Chrysler Taps Black-Owned Agency for Neon Advertising Campaign

A recent advertising campaign for Chrysler's new Neon subcompact focuses on the car's distinctive attributes, including its eye-catching exterior styling. The campaign, handled by black-owned agency Don Coleman & Associates, features a 30-second television commercial and print advertisements. The commercial, "Mother World," employs the singer Lena Horne for narration and has been running on the Black Entertainment Television cable network since April 1.

Key Takeaways:

• Chrysler has awarded its account for advertising aimed at black consumers to Don Coleman & Associates, a black-owned agency based in Bingham Farms, Mich.
• The agency has completed a campaign for Chrysler's new Neon subcompact, focusing on its distinctive attributes, including its eye-catching exterior styling.
• The campaign "is hitting very well," according to Bud Liebler, vice president of marketing for Chrysler, and may be tried elsewhere.
• Chrysler's Neon subcompact is sold under the Dodge and Plymouth nameplates, and the agency responsible for the general market advertising for the car is BBDO North America in Southfield, Mich.
• Don Coleman & Associates has billings of $26 million, with $12 million coming from the Chrysler account.
• The agency has 32 employees and was awarded the Chrysler account after a review that included the incumbent agency, Lockhart & Pettus in New York.
• The Ford Motor Company's Ford division has recently replaced one black-owned agency, Burrell Advertising in Chicago, with another, the Uniworld Group in New York, on its account for advertising aimed at black consumers.

Statistics:

• Chrysler awarded its account for advertising aimed at black consumers to Don Coleman & Associates in January.
• The campaign for Chrysler's new Neon subcompact has been running on the Black Entertainment Television cable network since April 1.
• Don Coleman & Associates has billings of $26 million, with $12 million coming from the Chrysler account.
• The agency has 32 employees and was awarded the Chrysler account after a review that included the incumbent agency, Lockhart & Pettus in New York.
• The Ford Motor Company's Ford division recently replaced one black-owned agency, Burrell Advertising in Chicago, with another, the Uniworld Group in New York, on its account for advertising aimed at black consumers.

Sources:

• (The New York Times, January 1994)
• Don Coleman & Associates
• Chrysler Corporation
• (Black Enterprise, April 1995)
• (Advertising Age, March 1994)