DR Z JUST GOT FIRED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[daytonalo]

i JUST HEARD THAT DR Z GOT FIRED , WONDER WHY IT TOOK SO LONG !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Troy]

Are you sure? I can't confirm that through any news sources and he's still listed on the company web site. Do you mean he got fired from doing those rediculous ads? They should have fred the marketing people for that.

Troy

[Ghoste]

The German version of Iacocca doing his impression of Walter P's ads from the 30's?  You're right, but I also haven't heard anything about DCX letting him go.  Where did you hear this?

[bull]

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[253862656971]

They're only pulling the plug on the Dr. Z commercials and he is still with the company.  I don't know why they cancelled the commercials, they were so cool!    

[greenpigs]

I liked the commercials..I wonder if that is a good thing or not?

[6pkrunner]

The polls came back with that most people thought the Dr. Z person was just some actor and they couldn't understand who he was supposed to be, and that the commercials didn't have a clear focus that Chrysler was offering employee pricing on some of its models. The general public just thought the whole campaign like the Taco Bell Chihuahua - a little mascot.
There was a lot of spin put on from the head office the ads generated lots of buzz and conversation and that was the goal of them, but the real proof was that the whole series of ads didn't create any showroom traffic. That was what they wanted.

[greenpigs]

They could lower prices...that would bring people in.

[Plumcrazy]

They could lower prices...that would bring people in.

Or build good looking vehicles. 

[myk]

Dr. Z's generally regarded as the man who led Chrysler's turnaround over the last few years-I doubt that they'd just let him go, unless he grabbed someone's ass or something...

[hemi68charger]

The polls came back with that most people thought the Dr. Z person was just some actor and they couldn't understand who he was supposed to be, and that the commercials didn't have a clear focus that Chrysler was offering employee pricing on some of its models. The general public just thought the whole campaign like the Taco Bell Chihuahua - a little mascot.
There was a lot of spin put on from the head office the ads generated lots of buzz and conversation and that was the goal of them, but the real proof was that the whole series of ads didn't create any showroom traffic. That was what they wanted.

Why do things have to be so complicated?..... Why don't they just have a commercial, a serious one, that introduces him as the "big cheese"?   .........  Duhhhhhhhhhh

Oh well, there goes perfect Chrysler P.R. again...............

Troy

[Ghoste]

Same reason they insist that applying a storied American car name to a European touring sedan is a good idea.  The North American culture is misunderstood over there when they acknowledge the possibility of one at all.

[bull]

Dr. Z's generally regarded as the man who led Chrysler's turnaround over the last few years

Turnaround? Turnaround to what? Crappy-looking, over-priced, Germanized poop. Oh, wait. It's all good.

[triple_green]

I hope not.....He was the stereotypical German businessman. 


Reminded me of my grandfather (only younger).

I liked the ads....I've gotten over that the fact that the Dodges are are just low end  Mercedes.

3X

[6pkrunner]

This from Reuters.....


"DETROIT, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Chrysler Group on Friday said it suspended a series of high-profile ads starring DaimlerChrysler AG (DCXGn.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) Chairman Dieter Zetsche as a CE0-pitchman in the mold of former Chrysler head Lee Iacocca.

Chrysler said its "Ask Dr. Z" advertising campaign had achieved the company's intent of focusing consumer attention on the American and German engineering behind the company's cars.

But sales fell during the two months of the campaign and critics said the ads risked distracting attention from the automaker's summer sales efforts intended to clear out an inventory of unsold vehicles.

Chrysler will focus its advertising in coming months on efforts to sell remaining 2006 models and a string of new product releases, including the Chrysler Sebring sedan, the Jeep Wrangler and the Dodge Nitro SUV, said spokeswoman Carrie McElwee.


Corresponding to the shift in advertising, Chrysler is introducing a zero-percent financing offer for up to 72 months on new vehicle purchases in September, according to dealers.

"It's going to be an unbelievable sales tool for us," said Alan Helfman, the manager of River Oaks Chrysler-Jeep in Houston.

Television ads featuring Zetsche portrayed him as a kind of kindly, but formal answer-man for American consumers interested in how Detroit-based Chrysler had changed since its 1998 merger with the German Daimler-Benz.

The ads, which recalled Chrysler's famed ads with then-CEO Lee Iacocca from the late 1980s, marked a shift in strategy since DaimlerChrysler had kept its Chrysler and Mercedes-Benz units more sharply separated in previous marketing.

One aim was to distance Chrysler from the the struggling, American auto industry. Zetsche has said Chrysler was hurt by its association with its Detroit roots as one of the traditional Big Three[/b]

McElwee said the Dr. Z campaign, which included a Web site where consumers could pose questions to an animated likeness of Zetsche, had driven 15 percent more traffic to Jeep, Dodge and Chrysler Internet sites and increased sales leads for dealers.

"It raised interest and awareness and that was the point," she said. "It was definitely successful."

Chrysler was reviewing its options and could revive the broadcast ads in another form at a later date, she said.

Helfman said the Zetsche campaign had attracted a lot of attention for the Chrysler brand among car shoppers, even though it corresponded with a slump in sales.


"Did it sell cars? I don't know," he said. "But I did have people say: 'He's cool. I haven't seen anything like that since Iacocca.'"

[dkn1997]

I find those ads pretty insulting.  If you read between the lines.
they seem to say " we took your crappy american cars and waved our mercedes wand over them"

it's a goddam dodge commercial, why do I need to hear the mercedes is the worlds largest producer of commercial vehicles and then they show all of those turds sitting in a row?

and I agree that I had no idea what that kraut was saying.  Run the company if you want, but speak f'ing english if you want to be part of the add campaign.

[Silver R/T]

good news to be awaken to!

[dkn1997]

good news to be awaken to!

I, too, got caught up in myself.  I forgot that the upshot of all of this is that we don't have to hear and see those commercials anymore, thanks for snatching me back into reality.

[bull]

good news to be awaken to!

Do you always sleep in until 10:30?

The ads, which recalled Chrysler's famed ads with then-CEO Lee Iacocca from the late 1980s, marked a shift in strategy since DaimlerChrysler had kept its Chrysler and Mercedes-Benz units more sharply separated in previous marketing.

One aim was to distance Chrysler from the the struggling, American auto industry. Zetsche has said Chrysler was hurt by its association with its Detroit roots as one of the traditional Big Three[/b]

I think that ad campaign just proved that Chrysler sales can suffer more by an association with Deutschland than with Detroit.

[Chris G.]

It was a terrible idea to begin with. Talk about advertising suicide? Geez, I wonder who came up with the idea, the ad dept. or did Zetcshe himself force it down their throat? 

I'm just glad it's over with.

[BigBlackDodge]

I find those ads pretty insulting.  If you read between the lines.
they seem to say " we took your crappy american cars and waved our mercedes wand over them"

it's a goddam dodge commercial, why do I need to hear the mercedes is the worlds largest producer of commercial vehicles and then they show all of those turds sitting in a row?

and I agree that I had no idea what that kraut was saying.  Run the company if you want, but speak f'ing english if you want to be part of the add campaign.

Thats exactly how I felt watching them too.........................."German egineering this.........German engineering that!" If they're so good at engineering everything they wouldn't have lost the war back in the 40's!

BBD (who is of German descent and is allowed to pick on them! )

[Headrope]

I find those ads pretty insulting.  If you read between the lines.
they seem to say " we took your crappy american cars and waved our mercedes wand over them"

it's a goddam dodge commercial, why do I need to hear the mercedes is the worlds largest producer of commercial vehicles and then they show all of those turds sitting in a row?

and I agree that I had no idea what that kraut was saying.  Run the company if you want, but speak f'ing english if you want to be part of the add campaign.

Thats exactly how I felt watching them too.........................."German egineering this.........German engineering that!" If they're so good at engineering everything they wouldn't have lost the war back in the 40's!

BBD (who is of German descent and is allowed to pick on them! )

Well, that certainly was ignorant. German engineering from the '40s is responsible for weapons winning wars to this day.

[HeavyFuel]

 

Feel free to pick on 'em if you want, but check up on the history.  I don't  know how much of that engineering is winning wars today, but it sure wasn't their engineering that lost the big one.

And one recent article:

"The German Engineering Federation VDMA announced in Frankfurt this month that its 3,000 member companies sold engineering products worth EUR97.8 billion to foreign customers in 2004 that is an increase of 12% over the previous year.

The industry is benefiting from a growing demand particularly in India, the near and Middle East and Russia. The German share of the world engineering trade increased within one year from 19.1 to 19.3%; Japan's quota in 2004 was 13.3%, the USA came third with 12.4%.

According to the VDMA, Germany is the market leader in 21 out 31 branches of the world's engineering industry. In the power systems and engines sector, Germany's export volume in 2004 was EUR7.3billion, which represents one quarter of the world market total."

[BigBlackDodge]

I find those ads pretty insulting.  If you read between the lines.
they seem to say " we took your crappy american cars and waved our mercedes wand over them"

it's a goddam dodge commercial, why do I need to hear the mercedes is the worlds largest producer of commercial vehicles and then they show all of those turds sitting in a row?

and I agree that I had no idea what that kraut was saying.  Run the company if you want, but speak f'ing english if you want to be part of the add campaign.

Thats exactly how I felt watching them too.........................."German egineering this.........German engineering that!" If they're so good at engineering everything they wouldn't have lost the war back in the 40's!

BBD (who is of German descent and is allowed to pick on them! )

Well, that certainly was ignorant. German engineering from the '40s is responsible for weapons winning wars to this day.

Did not seem to help then, did it? I rest my case.

BBD

[bull]

One reason they lost the war was because Hitler made a lot of stupid decisions regarding war strategy, especially in the air. He scaled back the production of planes he should have moved forward with and used the wrong type of planes for the wrong type of mission, etc. If there's anything wrong with that era of German technology (or craftsmanship) it's that their stuff is overbuilt. That's why a German pistol often weighs more than a US handgun; ours might wear out faster but they were/are light, simple and easy to build. The Germans often worried about minutiae when they should have been worrying about getting the stuff out the door quicker, but then some of the stuff they did try to produce quickly didn't work right, such as the Messerschmitt ME 163B (a stupid little rocket-powered plane that would pass its target at 150 mph and then run out of fuel).

[whitehatspecial]

The Dr. Z's ads were annoying at best. The same ad ran many days in a row, sometimes two times back to back.
Dr. Z came across like a true CEO, pompous, self-righteous and arrogant. IMO Chrylser would have been better off getting Daisy, BO, Luke Duke to do some retro spots.

[twilt]

DR Z gets left in general discussion, while the post about the Camaro drive by at the Challenger media session gets moved to off topic.  Shouldn`t DR Z be in the lighter side/comedy section? 

[dkn1997]

I find those ads pretty insulting.  If you read between the lines.
they seem to say " we took your crappy american cars and waved our mercedes wand over them"

it's a goddam dodge commercial, why do I need to hear the mercedes is the worlds largest producer of commercial vehicles and then they show all of those turds sitting in a row?

and I agree that I had no idea what that kraut was saying.  Run the company if you want, but speak f'ing english if you want to be part of the add campaign.

Thats exactly how I felt watching them too.........................."German egineering this.........German engineering that!" If they're so good at engineering everything they wouldn't have lost the war back in the 40's!

BBD (who is of German descent and is allowed to pick on them! )

Well, that certainly was ignorant. German engineering from the '40s is responsible for weapons winning wars to this day.

while I would not use the word ignorant (especially since bbd agreed with my original point)  I would have to agree that german engineering was actually superior to our own in some cases.  Their tanks were better than our shermans (whe just had a shit ton more shermans)
their planes were better in the beginning of the war (I feel our mustangs and other late planes were better later in the war)

and Hitlers lunacy was not one reason why they lost, it was pretty much the only reason.  Early on, They had the war pretty much sewn up, then towards the end his decision to split his forces and attach russia ultimately doomed him.  Russia would have left him alone, at least for a while and he could have concentrated on invading England.  If the Germans had occupied England, at the very least, Germany would be all of europe.  at worst, we all would be speaking German right now.

Hijack over, 'nuff said.

[daytonalo]

Absolutely , those German engineer's made ours look like a bunch of jerry,s kid's running around ! Pick up a history book ! After the war there was a mad scramble to grab those engineers and scientist . I.E Von Braun , if it wasn't for him our space program would have never left the ground !
                                                                                                                                              Larry

[73chgrSE]

It's about time. Now they sould hire Tommy Chong.

[Silver R/T]

good news to be awaken to!

Do you always sleep in until 10:30?

only on saturdays, at least I try to

[TK73]

good news to be awaken to!

Do you always sleep in until 10:30?

only on saturdays, at least I try to

[Lowprofile]

I find those ads pretty insulting.  If you read between the lines.
they seem to say " we took your crappy american cars and waved our mercedes wand over them"

it's a goddam dodge commercial, why do I need to hear the mercedes is the worlds largest producer of commercial vehicles and then they show all of those turds sitting in a row?

and I agree that I had no idea what that kraut was saying.  Run the company if you want, but speak f'ing english if you want to be part of the add campaign.

Guess what? Until they took over, Mother Mopar's products were as sub-standard as GM's & Ford's of the same era.........

And I happen to drive one of those commercial turds.........it just turned 826,000 miles.  Yea, German Engineering Sucks.

[Ghoste]

Is there any German engineering (short of the diesel engine principle itself) in a Freightliner?

[Lowprofile]

Is there any German engineering (short of the diesel engine principle itself) in a Freightliner?

More so in the newer models [Century Class, Columbia, Coronado]. Those trucks have a "Euro" style to them, much like a Volvo. My Truck, a Classic XL, is more an "American" Style truck. I have a CAT 475 Engine  , But the trans/rears, air ride/suspension, & electronics have been designed by both American & European engineers.

[Ghoste]

Aren't trans and rear still from places like Meritor and Dana?  Suspensions are from places like Meritor and Hendrickson and what not aren't they?  Just asking, not arguing (and I'm dragging it off topic too, sorry).

[Lowprofile]

Aren't trans and rear still from places like Meritor and Dana?  Suspensions are from places like Meritor and Hendrickson and what not aren't they?  Just asking, not arguing (and I'm dragging it off topic too, sorry).

Yes, you are correct sir. Those manufactures supply parts to all class 8 truck builders. But Freightliner, Volvo, & Mack also offer driveline components from their European parts suppliers, Mercedes, Volvo & Renault. Yes my friend, Euro-Trucking is on its way to the good old US of A!


Sorry for the Hi-Jack daytonalo.