DaimlerChrysler plans to drive sales to dealerships in July by forking out $100 million for a marketing campaign that brings back its Employee Pricing Plus program with added incentives, the company announced in a press briefing last week.
During July, DaimlerChrysler dealerships will offer car shoppers the discount prices its employees pay for vehicles plus zero-percent financing for 36 months or cash back rebates. The automaker is also offering consumers a 30-day return guarantee if they are dissatisfied.
“We cannot do business as usual in this very competitive marketplace,’ said Joe Eberhardt, executive VP-global sales, marketing and service, Chrysler Group during the press conference.
“People are looking for the best of everything to buy a car” and these incentives will help them do that, said Jerry Panteck, a Brunswick, OH, Chrysler dealer at the briefing.
Over the Fourth of July weekend, 3,900 participating U.S. Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge dealerships opened showrooms until midnight to start the promotion. Print ads in USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and local papers will support.
The automaker has also launched an Ask Dr. Z ad campaign that features Chairman Dieter Zetsche in TV and radio ads that touts the company’s German ownership. The campaign will demonstrate that two companies (Daimler-Benz and Chrysler Corporation) came together to give consumers American and German engineering and design. Each commercial carries the tagline, “Experience the best in American and German engineering and design. Get employee pricing, plus zero-percent financing on 2006 Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles. If not satisfied, simply return it within 30 days.”
“Our strength is that we’re German-American which helps us with good positioning points against domestics and against imports,” Eberhardt said.
Online at Askdrz.com, Dr. Z will answer automobile-related questions from consumers. The automaker may extend the Dr. Z character beyond the employee pricing campaign, officials said.
Last weekend, a special Ask Dr. Z paint scheme, featuring Dr. Zetsche’s image and the AskDrZ.com URL was placed on the hood and side of the No. 9 and No. 19 Dodge Charger race cars (driven by Kasey Kahne and Jeremy Mayfield, respectively) at the Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway and will also appear in the July 16 New England 300 at the New Hampshire International Speedway. Mayfield’s No. 19 Dodge will also carry the Ask Dr. Z paint scheme July 9 at the USG Sheetrock 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.
The Auburn Hills-MI-based company plans to activate additional promotional elements over the course of the month. Its $100 million spend on the campaign will be a little less than what it forked out last year for a similar promotion, Eberhardt said. Last summer, the company unveiled an Employee Pricing Plus program with the same benefits as the current offer but without the 30-day return guarantee.
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