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August 8,
2007
This Week:
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The New Chrysler: Celebrating ‘First Day’
The New Chrysler marked the “First Day”
of a new era today by bringing back its Pentastar corporate
logo, announcing a new corporate advertising campaign and
staging a celebratory rally for thousands of employees on the
lawn outside its company headquarters.

The “First Day” events follow the
August 3 contract signing under which New York-based Cerberus
Capital Management assumed majority ownership of the company,
with former owner DaimlerChrysler AG maintaining a significant
minority stake. In an address to employees around the world,
Chrysler Chairman and CEO Bob Nardelli and Chrysler Vice
Chairman and President Tom LaSorda outlined the strong suits of
The New Chrysler as a blend of longstanding traits and a
willingness to embrace new processes to thrive in today’s
ultra-competitive marketplace. The new management team of
Nardelli and LaSorda was announced earlier today.
The New
Chrysler is breaking ground as the first major North American
auto manufacturer to become privately owned in more than half a
century. Both executives pointed out that a key benefit of going
private is that it would allow The New Chrysler to strengthen
its focus on long-term success rather than pursuing the
short-term expectations of capital markets. |
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Nardelli and LaSorda also acknowledged the need
to continue to build relationships with important stakeholders including
employees, dealers, suppliers, government and community officials.
LaSorda added that the Company will continue
its long tradition of community support through efforts such as the
United Way and the newly renamed philanthropic arm, the Chrysler
Foundation. |
Pentastar Returns
Following a nine-year hiatus, the Pentastar is
back as the corporate mark for The New Chrysler. First used as a logo in
1962, the five-pointed star within a pentagram returns with a bold,
three-dimensional update. The freshened design communicates The New
Chrysler’s pride in its heritage even as it looks to the future with
renewed confidence.

Fireworks at the old and new Chrysler Headquarters
The symbol will be used on buildings, signage
and corporate stationery. Even during the past nine years, the logo has
continued to adorn the company’s headquarters.
National Corporate Campaign
A new national U.S. advertising campaign will
launch on August 6 reflecting the company’s heritage of product
innovations and leadership and points to the future with the theme, “The
New Chrysler: Get Ready for the Next Hundred Years.”

The campaign includes print, Internet and radio
ads that introduce The New Chrysler company name to the public and
feature the return of the Pentastar as corporate logo. The advertising
conveys pride in the product milestones and innovations that have
distinguished the company while also communicating a commitment to
continue building great vehicles. In addition, the advertising
highlights the current products from the Chrysler, Jeep® and Dodge
brands, as well as quality, environmental accomplishments and the
company’s recently announced Lifetime Powertrain Limited Warranty.
The New Chrysler corporate advertising campaign
will run in the United States through the end of August and some
campaign elements also will be used in Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico.
In addition, the Company’s history of innovation is reinforced on The
New Chrysler corporate site – www.ChryslerLLC.com.
Employees Celebrate
At the Auburn Hills headquarters of The New
Chrysler, employees gathered on the lawn to celebrate a new beginning as
a privately held company. The rally was broadcast to facilities around
the world, many of which celebrated the day with local festivities.
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The “First Day” events in Auburn Hills
ended with Nardelli and LaSorda – joined by UAW President Ron
Gettelfinger – flipping an oversize switch that set off
fireworks and amplified the Pentastar corporate logo on top of
the company’s headquarters.
The festivities included a display of
11 current and soon-to-be-launched vehicles such as the all-new
2008 minivans and the unveiling of a large banner on the
headquarters that reads, “The New Chrysler: Get Ready for the
Next 100 Years!” Project Bandaloop, an aerial dance group,
performed on the 15-story headquarters building.
Nardelli told the gathered employees,
“Working together, I am confident that we can continue the
momentum of Chrysler’s recovery and reestablishing this great
American icon on a path for global growth and competitiveness.”
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He added, “With a laser focus on the demands of
today’s marketplace and our evolving customer base, not only in America
but around the world, we will deliver products with the fit, finish,
efficiency, safety and style that people desire.”
August 6, 2007
Photos: Chrysler
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