The 1996 new car season will see a re-emergence of brands and a concentration on core products in the marketing efforts of the Big Three North American carmakers.

In its concentration on brands, Chrysler Canada will step back from co-marketing campaigns and do some of the first standalone brand advertising in this country in several years.

Jack Daley, senior vice-president, group account director on the Chrysler business at BBDO Canada, says:

‘You’ll see a lot of production differentiation, but, more importantly, you’ll see communication separation in the interest of re-marketing, re-establishing, and re-newing brand equity behind Plymouth, Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep and Eagle,’ Daley says.

He says among the major campaigns, consumers will see continued support for Chrysler’s popular, industry-leading minivans: Dodge Caravan and Grand Caravan; Plymouth Voyager and Grand Voyager, and Chrysler Town & Country.

A corporate soft-touch launch of the redesigned minivans began in July, and, last month, the heavy launch began with four product commercials, which will run until the end of the year.

Chrysler’s biggest news in the passenger car category is the Plymouth Breeze, based on the same platform as the Dodge Stratus and Chrysler Cirrus.

The Breeze launches later this month with two tv spots, posters and a major four-color newspaper campaign.

Also to be introduced this month is the Canadian-only Neon Ex, a two-door coupe with entry level pricing and cosmetic touches designed to appeal to the younger driver.

One Neon Ex commercial has been created and it will be supported by daily newspaper ads, and street papers such as Now, a free Toronto arts and entertainment weekly.

At Ford Motor Co. of Canada, the spotlight is on the flagship Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable passenger cars, which emerge with a new look for 1996, with rounded corners, softened shapes and extended windshields.

The car’s official launch on Sept. 28 was heralded by The Big Bang, the company’s nickname for its biggest, best-funded launch effort, estimated at US$100 million for the u.s. campaign.

Three days preceding the retail launch, Ford Canada sponsored season premieres of Murphy Brown, Roseanne, Law & Order, Ellen, Due South, The John Larroquette Show, Cybill, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, e.r., and, in Quebec, was the exclusive sponsor for the miniseries Jalna and other primetime shows.

All Ford advertising comes from Young & Rubicam, Toronto.

John Arnone, product information officer for Ford Canada, says Taurus and Sable are getting strong support because they are volume cars for Ford and important cars in the fleet and retail sectors.

After the introduction of a dozen cars and trucks last year, GM Canada is focusing on car and truck powertrain improvements and its new PassLock theft-deterrent system.

gm is not talking about its advertising launch expected later this month, but some major campaigns expected from gm’s Canadian agency, MacLaren McCann, will support the Saturn brand, Chevy Cavalier, which was introduced as an all-new model last year, and Pontiac Sunfire.