VIDEO: "My Name is Ram" TV commercial ran 190 times on debut night
Click above to watch the video after the jump
Now that Chrysler has separated Ram from the Dodge brand, it's time to let the American public know. But instead of easing the public into the idea of giving the trucks their own brand, team Pentastar took the sledgehammer approach. Chrysler worked with new marketing partner Reynolds to create a one minute commercial, called "Manifesto." The spot, introduced last Wednesday during Chrysler's marathon 5-year-plan briefing in Auburn Hills, features a series of still photos and a determined-sounding voice-over that you will doubtless be sick of by this time next week. We can make that prediction because by today, you've probably seen the spot several times already. In fact, according to AdAge, Chrysler ran the TV spot 190 times last Wednesday during primetime alone. Some of those ad buys were clearly expensive, too; for example, we saw it at least twice as we watched the Yankees oust Philly in Game 6 of the World Series.
After intoning, "My name is Ram, and my tank is full," the commercial keeps going (and going, and going) with stuff like "I am fueled by optimism, driven by passion and stopped by nothing," and "I am built to reward the doers who climb behind my wheel every day by working even harder than they do." If you were somehow missed it between Wednesday and now, you can hit the jump to watch the new ad. It's long, over-the-top, and after several viewings, it already feels tiresome. We dig the Ram. As for the new TV spot? We've had our fill.
[Source: Ad Age]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
abbas350 12:33PM (11/08/2009)
not bad.
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Geep 12:38PM (11/08/2009)
I think that about sums it up. Not outstanding but its really not as bad as Chris thinks imo, definitely seen far worse.
nomercy346 1:59PM (11/08/2009)
It will neither stop, yield nor downshift? Sounds more like a Toyota with floormats to me...
The ad looks cheap to me and separating the RAM is just dumb. The Italians have no clue.
2001 altima aka Jessica 4:58PM (11/08/2009)
this sounds alot like my college essay.. "I am fueled by optimism, driven by passion and stopped by nothing," lol
SimbaDogg 7:44PM (11/08/2009)
190 times? and to think i'm just seeing it now for the first time. Seriously, these italians are gonna drive chrysler into the ground. Ram as a separate brand? u gotta be kidding me...
jb32 11:13PM (11/08/2009)
Reminds me a bit of Chrysler ads before Daimler neutered the company:
LEAD, FOLLOW or Simply get out of the WAY.... CHRYSLER.
They can get that attitude back, and will.
RainCleans 12:38PM (11/08/2009)
Does Chrysler/Fiat pay their Ad Agency, or is this more the product of an IOU?
Because, damn. That felt like a poorly produced youtube video.
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James 12:45PM (11/08/2009)
I agree... not exactly the quality of video I was expecting.
Obviously, in its dire financial condition, Chrysler thought it was more important to have a large budget for the ad space, rather than for the production of the commercial itself. Sounds like a wise choice to me. The message gets across!
Will I be buying a Ram, though? Probably not.
Cougs 1:53PM (11/08/2009)
My Name Is Ram, my tank is full, and my haiku-like commercial is completely missing my target demographic...
larry a 12:48PM (11/08/2009)
That's the first time I've seen the commercial... it's nothing special just like every other commercial I change the channel to
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Art 12:46PM (11/08/2009)
too bad you usually only carry bubba to the hodown
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Aero 12:51PM (11/08/2009)
Yeah I can see how that could get old. It does feel abit cheap, and even youtube like.
I do hope that when Ram fully separates itself that we see more innovations in the 1500 to better fuel economy and put it more on par with the F-150 in terms of available features while maintaining its tough image.
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Peter 12:54PM (11/08/2009)
I think this is the only commercial that I've ever seen that doesn't actually "sell" anything. Sucking up to "would-be" buyers like that seems like a cop-out to me.
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Yaroukh 1:31PM (11/08/2009)
ramdom commercial
Peter 2:00PM (11/08/2009)
haha, I see what you did there...
Clavius 1:02PM (11/08/2009)
Oh my god I'm gonna run out right now and buy a RAM!... um.. no not really. As someone previously said it looks like a youtube video and not a good one either. Must of been cheap to make since they were able to spam it across the Tv air waves 190 times.
Now only if they had the truck busting through walls and actually hauling stuff and I dunno some other cliche truck ad stuff with that obvious heavy metal type music then that might of grabbed my attention. On Tv I would of changed the channel right away. The guys voice puts me to sleep.
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Farmboy 1:01PM (11/08/2009)
Kind of boring really. It was like a 4th grade YouTube video. Not really impressed me. I still think this is gonna bite Chrysler in the ass.
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High 1:06PM (11/08/2009)
So is Chrysler really trying to separate its trucks into their own separate brand? In a time when most companies are trying to downsize they decide to spend lord knows how much money to create two distinct brands from one everybody already knows. Everybody knows it as a dodge, everybody will continue to call it a dodge, so why spend the time and money thinking they're going to fool anyone. Only those close to the company who've been trained to call them "Rams" will call them as that. I'm really sick of this company, all their cars are junk and they all share the same junky plastic interior. If Chrysler only lives on in the history books that is fine by me, I feel embarrassed for them considering their crosstown rivals.
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Farmboy 1:25PM (11/08/2009)
Exactly, everyone, including myself, who drive Rams don't usually call them a Ram truck. We drive Dodge Rams, just like guys drive Chevy trucks and Ford Super Duties. That is how it is said. It will be awkward and confusing for Chrysler when people still call them Dodge Rams.
Bobmarley 8:50AM (11/09/2009)
...well that wraps up this autoblog focus group!
...."wait...what?...we already made the commercial based on the first womens focus group? Oh well, at least we can air it 190 times a night!"