Last Friday, September 9th, Dodge launched a new ad campaign for its crossover vehicle the Journey, which is advertised with the slogan, "the search engine for the real world." What's the campaign? It's a literal treasure hunt. Three Dodge Journeys have been hidden around the United States, and the customers who find them get to keep them.
The first vehicle is hidden somewhere in the western part of the country. The second is in the Midwest, with hunting to begin on September 16th (Dodge believes the first Journey will be found by then) and the third will be in the eastern part of the United States, with the hunt to begin there on September 23rd.
How will people know where to look? A series of television ads will urge people to visit www.youtube.com/dodge for clues, like pictures of local hotels, or coffee in a cupholder from a local café, that will help seekers on their quest.
The campaign, which was created by Dodge's ad agency, the Portland, OR - based Wieden+Kennedy, shows Dodge Journeys on treks through scenic America, accompanied by a voiceover from actor Michael C. Hall, who suggests that motorists disconnect from their technology, and go explore the real world.
Why is Dodge pushing the Journey? Well, the crossover SUV is one of seven vehicles being pushed by the Chrysler Group during this fall's ad blitz, with the others being the Chrysler Town & Country, 300, and 200, the Dodge Grand Caravan, the Jeep Grand Cherokee, and a Ram pickup, and it's all part of a plan to help make Journey appeal to consumers as "the most affordable mid-sized crossover in America."
