DETROIT — After hunkering down for months, Chrysler Group LLC is preparing a sustained marketing push to energize dealers and reconnect with American consumers following its reorganization a year ago, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Later this month, the automaker will kick off a national advertising campaign to promote its redesigned Jeep Grand Cherokee, which is just now arriving in showrooms. It's the first all-new vehicle since the company's bankruptcy filing, and Chrysler is counting on it to make a big splash and help rebuild its image.
"We will start something now with the launch of the Jeep Grand Cherokee," CEO Sergio Marchionne said in a brief interview, though he didn't elaborate on the details of the campaign.
The company's dealers, who have struggled to attract customers in recent months, have been urging the company to step up its marketing efforts. In particular, they have wanted the auto maker to run commercials introducing Chrysler as a new, reorganized company.
General Motors Co., which also went through Chapter 11, took that approach. One GM campaign featured Chief Executive Edward E. Whitacre Jr. talking about his confidence in the rebirth of the company as he strode through GM's development studios.
