyundai with an 11% lift. After that comes Suzuki, which only advertised regionally during the game, then Volkswagen, Chevrolet, Audi and BMW. Edmunds says Ford, which advertised during the pre-game portion of the broadcast, saw a 2% lift in interest at Edmunds.com.

Edmunds.com senior analyst Michelle Krebs says she was surprised that the buzz from the Chrysler spot is still as strong as it was. "Chrysler's message seems to have resonated with viewers far beyond that first wave of buzz," says Krebs. "While consideration for the other automotive advertisers has fallen back to earth, Chrysler is still getting much more attention now than just two or three weeks ago."

The story for individual models is a bit different. In the past week Chevrolet's Silverado 3500HD has seen a 143% increase in consideration on Edmunds.com, while consideration for the Volkswagen New Beetle and Passat is up 79% and 70%, respectively. Interest in Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, and Hyundai Elantra increased 44% and 39%, respectively.

So how is Chrysler exploiting the ad's popularity? For one thing the Auburn Hills, Mich., automaker is launching a line of shirts bearing the "Imported From Detroit" tag line from the spot and the redesigned Chrysler winged logo, a company spokesperson confirmed.

The Detroit Bureau reports that the company will sell the $29.95 all-cotton T-shirts on the Chrysler division website. The automotive web site also reported that Eminem met with Chrysler brass last week, though there is no word about whether he will appear in future ads for the company.

4 comments about "Chrysler's Super Bowl Ad Keeps Bringing 'Em In ".
Check to receive email when comments are posted.
  1. Ken Muench from Draftfcb, February 17, 2011 at 9:08 a.m.

    Chrysler nailed a story of Americana that we can all believe in. Not some old, white-only outdated version of what America is all about. But a real, urban, totally multicultural vision of a bad-ass America that is on the comeback. Hats off to WK and Chrysler. I hope they continue to push in this direction by leaning in heavily to this new Crosscultural vision of what makes the country and the people and the brand what they are. It resonates.

    Chevy, on the other hand, seems to be hoping that the old-school, mainly-white pickup truck version of America suddenly becomes relevant to a younger, more urban, and much browner generation. Good luck with that!

    http://www.crossculturalism.com/2011/02/chryslers-americana-beats-chevrolets-no.html

  2. Christopher Rogers from In the market, February 17, 2011 at 12:17 p.m.

    Great story. But $29.99 for a tee shirt? Bad message.

    Chrysler is missing an opportunity here. They should be giving those shirts away as a social media outreach. Simple campaign - via website, twitter, or facebook. Anyone interested in a shirt gets one for an explanation of why they believe in America, Detroit, or Chrysler, and a promise of a picture of them wearing it. Imported from Detroit, with the Chysler wings, starts popping up all over the world. That's extending your message.

  3. David Gerbino from @dmgerbino consulting, February 17, 2011 at 5:19 p.m.

    I agree with Christopher about the missed Chrysler opportunity. They could have even turned the shirt sales into a fundraising exercise.

    The website http://www.collection.chrysler.com/dept_prod.asp?dept_id=112

    lists 6 t-shirt styles as sold out.

  4. Howie Goldfarb from Blue Star Strategic Marketing, February 18, 2011 at 7:35 p.m.

    I don't like the data. Interest is because they didn't show the car. So yes everyone needed to look at it online. This does not equate to buying interest. And it had better be a brand new car because the Sebring is a bottom 10 car for quality!

Next story loading loading..