December 31, 2008
Chrysler: Thanks for the billions, suckers!
The formerly cash-strapped Chrysler ran ads recently -- expensive, full-page ads -- in a number of U.S. newspapers to say, "Thanks for the billions of bailout cash, you rubes!"
Well, that's not what the ad itself says, but I think the hidden contempt for the taxpayer is apparent.
Thank you for investing in Chrysler-America's car company.
Chrysler is committed to:
Providing cars and trucks you want to buy, enjoy driving, and will want to buy again.
Delivering products with the best quality and value in our Company's history.
Improving fuel economy to support America's energy security and environmental sustainability.The United States is home to 74% of our employees and over 3,300 dealers in communities across the country. Of every dollar we spend, 78% is spent here at home. On behalf of the 1 million people who depend on Chrysler for their livelihoods, thank you for investing in Chrysler, and America.
Bob Nardelli
Chairman and CEO, Chrysler, LLC
The Truth About Car's Robert Farrago notes that the ads, which appeared in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, and other assorted media, deadtree and online, have begun to catch the eye -- and the ire -- of bailout critics.
Autoblog reports today on Fox News’ Monday report slamming the automaker for the campaign. Their boy Newt’s minion does the dirty.
“‘It’s quite ridiculous to be spending that kind of money,’ said Princella Smith, national spokeswoman for American Solutions, an organization headed by former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich. ‘Those ads are just a precise example of the fact that they do not get it … and it’s just in our faces ... A full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal runs between $206,000 and $264,000, and a full-page ad in USA Today runs between $112,000 and $217,000. ' ”
Wow. Still, $4b buys you a lot of ad space, if not a single class-leading automobile. Oh, and why haven’t MSM picked-up on the fact that the ad’s picture is a fake?
Your tax dollars at work.
Posted by Mike Lief at December 31, 2008 06:09 AM
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Comments
At first blush, I felt the SAME way you do. Then, I thought about it.
Advertising expenses are a major part of what car companies have to do. This is actually a pretty effective ad for Chrysler as it pulls at the patriotic heartstrings of Americans. It reminds us that we are all invested in Chrysler now and should not be running out to buy a foreign car.
The car companies are going to have to advertise and do whatever they can to get Americans to buy their cars. Obviously, they have internal issues to deal with (wage control, cutting overhead, etc...). Advertising is NOT an area where they can skimp.
Posted by: RW at December 31, 2008 08:34 PM
Did it ever occur to you that someone may actually be grateful? Here's the only thing you need to know: Americans need to buy American cars. We are all tied together. You can find a fantastic American car with great fuel economy.
Posted by: I Think Green at January 1, 2009 12:37 AM
RW --
This isn't advertising, it's a "Thank you" to the taxpayers, but one that cost a lot of money. It does nothing to sell the product.
A press conference could have served the same purpose without spending any of our money.
Posted by: Mike Lief at January 1, 2009 01:23 PM
I Think Green --
If "Americans need to buy American cars," then I suggest we buy Hondas and Toyotas manufactured in non-union plants by American workers in the U.S.; that way everybody wins: Consumers get good cars and Americans keep their jobs, all without a bailout.
Besides, what exactly is an American car? Ford, GM and Chrysler build cars overseas and use engines and transmissions built in other countries, too. Chrysler was -- until fairly recently -- owned by the German Daimler Corp.
Why does Ford build cars in Mexico? To escape the extortionate reach of the UAW -- and the union's corrosive effect on productivity, profitability and reliability.
Build a better product at a competitive price and the consumer will reward you with increasing revenue and profits. That's the answer to the Big Three's woes.
Posted by: Mike Lief at January 1, 2009 01:33 PM
Mike,
You know that's a subtle advertisement and not just a "thank you." It's about the suggestion that "we are all in this together..."
R---
Posted by: RW at January 2, 2009 10:51 AM