Strange New Chrysler 200 Ad Heads Chrysler’s Multicultural Campaign
Stars Gael García Bernal
Chrysler launched an all-new multicultural marketing campaign last week for the 2015 Chrysler 200. The campaign is meant to resonate with Hispanic audiences and taps Gael García Bernal, famous Hispanic actor, for three 30-second spots and one 60-second spot. The TV ads will be coupled with digital and social initiatives.
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You can watch the incredibly strange 60-second spot below, but it is, of course, in Spanish. But don’t worry—I’ve got the entire bizarre storyline explained (in English) afterward.
In the ad above, Gael climbs inside his all-new Chrysler 200 (that thing does look pretty sharp, eh?), only to discover a young boy waiting for him. The boy claims that he is Gael, from the past, because apparently past selves visit future selves sometimes too. Somehow, the boy from the past knows that Gael’s life sucks—maybe he’s psychic?—and he tells Gael that he needs to make a big change. Gael is confused because his life rocks; he drives a Chrysler 200, after all. After a few moments of squabbling, the boy calls Gael “Paco,” and Gael realizes that the boy, who was intelligent enough to see into his own future and then travel there to warn his future self, somehow missed the mark by one car. Paco owns the next car over. But upon seeing how dorky and uncool Paco looks, the boy decides to skip the warning and hang out with Gael in the new Chrysler 200.
See, I told you: it’s strange.
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The strangeness seems to be lost on Olivier Francois, the Chief Marketing Officer for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Global: “This campaign’s unique creative uses humor, cultural cues and the spirit of individuality to capture our millennial audience’s attention, and its charm rests squarely on the enormous appeal of Gael, one of the premier Hispanic actors of his generation. The episodic storyline focuses on Gael and Paquito’s endearing relationship while at the same time authentically introduces consumers to the 2015 Chrysler 200 and its class-leading features, including smart technology, advanced manufacturing and quality, and distinctive design.”
Perhaps all of that is just a really roundabout way of saying, “Look, we know this ad is weird, but it’ll probably sell us a bunch of cars and make us filthy rich, so let’s get drunk!”
Let’s get drunk indeed, Olivier.
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