GOLD
Client: DaimlerChrysler
Campaign: Chrysler PT Cruiser Handraiser Program
Agency: InterOne Marketing Group, a member agency of PentaMark Canada
Associate Creative Directors: Phil Fertey and Jeff Robillard
Copywriter: Matthew Daley
Art director: Steve Roper
In the automotive arena, few brands push the envelope of conventional design quite like Chrysler. When the company launched the daring and innovative PT Cruiser, it was immediately apparent that the proverbial envelope hadn’t just been pushed – it had been torn to pieces.
In the nine months leading up to the May launch, DaimlerChrysler, with ad agencies InterOne Marketing Group and BBDO (PentaMark), created a campaign to attract prospects. Using simple and cool images, the company promoted the PT Cruiser on billboard and transit ads, in magazines and on Web banners, gradually building excitement. All the advertising included a call-to-action, either a 1-877 number or Web addresses – www.waycoolcar.com and www.bethefirstonyourblock.com – that cemented the brand’s identity. These efforts built a strong database of ‘handraisers’, who were then targeted with a three-phase direct mail effort.
The first mailing, using a large exclamation mark, emphasized the fun aspect of the car. The second included exclusive information (such as entry-level pricing) to keep prospects interested, and the third – which included a PT Cruiser key ring – invited customers to take a test drive. The key was to make recipients feel as if they were part of something exclusive and special.
The program attracted the right target – young, urban and hip – giving the brand a certain cachet with a traditionally atypical Chrysler audience. Sales objectives were exceeded, with competitive and import owners and ‘intenders’ both showing solid interest in the new Chrysler offering. In addition, the company’s database was enriched, providing opportunity for future communications.
SILVER
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SILVER
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MERIT
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