Chrysler is planning to downplay singer Celine Dion’s role in future ads as she may not be right for its products. How much does a well-known personality influence a brand?
Chrysler is planning to downplay singer Celine Dion’s role in future ads as she may not be right for its products.
According to , Chrysler Group sales and marketing chief Joe Eberhard is trying to figure out why his predecessor, Jim Schroer, wanted Dion to represent Chrysler.
Schroer said last year that linking Chrysler with Dion was “branded harmony”. He said: “Celine Dion will play an important role in repositioning the Chrysler brand because she embodies the essence of all Chrysler vehicles — beauty, romance, sophistication and refinement.”
Dion appears and sings in several black-and-white ads, in particular for the Voyager, that have been screened in South Africa. She was reportedly paid R106 million for the campaign, which advertising commentators say became more about the singer than the vehicles.
“It is a danger of … the celebrity overshadowing the campaign. When Dion was featured heavily in the early ads, it was difficult to recall the names of the Chrysler brands being advertised – particularly in the case of a new product like the Pacifica,” commented the .
The manufacturer used Dion to launch the Pacifica earlier this year and the new vehicle did not sell well. “We didn’t communicate the attributes of the vehicle enough,” Eberhard said.
Eberhard, who previously ran DaimlerChrysler UK, said they would still use Dion’s music, but rely less on her persona. “She may be right for the minivan product, but not others,” he said.
“The question … is really whether Celine Dion is the right vehicle for building longer term aspirations for the Chrysler brand or not,” he said. “It’s a very subjective issue. It’s probably one of the biggest subjective issues and taste issues out there.”
Eberhard said he did not believe in using “personalities” to elevate brand. “It works with grills and George Foreman, but not with cars and trucks,” he said.