Chrysler Group is conducting marketing campaigns for its vehicles on a staggered basis, primarily seen as a measure to ensure the dealers have enough of the new models on their lots before a bigger push is made. Chrysler Group recently broadcast its first TV commercial for the 2013 Dodge Dart, but will not make a bigger marketing push until September 2012, according to Richard Cox, director of the Dodge brand. The gap between the marketing campaigns will allow Chrysler to put more Darts, including some with automatic gearboxes, onto dealer lots. Cox remarked that with the number of models and trim levels that the company will be rolling out, they need to implement a staggered launch, ensuring top quality in all of their vehicles.
Chrysler showed a 90-second commercial during the Major League Baseball's All-Star game on July 10, 2012. The company is slated to broadcast 60-second versions of the same commercial in movie theatres this summer. After that, the carmaker will be “a little bit quiet for the time being," Cox told Automotive News. He, however, disclosed that the carmaker will show dedicated feature and benefit spots thereafter, a preview to the big pitch in December.
Chrysler added a third shift of 1,100 workers at its Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois, where it is producing the Dart alongside the Jeep Compass and Patriot. Chrysler delivered its first Darts to its 2,400 dealers in June and July, but those were all red Rallye editions with manual transmissions. According to dealers, the first Darts prevented some buyers to take test drives as they are not familiar with using the shift stick. Dealers told Automotive News that they are eager to receive the automatic models.
