• by Karl Greenberg , December 3, 2015

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, Darth Vader drove a Viper. Fiat Chrysler Automobile is launching a new co-branded advertising campaign with Disney and Lucasfilm that puts “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and Fiat brands in the same corner of the galaxy. 

The effort comprises seven co-branded U.S. television spots launching Dec. 3 -- about two weeks before the movie opens -- with a contiguous global promotional campaign in Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and many European, Middle East and African countries. 

The company says the U.S. campaign includes radio spots and social media extensions, and that there will be additional spots in countries throughout Europe, Middle East, and Africa. The U.S. spots promote the brand’s year-end “The Must See Event of the Year,” and close with “See Star Wars: The Force Awakens Dec. 18.” The end tag in other countries will vary, per FCA.  And at the world premier in Los Angeles on Dec. 14, Dodge will have a Star Wars-themed vehicle, according to the company. 

Each of the ads has some aspect of the movie, whether characters or music. In one spot, a kid sits with his dad in the movie theater at the premiere of the original “Star Wars” in the ’70s. We see him grow up through the years, get married, and finally drive his own son to the new movie in a Chrysler 200. The automaker says the ads were created in partnership with Doner, with George Lucas’ Industrial Light & Magic doing custom content for the Jeep spot.

“Having our brands be part of the global conversation surrounding one of the most anticipated movies in recent years provides remarkable worldwide exposure for our Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and Fiat brands,” said Olivier Francois, global CMO of FCA, in a statement. “Collaborating with Disney and Lucasfilm on ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ once again provides the opportunity to deliver the unexpected -- relevant, entertaining and immediately noticed end-of-the-year Tier 2 commercials true to the individuality of each of our brands and featuring the Star Wars music and sound design known around the world.”

In the U.S. ads will run on NFL, college football, and dayparts. Radio spots and social media extensions will augment the U.S. television campaign, per FCA. Fiat had a custom-painted Fiat 500e Stormtrooper, inspired by the armor of the First Order Legion, at the L.A. Auto Show. In September, a partnership with Mattel around Hot Wheels and Uber offered a free ride in a custom-wrapped Dodge Charger styled after the stormtroopers look.

The Dodge ad makes the Dodge Viper a Darth Vader-like leader of a legion of vehicles, set to the Imperial March theme from the movies. The Jeep ad has custom content from Industrial Light and Magic, in which a space battle between the rebel alliance and the Imperial forces is viewed by Jeep passengers on Earth, who see a shooting star, which happens to be a fighter ship getting blown up. “Enjoy the freedom to go far, far away,” says the ad. 

The ad for Ram actually features the voice of Mark Hamill, the original Luke, who says, “There exists an all-powerful force in the universe. It surrounds us. Gives us strength. Turns fear into hope. And to those who seek to harness such power … This is what you’ve been looking for...” The Fiat ad has two Abarths, good and evil, battling on a sere, desert landscape.