Automakers are always willing to go all out when it comes to their marketing efforts, but Dodge Durango's newest campaign with Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy from "Anchorman" is a truly innovative integrated content promo extending across television, digital and social media as well as print. This is the first instance in which a brand and movie studio have joined forces to use a fictional character for both short and longer form ads. Previously, other real-life celebrity spokespeople for the Chrysler brand included Eminem and Clint Eastwood, AutoBlog reports.
A lucrative collaboration
The campaign comes just in time for release of both the 2014 Dodge Durango, which arrives at dealerships later this month, and Paramount Pictures' anxiously awaited "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues," which hits theaters Dec. 20. One of the most notable updates to the car this year is the inclusion of Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop+, a feature that is capable of sensing vehicles ahead and adjusting the car's speed or even halt the tires completely to ensure safe distance between vehicles and avoid a collision.
Both the automotive brand and motion picture company are bound to benefit from this joint venture, which debuted Oct. 5. Olivier Francois, chief marketing officer of Chrysler Group LLC, explained that Ron Burgundy's brash, tongue-in-cheek tone is in line with the Dodge brand image, making him the ideal spokesman for the automaker's new Durango model. He's confident that the multichannel experience will reach audiences in a more exciting, engaging way.
"Ron Burgundy as the new Dodge Durango spokesperson brings together two iconic American legends," said Josh Greenstein, CMO of Paramount Pictures. "With the personal involvement of Will Ferrell, our writer / director Adam McKay, the comedy team at Funny or Die, and the Dodge creative team at Wieden+Kennedy, we were able to create a truly epic partnership."
Informative and humorous
In the commercials and other content, Ferrell plays the leading comedic character Ron Burgundy, an arrogant 1970s anchorman, while offering his take on what makes the crossover sport utility vehicle an exceptional car. AutoBlog asserted that the newest Dodge Durango is worth boasting about, too. With the option of a 290-horsepower V6 and 360-hp Hemi V8 engine, eight-speed automatic transmission, better fuel economy and a bold appearance, this SUV is pretty powerful.
One of the ads features Burgundy correlating the Durango's horsepower to a white horse beside him, while in another he emphasizes the car's impressive glovebox size. Another ad has the anchorman attempting to define MPG. Other clips can be seen on social media, including YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, tumblr, Pinterest, Vine, FunnyorDie.com and BurgundyDodge.com.