I’ve been meaning to write about all the different ways that Chrysler has found to market itself through hip hop. Via various branches of DaimlerChrysler, the company has gone beyond simple celebrity endorsements. It’s one of those things that I sometimes put off till I have some time to think about it and then never get around to writing so here are a number of press releases from Hip Hop Press and posts from ProHipHop that demonstrate the range of their presence in the world of hip hop.
Dodge Charger Gets Hip Hop’s Attention
Charger sedans have been a big draw for hip hop artists who feature them in videos and provide a form of real life product placement by requesting the first of a new edition in voicemail messages, as did both Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent, that can then be used for publicity.
Missy May Campaign for Jeep Commander
Chrysler not only got Missy Elliott to endorse the Jeep Commander and appear in commercials but they also got a Jeep product placement in a Missy Elliott video.
Quick Takes: Mad Mike
Last spring, Pimp My Ride’s Mad Mike demo’d a custom Chrysler at a gathering of Intel Developers in San Francisco.
Marketing: Pimp Juice Auto Sale
Also last spring, a customized Pimp Juice promotional Jeep Wrangler was auctioned on Ebay to raise money for Nelly’s Jes Us 4 Jackie Fund.
Chrysler Group and the Iacocca Foundation Partner to Fund Diabetes Research
Lee Iacocca and Snoop Dogg are ‘Golf Buddies’ in new Chrysler Group commercial.
BET Launches 2005 Fall Season With BET’s ULTIMATE HUSTLER
One of the prizes is a 2006 Jeep Commander.
2005 MTV Video Music Awards
Jeep was one of the official sponsors.
Wilmer Valderrama to Host ‘G-Phoria(R)’ – the Mother of All Videogame Award Shows
Jeep sponsored this event that included the Black Eyed Peas.
SWIZZ BEATS AMONG THOSE TO BE HONORED BY NV MAGAZINE FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP IN BUSINESS
Ralph Gilles, “designer of the hot-selling–Chrysler 300 sedan dubbed the most influential American car of the 21st century (Innovation Award),” also received an award and DaimlerChrysler was one of the sponsors.
Chrysler Financial, the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, Suze Orman and Anheuser-Busch Come Together to Educate and Empower Young People
Chrysler Financial was one of the very visible sponsors of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network’s series of Financial Summits.
Chrysler Celebrates its 11th Annual ‘Spirit in the Words’ Poetry Program During the National Association of Black Journalists’ 30th Anniversary
Not hip hop per se but the connections between spoken word and hip hop are extensive. I’m really most impressed that they’ve been sponsoring it for 11 year.
Taken as a whole, these efforts, that occurred over the course of less than a year, indicate how deeply Chrysler has gotten involved with hip hop in their marketing efforts as well as their community efforts that ultimately can’t be separated from marketing. The thing is, this behavior is typical for corporations, it’s just a trip to see the full package in operation in relationship to hip hop.
