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Neon will be sold by both Plymouth and Dodge dealers, but will the $60-80 million launch be handled by Dodge agency BBDO or Chrysler-Plymouth shop Bozell?
Creative shoot-outs are nothing new to these rival shops who often are pitted against each other by Chrysler. And while status with the client is always the first consideration, the Neon playoff is special. Under Chrysler’s new consolidated media structure at the newly famed PentaCom owned by BBDO, neither agency is sure yet if it will lose a large chunk of money if it loses the competition for the launch.
Chrysler executives say compensation for this shoot-out will be ‘revenue neutral,’ as was the case in the past when the agencies competed for multi-brand assignments. But executives at both shops say they aren’t convinced.
‘The Neon launch falls outside the parameters set up for PentaCom (Chrysler’s media buying company), so all we are sure of at this point is that it’ll be better to win than lose,’ said one agency executive.
Chrysler vp-marketing John Damoose says the cars can be brought to market at a lower cost if two separate brands don’t have to be supported with ad dollars. ‘The pricing on this car is very important to its marketing, and we believe the entry-level buyer is more interested in the value than whether or not we give them different names,’ he said.
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