• Forbes , Wednesday, March 14, 2012 10:25 AM

Jean Halliday herein delineates Chrysler Group’s advertising and explores just how the company has managed to generate so much buzz under the aegis of Olivier Francois, who took the reins as chief marketing officer in 2009.

Francois, holding forth at the Automotive Press Association luncheon in Detroit on Tuesday, said the company's two-minute corporate Super Bowl commercial with Clint Eastwood boosted brand awareness by 2,700% within 24 hours of being aired. You can't beat that with a stick. The 2011 Super Bowl spot with Eminem for the Chrysler 200, also two-minutes long, raised brand consideration by 267% for all Chrysler Group products, he said.

"So, what are some of Francois’ secrets to developing breakthrough creative?" asks Halliday. She writes that Francois explained a lot of it at the luncheon. "Perhaps his biggest revelation is that he doesn’t pre-test commercials with focus groups before they air," she writes, recounting that, by his own admission, he follows his own gut. 

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