Well I think we got the point across.

Dear Paul:

Thank you for your comments regarding our 30-second Jeep Grand Cherokee television commercial. We value your opinion and appreciate your willingness to share it with us. As you know, outdoor activities and communing with the environment are both basic to the DNA of the Jeep brand. That is why for many years Jeep has sponsored and supported a wide range of outdoor events and
activities. With this in mind, we created the spot to communicate the key attributes of Jeep off-road capability, ruggedness, safety and security. Because of our innate involvement with nature and outdoor activities, we felt we could use the hunting analogy in a tongue-in-cheek way to
highlight the go anywhere, do anything capability of Jeep vehicles. Unfortunately, we did not anticipate this story line would evoke such negative emotion among some viewers. That was never intended. We
apologize if we inadvertently offended any individual or group. Obviously we
underestimated the sensitivity of this issue. Jeep, as the embodiment of the great outdoors, does not want to damage our relationship with any groups or individuals that love, appreciate and enjoy outdoor activities. Nor do we want to damage our relationship with our loyal customers or prospects who reside on either side of this
issue. Therefore, because this is so emotionally charged, we will no
longer continue this campaign.
Again, thank you for sharing your views with us. We hope this clarifies our position.

Respectfully,

Jeff Bell
Vice President
Marketing Communications
DaimlerChrysler

Paul-
I'd say that "clarifies their position". This issue really had "legs" and DCX stumbled from beginning to end. How they ever imagined they could reconcile this ad campaign with their pro-hunting marketing efforts elswhere is a case study in stupidity.

Good work ladies and gents-
Forrest

Paul,

I hope Jeep doesn't contact your employer about your comments. If I remember correctly Jeep was one of their biggest customers.

I don't care what they say. I still won't buy a Jeep.
Paul B.

Good Job Paul.

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Wendell Reich
Hunter's Quest International

While it is probably true that their copy is written by a NYC cliff dweller that has never seen a live tree without a fence around it, they should be in better touch with the folks that, in the final analysis, do indeed pay their salaries. And to use the tired, old saw of "gee guys, it was just tongue in cheek", is so much bullshit.

They still do not say that they SUPPORT hunting.

------------------
NRA Life member

Bearclaw,
You're right, their answer was just a very generic way to appease a "group" of potential Jeep customers. Not the hunting community. They would have sent that identical letter to any number of organizations with a similar complaint. I hate to say it but Jeep probably just showed their true colors of the new ownership.

Can you say backfired!!!

------------------
Good Hunting & Hunt Safe,
David

quote:

---

Originally posted by Paul B:
I don't care what they say. I still won't buy a Jeep.
Paul B.

---

Is it otay to buy a pre-anti-hunting commercial Jeep? ~~~Suluuq

I agree with you guys. When I got to the part about them "underestimating the sensitivity of the issue", I decided he is full of sh*t. Why should we not object to a cheap shot aimed at a way of life we enjoy. It's bad enough that with every movie that comes out of hollywood we are portrayed as killers (usually drunken, inbred, redneck killers) now we are taking the same crap from a company that has always produced a great product for us, and our way of life. I don't think they regret it in any way, and I for one will never support them. Look at what we did to K-mart, that alone should prove we do carry some weight. If the rest of the bleeding heart companies come forward and follow the same path as these two, we will have the corporate herd culled down just about right.

Just my thoughts
Sooner

What a load of left-wing liberal B.S. Hey I guess at least they're going to kill the the ad.

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May your chambers be true to your bores.

So where's the PRO-hunting ad to offset the psychological/political effect of this one?

(I bet you won't see one showing some hunters sitting around a campfire with a kill hanging and a Jeep in the background.

Or how about one showing camo-clad hunters using a Jeep to deliver food into that same "No Hunting" zone to save the starving, overpopulated deer herd?)

Seems they won't dance with those that brung 'em!

Most Jeep Cherokee buyers today are granola-eating', latte-sippin' soccer moms who will never take their vehicles off road. Most Jeep Wrangler buyers are city dwellers that just want a convertible that looks a little bit different than others, or bunny huggin' day hikers who know nothing about wildlife management.

Jeep knows who their current target audience is, and their response is just damage control. After reading their vanilla response, I doubt that they pulled their ad to appease anyone. It probably just ran its course.

YEAHHH! Who cares what they think themselves. Their personal votes probably go with the tight skirt down the hall and the tight-ass bean counter upstairs, and either way none of them will ever get guts under his/her finger nails. Fact is we hit them hard enough that the bean counter told them to pull the ad. Victories are made one step like this at a time. That is how we lost as much as we lost - one small step at a time.

I disagree with you guys. Having spent most of my career in corporate America they are trying to "make it right". They pulled the ad that says a lot.

Rather than complaining may be we should suggest what we think is appropriate.

Deer Jeep,

We think you have down some real damage to the hunting community. Might we suggest as an act of good faith you make a donation too...

------------------
MED

The sole purpose of a rifle is to please its owner

I imagine they did the math. How many hunters already got jeeps....how many non-hunters don't? How many old died in the wool jeep owners will we loose by reaching out to this big market of non-hunters and acting like we are on their side?
When I get rid of the jeep I own, it will be my last.

Paul, I would like to know if you have Mr. Bells e-mail address? If you coul post it I'm sure many would respond. Chrysler also sponsored anti gun ads last prez campain in California. I'd like to warn everyone not to be fooled. They are also one of the financial supporters of Handgun Control Inc. which has caused all American gun owners problems. Think Brady bill.

BigNate no I do not have. Just fax it to this number
contacting DaimlerChrysler at
(248) 512-2992 or by faxing (248) 512-1760. DaimlerChrysler
CEO Dieter Zetsche can be contacted directly at: Box 218004,
Auburn Hills, Michigan, 48321.