• Ad Age, Tuesday, September 26, 2006 12:15 PM

Chrysler Group will more than double what it spent in advertising during the first half of 2006 for the remainder of the year, according to Tom LaSorda, president-CEO of the automaker. Chrysler spent $527 million in U.S. measured media in the first half of this year, according to TNS Media Intelligence--meaning its second-half budget could be well over $1 billion. The outlay will go partly toward its new-model launches, including the Dodge Nitro SUV, Dodge Avenger, Dodge Ram 3500, Chrysler Aspen SUV and Chrysler Sebring sedan. The company is also planning some branding ads that will hit on the corporate blending of DaimlerChrysler's American and German engineering. It plans to continue to push outside North America and to enter new small-car segments both at home and abroad. LaSorda says the company sold nearly 7,000 Dodge Calibers internationally in its first three months of availability. A so-called C-segment small-car entry and the smallest model in the Chrysler Group, the Caliber is the first Dodge designed from the start for world markets.

Read the whole story at Ad Age »